Equinor’s Innovative Steam Turbine Solution to Cut Emissions at Statfjord C Platform by 25%

Equinor’s Innovative Steam Turbine Solution to Cut Emissions at Statfjord C Platform by 25%

(IN BRIEF) Equinor and its partners are implementing an innovative solution to enhance energy efficiency and reduce emissions at the Statfjord C platform. The plan involves replacing two gas turbines with a steam turbine powered by heat recovery from gas compressors, leading to more efficient energy consumption. This shift will result in a 25% reduction in annual CO2 emissions on Statfjord C, equivalent to removing 50,000 cars from the road. The project, called “FLX Future Energy,” also includes other emission reduction measures, such as electrification of water injection and improvements in energy-intensive processes. The new steam turbine is expected to start operating in 2026, marking the first application of this solution on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

(PRESS RELEASE) STAVANGER, 23-Aug-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Statfjord C will change its power solution to cut emissions. A new steam turbine will produce electricity based on surplus heat from two gas compressors. This will make the energy consumption more efficient and cut 25 per cent of total annual CO2 emissions on Statfjord C, equivalent to 50,000 cars.

“This is the first time this solution is used on an operated field at the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). I am proud of employees and suppliers that have worked in an innovative way to streamline the energy being used at the platform. This is an important contribution to extend the field’s life to 2040,” says Camilla Salthe, Equinor’s senior vice president for Field Life eXtension (FLX).

Scheduled for start-up in 2026, the new steam turbine will give cost-effective emission cuts. It will be the first time this solution is introduced on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS).

“Heat recovery for electric power production has been used on new fields, both on the NCS and internationally. Now, for the first time, the solution is introduced on a mature field in production. This is possible due to the development of low-weight solutions,” says Ketil Rongved, Equinor’s vice president for FLX projects.

The project also involves electrification of water injection and emission cuts related to other energy intensive processes on Statfjord C. The project, named “FLX Future Energy” was decided by the Statfjord partnership in July.

This project is one of many measures to cut emissions from the production at Statfjord. For instance, a heat recovery unit on Statfjord B has cut CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes every year since 2021.

Facts

Field Life eXtension (FLX) is a unit in Equinor that is responsible for late-life fields. Its purpose is to optimize the fields’ operations and economy through new ways of working, with safety as its main priority.

The technical solution of the FLX Future Energy project does not require power supply from shore. The solution is called low weight bottoming cycle (LWBC). By introducing it on Statfjord C, two of the existing gas turbines can be shut down. The project will enable Statfjord C to deliver oil and gas with a quarter of the current carbon footprint (25 per cent reduction in total emissions).

In 2021, a new waste heat recovery unit (WHRU) was installed on Statfjord B, reducing CO2 emissions from the platform by 20,000 tonnes per year.

The licence partners in the Statfjord Unit are: Equinor Energy AS (40.17028%), Okea ASA (23.93123%)*, Vår Energi ASA (21.36717%), Equinor UK Ltd (14.53131%)

*Subject to government approval.

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SOURCE: Equinor ASA