Harnessing Offshore Wind: Using Mobile Floating Wind Units MOWUs and Energy Storage to Provide Clean Power to Production Installations

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes a novel concept that enables offshore operators to power their facilities with microgrids consisting of mobile offshore wind units (MOWUs). The MOWU consists of a floating unit anchored to the seabed. On the floating unit is a wind turbine with a generation capacity of 11-14MW. A battery energy storage solution (BESS) is included as part of the system, along with AC power distribution, transformers, switchboards, and a power management system (PMS). The MOWU can connect to any offshore installation by means of a short length of subsea cable (up to several kilometers). The solution is scalable and can be adapted and deployed in the configuration needed to match the load profile and power needs of the host production (fixed or floating) or drilling facility. The primary objective of the concept is to reduce localized power production from existing onboard diesel and gas turbine generators. Initial estimates indicate that the improved energy mix with wind and energy storage combined can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 60-70% when compared to conventional generation with gas turbines, thus providing a technically sound solution to economically extend the field life of mature assets.