Technology at Work in New Ways
Can suction anchors and subsea substations for oil installations have a role in our renewable future? The answer is YES and was clearly demonstrated at ONS in Stavanger this week.
Several examples of how knowledge and technology from the oil and gas industry are being adapted for renewable markets, was showcased to our audience at ONS in Stavanger this week.
Repurposing Suction Anchors
Since the 1990s, Framo at Flatøy has been producing suction anchors for oil installations. Suction anchor jackets are based on a nearly forgotten technology that offers an alternative to conventional solutions like piles that are hammered into the seabed and challenging to decommission.
In recent years Framo has adapted this suction anchor technology for offshore wind projects. These anchors are quick to install, require no ROVs, produce no noice, and are easy to remove when no longer needed (decommission).
Framo has successfully installed 20 wind turbines using suction bucket technology at Ørsted's Borkum Riffgrund 2 wind farm. Last year, they also secured a contract for Ørsted's new offshore wind project in Taiwan.
New life for Subsea Substations
Subsea substations could also play a key role in the offshore wind sector, particularly in the electrification of offshore installations, according to Arill S. Hagland, Product Champion – Power Solutions at our partner OneSubsea.
At its core, a subsea substation functions as a subsea transformer, designed to increase voltage before power is transmitted to shore, reducing transmission losses, similar to high-voltage lines on land. It also serves as a hub for efficiently collecting power generated by multiple wind turbines.
The use of subsea substations, alongside onshore cables or in combination with offshore wind integration, could offer an effective solution, according to Hagland.
Generating power from Wind, Waves and Sun
An experienced engineer laid off in the oil price downturn came up with the idea of Flex2power – a new type of base for wind turbines which also derives energy simultaneously from waves and sun.
This case was also pitched on stage at ONS, along with cases from Cyan Energy, Hydepoint, World Wide Wind, Arda Energy, Intellilift, Seid, and Ocean Ventus.
All of these cases will be featured shortly and in depth at techtransfer.no.
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