DRILLING & COMPLETION TECH DIGEST • DEPARTMENTS
Added capacity at Port Esbjerg allows Maersk Drilling jackup to use shore-to-ship power
Maersk Drilling has connected its first
rig to the green shore-to-ship power unit
at Port Esbjerg in Denmark . The shore
power unit, the first of its kind in Denmark,
reduces carbon emissions substantially
and is in line with both Port Esbjerg’s and
Maersk Drilling’s focus on sustainability
and the green transition.

The Maersk Highlander jackup is cur-
rently connected to shore-to-ship power at
Doggerkaj. The power plant has a capac-
ity of 1,300 Amp/1.5 MW and can supply
power to up to three rigs, which requires
up to 10,000 kWh every 24 hours. The
potential reduction in carbon emissions
is substantial, but the actual figures will
depend on how long the rigs are docked.

Many of the other ships at the Esbjerg
port have had the option to connect to
shore-to-ship power for several years. The
news is that Port Esbjerg now has the
capacity to supply shore-to-ship power to
drilling rigs, which require huge quantities
of power.

“More and more customers ask for
shore-to-ship power, so for us, it’s not just
a matter of participating actively in the
green transition, on which we’re already
heavily focused. It’s also a commercial
necessity, which is why we’re in the
process of installing more shore-to-ship
power plants at the port, so even more of
our customers have the opportunity to use
green power,” said Port Esbjerg CEO Dennis
Jul Pedersen.

The potential reduction of carbon emis-
sions from using shore-to-ship power
rather than diesel generators is up to 500
tonnes of CO 2 per month per rig .

Replacing large-diameter
seals in-situ can help
to reduce FPSO downtime
The GeoVolve HAMMER uses a percussive drilling technique that can help to
speed up the rate of penetration in geothermal drilling, minimizing damage to
the drill bit so it can drill deeper and longer.

New system aims to halve geothermal well costs
A new percussive drilling system
could potentially cut capital expenditure
of geothermal wells by 50%.

HydroVolve’s GeoVolve HAMMER uses
percussive impulse energy to fracture
the rock ahead of the drill bit, enabling
deep drilling into hot, hard rock easier
and faster. Operated by the flow of pres-
surized drilling fluid, the technology is
an all-metal construction, allowing it
to operate in hazardous environments
at extreme temperatures for extended
periods. Currently, the cost of geothermal drill-
ing can account for up to 50% of total well
project costs, with the majority of spend
due to time spent drilling through dif-
ficult rock formations. Drilling through
hard rock using conventional rotary
methods causes drill bits to wear, dull
or break down rapidly after short drilled
depths. This results in the need to regu-
larly recover the failed drill bit to surface
for replacement, adding significant proj-
ect time and costs.

GeoVolve HAMMER uses a percussive
drilling technique proven to speed up
the drilling rate of penetration in hard
rock by up to 10 times . The percussive
drilling method is less damaging to the
drill bit, meaning the bit can drill deeper
for longer .

The system is plug-and-play so it is
compatible with any bottomhole assem-
bly , and it does not interfere with mea-
surement while drilling or steerable sys-
tems . Its engine, HydroVolve INFINITY, is
already a proven technology in the field.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions is provid-
ing the oil and gas industry with a way
to make in-situ repairs to large-diame-
ter seals, minimizing equipment down-
time and associated costs that come
from maintaining an FPSO swivel stack.

Replacement of large-diameter seals usu-
ally requires the equipment to be returned
to dock.

The company’s SealWelding process
begins with production of a seal in a con-
trolled manufacturing area . Manufacture
of the seal is to the original specifica-
tion, in its original material; a special-
ly designed tool precisely cuts the seal.

Offshore, onboard the FPSO, highly trained
personnel from Trelleborg’s service team
place the new seal, which has been cut in
one place, into position.

Using a specialized ATEX zone 1 certi-
fied fully enclosed welding machine, the
two ends of the seal are joined together
seamlessly. This enables other swivel
stacks to continue production on the FPSO
without risk. After completing the welding
process, the seal is polished and check ed.

A control cabinet ensures the smooth
running of the process, as well as monitor-
ing and logging of all data. If the values
from the recorded data are within set
parameters, the seal receives a release cer-
tificate showing it is ready for operation.

Besides saving time and costs,
SealWelding also reduces CO 2 emissions
that would otherwise be generated by the
FPSO needing to sail back to port for
repairs. D R I L L I N G C O N T R AC T O R • M A R C H/A P R I L 202 2
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