Five candidates have been nominated for each category.
Here are the finalists for ONS 2022 Innovation Awards:
TechnipFMC – Deep Purple
Replacing conventional, CO2-producing energy processes with carbon-free solutions represents a promising growth area in the Energy Transition. Taking these solutions offshore, however, poses many technical and commercial challenges.
As a flexible energy carrier that can both store and transport energy on an industrial scale, green hydrogen is one of the many alternative energies powering the energy industry’s transition.
Deep Purple™ integrates proven technologies like electrolyzes, fuel cells, compressors to deliver at-scale solutions for offshore green hydrogen production and sustainable renewable energy.
The system consists of offshore wind turbines and offshore hydrogen technologies for the production, storage and transportation of energy in the form of pressurized green hydrogen.
It can also be used to produce, store and deliver hydrogen to consumers at sea or exported in a pipeline to shore. Deep Purple™ includes in addition to the proven technologies, advanced safety and energy management systems. It also builds on the proven systems engineering principles applied in the subsea industry.
Wärtsila – Demo2000
Wärtsilä conducts together with partners Knutsen OAS, Repsol AS and Equinor, practical tests that document how green fuel can be used in internal combustion engines for power production in today’s ships and different offshore installations.
By 2050, to reach IMO emission targets, 80 per cent of the world’s merchant fleet at sea will have to be CO2 emission free, and by using ammonia it is possible to achieve the goals for decarbonizing by using the current propulsion machinery in the ships.
This eliminates the need to renew the entire fleet of ships, but instead upgrade the engines to utilise Carbon free fuel. In collaboration with partners, arrangements are also being made to produce ammonia without CO2 emissions, as well as to establish sailing routes at sea that ensure regular refueling of green fuel for vessels that are en route.
MRC Global – ValveWatch
5 % off all the worlds Co2 Emission originates from Flaring. I.e. the burning off gas in order to depressurize a process, is one of the largest global contributors to CO2 emissions. This is a global problem that must be mitigated. MRC Global Norway, has taken on this challenge, on how to mitigate this source of pollution.
Through Engineering aptitude and gaining in-depth knowledge of the flaring process, one of the root causes of flaring was found – the lack of in-depth Operational integrity information.
With the introduction of ValveWatch FOV, which is a continuous online valve condition and performance monitoring system, the operator was given high resolution data on the diagnostic state of the Flare Valve “FOV” (Fast Opening Valve), the main vent for depressurizing a hydrocarbon facility.
Based on the ValveWatch data, the operator could with confidence, safely close the valve. With the result of reducing the Co2 Emission and greatly improving the Safety Integrity Level of the Valve system. Based on operational experience is estimated that ValveWatch contributed to reducing unnecessary flaring by over 50%.
Aker Solutions – ZEUS
ZEUS (Zero Emissions Underwater Power Station) is designed to produce affordable, safe, and reliable energy from natural gas without any emissions. ZEUS produces electrical power by burning natural gas with up to 70% CO2 content and pure oxygen, at the seabed, close to the production/injection wells.
The combustion is done at high pressure (P>60 bar) utilizing the reservoir pressure. The high pressure ensures that when cooled, the exhaust is liquefied directly into water and CO2.
The CO2 and water can then be re-injected using only a pump. The CO2 is permanently stored, never leaving the seabed. ZEUS will provide electrical power via a cable to shore or to nearby offshore consumers. Zero emissions make ZEUS an environmentally sustainable solution insensitive to CO2 taxes.
The oxy-fuel process eliminates the need for pre-processing of the feed gas; the liquefied exhaust eliminates costly post-processing before re-injection; and the short distances between production and injection wells provides substantial savings on piping infrastructure.
Siemens Energy – Bluewind
The concept of using renewable energy sources, such as offshore wind, to provide emissions-free power to offshore oil and gas installations has garnered significant interest. However, many hurdles have stood in the way of making this a reality. In the last few years it has been possible to develop concepts which are combining the offshore floating wind and the oil and gas production with the aim to achieving a deeper decarbonization of the oil and gas assets, in other words creating a microgrid.
Supplementing gas/diesel generators with power from microgrids made up of wind turbines without battery energy storage can also result in emissions reductions.
Siemens Energy has developed the BlueWind solution, which will substantially increase and improve the performance of the offshore floating wind turbines connected to oil and gas assets for decreasing the emissions by allowing switching off completely the gas turbines on the assets.
The battery energy storage and the Power Management System (PMS) solve this issue by ensuring grid stability at all times so that the full extent of power generating from the wind turbine(s) can be harnessed.
The SME category
Ruden AS – HEAT
The acceleration on the world´s energy consumption is being negatively reflected in the environment as industries continue to rely in fossil fuels. Moreover, between 20 and 50 % of industrial energy output is lost as waste heat. This loss is a needless drain on finances for industrial plants and creates enormous greenhouse gas emissions.
The last decade has seen a significant increase in the use of geothermal systems for production and seasonal storage of energy. However, current systems are limited both in terms of geological constraints and the inability to meet peak-load energy demand.
Ruden AS’ HEAT (High Enthalpy Aquifer Technology), system provides clean energy storage for industrial plants, helping them to turn their waste heat into a seasonal productive resource.
HEAT is a unique form of thermal energy storage (TES) which utilizes the unlimited storage capacity of rocks, a truly innovative idea to help combat both the climate and energy crisis, and mitigate common TES problems such as heat losses, costs, and the need for finite resources.
ZEG Power ZEG ICC technology
ZEG has developed and patented the ZEG ICC technology, enabling clean hydrogen production with Integrated Carbon Capture (ICC).
IFE started research on the technology in 2001 and has together with ZEG developed the core technology through both private and public funding.
ZEG was established in 2008 as an independent entity. The introduction of employees with background from scale-up and commercialization of innovative technologies, ZEG began the commercialization efforts in 2018 and secured the first commercial contract in 2021 for a ZEG H1 plant.
SolarDuck – Offshore floating solar platform
SolarDuck has developed and patented a unique technology for bringing solar PV to the seas. This technology has received the world’s first certification by Bureau Veritas for offshore floating solar; thus, opening up the next frontier for the world’s fastest growing renewable energy source, and bringing clean, affordable and secure energy to large cities, islands and offshore installations across the sunbelt and beyond.
SolarDuck´s unique design consists of interconnected, modular triangular platforms, which lie above the water, allowing the solar plant to float on the water like a carpet.
The design is made with offshore safety in mind, providing a safe and stable environment for performance of O&M activities. In addition, the structure is made of marine grade aluminum, providing a lifespan of 30+ years for the floating structure with minimal maintenance.
The uniqueness of the technology lies on its robustness and seaworthiness, able to tolerate waves up to 14 meters high and hurricane speed winds.
Airbridge – Annulus Core Reactor – Carbon Capture and Utilisation Technology
Airbridge has developed a scalable, patented technology that transforms carbon emissions before they enter the atmosphere and repurposes them into valuable, essential global commodities.
Creating a profitable pathway to decarbonise industry and produce certified carbon fed supply chains that increase value and provide an increasingly important market differentiator for its products.
In unlocking these new supply chains, we reduce emissions, boost export income and accelerate towards a decarbonised economy.
ReStone – AS RePlug®
The last 100+ years provided essential developments in cementing, innovations that have made petroleum drilling- and well operations safer. However, micro-cracks, micro-annuli and poor bond-logs are still a concern, and harsh chemicals accentuate these problems.
Once these pathways for fluids are open, they stay open or widen to cause leaks unless we engage major costly repairs or many years of compression of the structures. ReStone presents RePlug®, a novel cement material for petroleum wells.
Our cement ingredient is based on environmentally safe mineral products. The addition of these mineralogical materials into ordinary cement blends cause the matrix to self-heal when any water is present in the set cement. This process is only accentuated if the cement is exposed to harsh chemicals like CO2 and H2S, more than 100 times more impermeable than the minimum requirements on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
RePlug® has been tested to full scale in active petroleum wells, both behind casing and in-hole as a part of permanent plugging for abandonment of wells.
If you want to learn more about the finalists and their innovations, come to the session “Meet the ONS Innovation Awards finalists” at the Technical Sessions venue on Monday 29 August at 14:00 CET.
The winners of the two categories of innovation awards will be announced in the session “The North Sea – the new frontier of energy transition?” at the ONS Conference on Tuesday 30 August at 10:00 CET.
Tickets to these events can be bought here!