Dresser-Rand delivers power generation equipment for Shell’s Appomattox

Dresser-Rand, a U.S.-based oilfield equipment provider and a part of Siemens’ Power and Gas Division, has recently delivered power generation equipment for a combined-cycle power plant (CCPP) for the Shell Appomattox deep-water oil and gas floating production platform.

The platform will be located 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico in approximately 7,200 feet of water. Shell is 79 percent owner and operator in the Appomattox development while Nexen holds 21 percent.

Dresser-Rand said on Thursday that the 150-megawatt (MW) CCPP would feature four 27 MW gas turbine-driven generator sets equipped with heat recovery systems and a 40 MW steam turbine generator.

With CCPPs, a gas turbine generator produces electricity while the waste heat from the gas turbine is used to make steam generating additional electricity via a steam turbine.

According to the company, the CCPP for the Shell Appomattox platform will improve overall fuel efficiency, reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses, and increase total power generation for the platform.

Jesus Pacheco, Executive VP New Equipment Worldwide for Dresser-Rand, said: “Combined cycle power plants built for offshore applications are rare and we’re pleased to leverage our comprehensive portfolio to produce a solution that meets all of Shell’s requirements.”

The company said that the packages feature a compact design and reduced weight to accommodate the platform’s footprint constraints.

The steam turbine generator package was manufactured in Wellsville and packaged in Olean while the gas turbine generator packages were designed in Kongsberg, Norway.

An 18.5 MW load test was performed on the steam turbine generator set using the steam-producing capability at the Olean facility.