Woodside installs battery power

Woodside Petroleum expects to cut costs and its environmental footprint after contracting ABB Group to replace one of the gas turbine generators at its Goodwyn A platform in the North-West Shelf with a battery storage micro-grid.

ABB will install a 1-megawatt hour PowerStorage battery system that will substitute one of the six existing gas turbines, reducing the need for the emergency diesel generator.

The new system will reduce the 3.2MW gas turbine generators required for a spinning reserve from six down to three, according to ABB.

Short-term backup will be provided via a new battery energy storage system incorporated within the microgrid, to provide a spinning reserve.

The generators will then operate at a lower cost and a higher efficiency.

The system also has a temporary remote operation function if the platform has to be de-manned.

Woodside has been operating the Goodwyn A platform, which is located 135 kilometres north-west of Karratha, since 1995 and produces dry gas and condensate.

ABB head of grid automation Massimo Danieli said it was an important partnership for the company.

“We are pleased to partner with Woodside on pioneering a PowerStore Battery energy solution for offshore oil and gas, which will decrease the users environmental impact and help optimize costs,” he said

“Microgrids and energy storage are key focus areas of our next level strategy and this innovative solution reinforces ABB’s position as a partner of choice in enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”