scholarly journals Turbine or Electric Motor Driven Gas Compressors on Production Platforms

Author(s):  
J. M. Overli ◽  
R. Magnusson

This paper describes the results obtained from a study commissioned to ascertain the optimum drive arrangements for the gas compression machinery to be installed on an integrated platform in the North Sea. The study was restricted to two main drive type alternatives: - All compressor stages on one shaft driven by a variable speed aero-derivative gas turbine. - All compressor stages with separate, constant speed, electric motor drives. The study took into account drive option and shafting arrangements with regard to flexibility of operation, weight, area, lay-out, foundation/alignment, waste heat recovery requirements, availability/reliability, safety, maintenance, fuel consumption, investment cost and operational experience. For the specific case studied, the overall conclusion was in favour of the gas turbine drive alternative.

Author(s):  
R. B. Spector ◽  
L. S. Cimino

Approximately 50 years of offshore oil exploration drilling and production have led to refined techniques and equipment selection criteria. Gas turbines have established themselves as the prime source of energy transfer in that sector of the industrial marketplace where space and weight are of major importance. The increased worldwide demand for petroleum has pushed offshore platforms into deeper waters requiring further sophistication in the allocation of space, weight and maintenance resources. The aeroderivative gas turbine meets the above criteria and in addition offers the platform designer high thermal efficiency and system flexibility coupled with ease of maintenance. This paper presents a summary of experience gained in over 10 years of operation of the General Electric LM2500 gas turbine on platforms in the North Sea. Although all of the circumstances that may be encountered cannot be adequately covered, highlighting the events which occurred in over one million hours of operation presents the potential user with a better understanding of the uniqueness of this type application. The advantages and the reliability of the aeroderivative gas turbine are also discussed. The LM2500 gas turbine was first introduced into off-shore operation in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea in November 1979, after successful application in gas compression and transmission duty on pipelines and other on shore facilities.


Author(s):  
Katie T. Sell ◽  
Paul R. Langston ◽  
Rene´ H. Mitchell

Compressor station gas turbine engines require protection from fuel gas liquid drop-out caused by the Joule-Thomson effect when natural gas is let down from transportation line pressure to the burner supply pressure. Indeed, gas turbine manufacturers specify a minimum gas superheat, which requires fuel gas heating at pipeline temperatures experienced in Northern Europe. Conventionally, fuel gas superheating is achieved through the use of either electric or gas fired water bath heaters, which require maintenance, and an external heat source. Meanwhile, waste heat from the turbo-compressor lube oil system is released to atmosphere, typically by air-cooled heat exchangers. Hence, there is an obvious opportunity to protect the gas turbine engine, whilst reducing the amount of heat rejected to the environment. Mechanical integrity is a key operational requirement when combining fuel gas superheating with lube oil cooling in a single heat exchanger. Fuel gas at high pressure must not enter the low pressure lube oil system. High integrity Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers (PCHEs) are ideally suited to this application, as they are diffusion bonded and fully welded heat exchangers. Used extensively in offshore high pressure gas compression trains in the North Sea, PCHEs have demonstrated that they are low maintenance items that are ideal for use in remote unmanned applications, such as those required by gas compression stations. PCHEs are highly compact, reducing space and structural requirements. This allows the exchanger to be installed underneath the compressor, minimizing the visual impact of the heat exchanger. In addition, safety and pressure relief requirements are significantly reduced, a PCHEs do not have a failure mode analogous to tube rupture in shell and tube heat exchangers. National Grid Transco have realized the opportunities of PCHEs and operated them successfully over many years in many of their compression stations throughout the United Kingdom.


Author(s):  
Lawrence R. Ferrill ◽  
N. Daryl Ronsky ◽  
Tim A. Harris

Mechanical dry gas seal systems were retrofitted into two centrifugal natural gas compressors which are located offshore in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The project was initiated after a fire and several gas explosions had occurred in the gas turbine lube oil reservoir. These incidents were a result of gas leaking from the compressor’s seal oil system and then migrating via the lube oil lines into the reservoir. The dry gas seal systems have eliminated gas leakage into the turbine lube oil reservoir, eliminating the hazard of gas explosion. The retrofits have also provided additional benefits including reductions in space and weight, reduced power usage, reduced maintenance, and elimination of seal oil consumption which had been up to 440 gal./day (2000 liters/day).


2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 7843-7853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Pulsinelli ◽  
Marco di Benedetto ◽  
Alessandro Lidozzi ◽  
Luca Solero ◽  
Fabio Crescimbini

Author(s):  
M. H. P. Kimm ◽  
D. Langlands

This Paper covers various aspects with respect to the selection and operation of air filtration associated to offshore gas turbine installations. As the Offshore North Sea industry moves into its second decade, Operators are still trying to improve machine availability and reduce maintenance costs. One of the main contributing factors in their failure to achieve the ideal condition has been poor inlet air filtration caused by bad design and incorrect filter selection. The majority of offshore installations are equipped with filter systems which were originally designed for use on ocean-going vessels. The performance of what has become known as the “High Velocity Salt Eliminator System” has, in most cases, been unsatisfactory, thereby creating a necessity for a continuing search into alternative filter systems. The experiences of most Operators in the North Sea have been very similar, and examination of the platform environment explains why this should be the case. To emphasize the affects of poor air filtration and the savings that can be achieved by the Operator in recognising and correcting the problems, specific reference is made to the experience of Mobil North Sea with the Beryl Alpha Production Platform.


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