HIGH INTEGRITY ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM OFFSHORE OIL & GAS FACILITY

The electrical power generation and distribution system for one of the Platform (Platform 'A') was designed different from earlier fixed drilling and production platforms in the North Sea. The main difference is that there is no dedicated emergency generator on board. Instead each of the three main generators has been upgraded to a standard normally associated with emergency sets. This provides higher reliability of the electrical supply system and enables essential consumers such as firewater pumps to be powered by electricity. The system known as the High Integrity Electrical Power System (HIEPS) was originally used at another platform in order to save diesel units for the combined Firewater/Seawater (FW/SW) pumps. The Platform 'A' design went one step further. The design used combined FW/SW pumps (to eliminate two diesel driven FW pumps) and also eliminated two diesel driven emergency generators. This paper discusses details of objectives leading to this design 25 years back and analysis based on the operator experience whether those objectives were met or not.