ADC spots rig upgrade for significant carbon footprint reduction

A specialist provider of dynamic integrated rig inspections, ADC Energy, has revealed its discovery of an upgrade to dynamically positioned (DP) rigs power systems, which can reduce carbon emissions by almost 5,000 tonnes per annum.

The company announced the completion of a project with a major rig owner on Monday. This project allowed ADC Energy to uncover that an upgrade to DP rigs power systems can reduce carbon emissions by almost 5,000 tonnes per year.

The company explains that typical DP drilling units operate in HV split-bus, or open-bus, configuration with the power management switchboards operating in silos, using an independent island philosophy. This mode creates a potentially greater emission output, as it requires more engines to be online than may be required for the total operational loads.

Austin Hay, Director at ADC Energy, commented: “There is significant pressure on the oil and gas industry to decarbonise current assets and the findings of our recent project effectively highlight how upgrades to existing systems can actively reduce the carbon footprint of operations.”

The power plant will run with fewer engines and optimal loads, resulting in a more efficient power source, if the existing rig power management systems are upgraded to allow for closed-bus mode, which ties the switchboards together.

This project shows that DP rigs operating in closed-bus configuration can successfully reduce annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 tonnes per year, while reducing engine running hours by 20 per cent, according to the company. Therefore, an upgrade to power management systems can deliver fuel savings of $620,000 per year. 

Furthermore, the enhancement provides operators with greater maintenance schedule flexibility, if the number of engines required to be online at one time is lowered. This can create potential maintenance savings of up to $150,000 per year. 

“We recognise this enhancement requires considerable investment from rig owners and operators but as the sector continues its efforts to deliver more sustainable operations, this capital is essential to support net-zero goals. Existing rigs and vessel are critical components in the energy transition, and we are already working with a number of clients to advise them through this process to ensure that assets continue to operate safely and efficiently with minimal environmental impact,” added Hay.

In recent company-related news, ADC Energy announced its latest win in the LNG sector, accelerating its strategic diversification plan, after securing a contract with a U.S.-based global infrastructure organisation.

The firm started conducting audits for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) company, which would assist in selecting and identifying drilling rigs it could repurpose for global LNG operations.