Against a volatile energy backdrop, demand for oil and gas is high, and ageing and obsolete offshore platforms are proving critical. But what about their older marine growth prevention systems (MGPS)? To preserve and maintain the effectiveness of these older platforms, investing in state-of-the-art MGPS can substantially reduce plant and equipment decay, keeping them profitable for longer. Here Rob Jones, Chloropac® System Sales Manager at Evoqua Water Technologies discusses the role of retrofitting electrochlorination systems to power up ageing offshore platforms.
With recent increases in demand for oil and gas as the globe recovers from the pandemic and navigates disruption to the market as a result of sanctions on Russia, the economic viability of older offshore platforms has been reaffirmed. Nothing highlights this situation like the impact on prices, and in February 2022 we saw Brent crude oil prices hit $100/bbl for the first time since September 2014[1].
But what does it take to guarantee production now to meet the current market? Efficiency, both process and financial, is key. A large part of achieving this is through reducing and minimising the degradation of in-field assets, thereby reducing downtime and process complications. One productivity problem that raises its head time and again in offshore oil and gas (O&G) is marine biofouling and microbial induced corrosion (MIC). With these older platforms potentially more susceptible to MIC – particularly those with older seawater treatment systems – now is the time to upgrade to a modern solution.
Retrofitting MGPS to an existing platform has a number of advantages. For starters, it is an operational expense, rather than CAPEX, avoiding the requirement for lengthy global tenders so projects can be fulfilled quicker. More importantly, however, it provides substantial increases to the efficiency of MGP and water treatment through a step-change in technology. This translates into reductions in OPEX by minimising corrosion and degradation of equipment and piping that use seawater, such as heat exchangers for cooling.
So, in the harsh offshore environment, with a global demand surge, maintaining production while minimising maintenance costs is crucial to profitability. Retrofitting new MGPS can play an important role in achieving this.
At Evoqua, we have substantial experience supporting offshore O&G operations and understand the unique challenges of this environment. Our dedicated team can travel to site, review requirements, assess the current equipment and provide retrofitting options. Whether the current system is a legacy Evoqua technology or another solution entirely, we can help determine the best course of action by outlining the pros and cons of each and always with sustainability in mind.
Generally speaking, Evoqua operates through a single contract and team that covers purchase, servicing and support globally. This streamlined process has proven highly valuable within the offshore industry, as it simplifies things substantially while allowing our experts to fit and optimise equipment for a specific application.
Based on more than 40 years of experience, Evoqua’s Chloropac® system and its new cells is a gamechanger. With a smaller footprint (up to 70% smaller), six times the output of former units, fewer electrical and mechanical components, better efficiency and easier maintenance, our cell technology is an industry-leading MGPS.
All of this translates to improved productivity with significant reductions in maintenance requirements, as well as downtime and lifetime ownership costs. Even regions with high climate variance can benefit from the MKIV, with temperature and salinity variations 5-32˚C and 25 – 45 PSU (14-25g/L), with the unit’s higher seawater velocity providing better self-cleaning for optimum long-term operation.
Today, it is possible to future-proof ageing or previously obsolete assets and guarantee production while reducing downtime, maintenance requirements, operational costs and increasing the sustainability of operations while you do so.
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[1] //www.mckinsey.com/industries/oil-and-gas/our-insights/petroleum-blog/snapshot-of-global-oil-supply-and-demand
