Project Summary

This demonstration project is a first-in-kind integration of multiple battery technologies and will integrate spinning reserve and all-electric transit on a multi-functional offshore supply vessel to reduce GHG emissions in the offshore NL oil and gas sector. Battery technology has emerged as a successful method to enable carbon-free, all-electric, operation of smaller ferries in various countries, including Canada, where transits are short and power demand is low. Battery technology using a battery-hybrid drive train has also been used on offshore supply vessels in the North Sea under different operating power demands and operating environments than in offshore NL. This novel project aims to combine these technologies together under a single power management system, while also enabling future clean energy technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cells, to easily integrate into the system in the future. www.atlantictowing.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Design Innovation and Technology Demonstration

Emission Source:

Transportation

Project Type:

Demonstration

Operational Area:

Marine

Funding Amount:

$5,000,000

Project Summary

The SeaRose FPSO (floating, production, storage and offloading vessel) includes open flare and cargo blanketing equipment as part of its primary safety systems. The proposed study will examine the feasibility of employing new processes and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the FPSO that would modernize the existing design capabilities. The study will examine modification options to reduce venting and flaring from the facility from several sources, including flash gas compression, cargo tank blanketing gas and background flaring. This study will determine the technical and commercial feasibility of these options to recommend a path forward on GHG reduction.  www.cenovus.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Design Innovation and Technology Demonstration

Emission Source:

Flaring

Fugitive Emissions

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$406,062

Project Summary

The power generation system for the SeaRose FPSO (floating, production storage and offloading vessel) comprises three dual fuel turbine driven generators, which provide power to the process and utility equipment. The SeaRose currently runs three of the main power generators with a partial load. This study will identify the necessary modifications to increase the energy efficiency of the SeaRose power generation system with a target of reliably operating with two main power generators. This could result in a significant reduction in associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by removing the requirement to run the third main power generator. The study will determine the technical and commercial feasibility of the options and provide a recommendation on the path forward to achieve a GHG reduction. www.cenovus.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$505,605

Project Summary

Cnergreen will develop its patent-pending, nanoparticle-stabilized foam technology “CnerFoam” to reduce GHG emissions and provide CO₂ storage opportunities for the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore industry. CnerFoam increases the reservoir’s ability to store more gas, reducing gas processing and energy requirements, thereby reducing GHG emissions. Memorial University will perform a series of laboratory experiments and reservoir simulations to formulate and investigate CnerFoam’s performance in offshore conditions to improve gas storage in the reservoir. The project also includes building an injection skid to proceed with a field trial. www.cnergreen.ca

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$1,820,600

Project Summary

This project involves developing and demonstrating a novel downhole pressure monitoring system that provides measurements during the various phases of offshore drilling. Offshore oil and gas drilling operators will have the real-time information about downhole conditions needed to optimize wellbore operations, remove uncertainty, and reduce the time required to construct and work over wells. This reduces the time required to drill a well and therefore the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity associated with each well.

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Drilling

Funding Amount:

$2,000,000

Project Summary

A factor preventing the offshore marine industry from making significant strides towards a large-scale shift to renewable energy is the large number of diesel vessels currently operating that cannot be easily retrofitted with a hybrid-electric system without incurring significant cost through downtime. DuXion will develop the world’s first 400kW hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that can be retrofitted to in-service offshore vessels without the need for costly dry docking or significant drive shaft modification, offering Canadian and global vessels a greener propulsion system with significant emissions reductions. This project will cover an in-depth investigation of design challenges at scale, manufacturing optimization, prototyping and testing, and will deliver a physical prototype that can be used in a demonstrator.  www.duxion.com

Project Final Report

Project Summary

This study will assess the flare gas stream chemistry and feasibility of installing equipment on the Hibernia platform to support proprietary technology, currently being demonstrated onshore, to reduce flaring. Experimental lab research will be conducted to determine if the proprietary reactor technology configuration can validate a reduction in Hibernia’s flare gas emissions.  The study will also consider the spacing limitations associated with the existing offshore facility, equipment design and sizing to ensure viability and applicability of the technology for the installation. Researching innovative options for equipment sizing on Hibernia could lead to development of technology.  If deemed successful, it could lead to reduction in GHG emissions as less gas is flared. www.exxonmobil.com/Canada

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Flaring

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$866,141

Project Summary

This project assessment will help close the knowledge gap to the barriers that currently exist in electrifying the offshore industry with renewable energy, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions from offshore operations. The project will take a strategic risk-based approach and provide a framework to understand the risks and opportunities associated with using renewable energy sources for offshore power generation. The project will look at how to integrate the renewable energy and offshore oil and gas industries and will deliver a Newfoundland and Labrador-specific Offshore Renewable Energy Electrification roadmap. www.growlerenergy.ca

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathways (Renewable Energy)

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$1,601,550

Project Summary

The purpose of this project is to build a prototype digital twin of Hibernia’s power generation system to be able to simulate and optimize energy usage on the platform. The ability to simulate various power saving scenarios on the Hibernia platform will enable better line of sight into GHG emission reduction opportunities. Power systems account for a significant amount of an offshore facility’s GHG emissions. The digital twin will provide the ability to simulate adjustments to electrical loads and optimize power usage to reduce GHG emissions. In addition, a digital twin of the generators themselves will also help optimize the combustion process of the generators in the field. www.hibernia.ca

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$1,881,376

Project Summary

Electrification of offshore oil and gas production facilities eliminates or reduces the requirement for local power generation via turbine generators under normal operation. This project examines the suitability of potential offshore floating wind concepts in the NL offshore, using wind energy to supply power to offshore facilities, reducing the need for fuel powered turbine generators, and thereby decreasing GHG emissions from power generation. The study looks at the full-field approach, from suitability of design to construction to operations and maintenance of offshore wind technology. www.worley.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathways (Renewable Energy)

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$1,250,560

Project Summary

This project will build a prototype of an advanced and compact system to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the exhaust gas of power generation systems including gas turbines and steam generation systems. The proposed system addresses the weight and space restriction challenges of offshore installations. The protype will use an integrated system to separate solid carbon dioxide from the exhaust of power generation systems. The separated CO₂ by the proposed system can be further pressurized and made ready for storage.

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathway (Carbon Capture)

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$1,437,406

Project Summary

This proof-of-concept project aims to explore the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to sequester carbon dioxide from offshore oil and gas exhaust streams that can be subsequently stored or converted to other products. MOFs are a porous material that can be designed at the atomic level for different applications and can be tuned by changing the size, shape and surface chemistry to make CO₂ separation more efficient. Having developed and pilot tested a potential MOF porous material, this project will focus on developing a small-scale filtration system to separate carbon dioxide from a simulated exhaust stream, which will be capable of being scaled up to real-world offshore applications. www.mun.ca/science

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathways (Carbon Capture)

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$474,831

Project Summary

This study will research the potential to apply Planetary Technologies’ carbon capture and storage technology to offshore oil and gas production facilities. If successful, the technology could reduce emissions from offshore production facilities and store the carbon in the ocean as harmless bicarbonate, helping to reduce the effect of ocean acidification and providing benefits to local ecosystems. www.planetarytech.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathways (Carbon Capture and Storage)

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$1,399,395

Project Summary

This project will collect aircraft-based measurements of methane around oil production facilities offshore NL to quantify and verify methane emission levels. The aircraft surveys will be performed across several days to assess temporal variability. Results will be compared to measured values of other offshore platforms that have been the focus of similar work (North Sea and Gulf of Mexico), and to Canadian onshore environments which are thought to have higher methane intensity. The study will provide recommendations for offshore operations and government regulations and policy regarding GHG emissions. www.fluxlab.ca

Project Final Report – Measuring Methane Emissions from NL’s Offshore Oil & Gas Platforms

Project Final Report – Flare Tip Monitoring – Feasibility Study and Project Proposal Sketch

Project Final Report – Summary Report

Project Final Report – Aircraft Based Methane Emission Measurements for the Oil & Gas Industry

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Fugitive Emissions

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$613,501

Project Summary

Copsys Intelligent Digital Skin (CIDS) is a new coating-based (paint) digital sensor technology that could transform existing corrosion and integrity management systems. Developed by Copsys Industries Inc and led by Suncor, this project aims to further test and advance CIDS technology and its ability to replace predominantly labour-intensive piping inspection processes to detect and manage corrosion under insulation. This could improve process safety, facility integrity, reliability, and environmental performance. CIDS has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the frequency of production upsets which can result in a decrease in flaring, and a significant reduction in the likelihood of fugitive emissions caused by corrosion. This technology could be used in oil and gas production and transportation as well as other process industries. www.suncor.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Operational Optimization

Emission Source:

Flaring

Fugitive Emissions

Power Generation

Transportation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$1,775,751

Project Summary

On average, daily background flaring results in approximately 25-30% of Terra Nova’s current greenhouse gas emissions. Flare gas is a by-product of oil production and processing during normal operations that is released from different sources in the process system. This gas is sent to flare to be burned off, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of this project is to complete front-end engineering & design (FEED) studies focusing on reducing flaring on the FPSO. The study will assess the technical feasibility of installing a closed flare system on the Terra Nova FPSO and reducing gas compression train related flaring.  www.suncor.com

Project Final Report

Scope:

Design Innovation and Technology Demonstration

Emission Source:

Flaring

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Production

Funding Amount:

$495,985

Project Summary

The objective of this project is to outline detailed pathways for Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry to achieve both net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets by 2050 and economic development and industry growth. There are many technologies and processes that can be deployed in the pursuit of emissions reductions. This project will narrow the possibilities to a manageable number of pathways or scenarios that can be continuously refined and updated when technical or financial circumstances change. This work will incorporate an assessment of the feasibility of the production of hydrogen in Canada’s offshore industry. Hydrogen is increasingly being viewed nationally and internationally as being an important fuel in the fight against climate change. Clearly understanding its potential role in Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry is an important information gap that must be addressed as part of the development of net zero pathways. http://netzeroproject.ca/

Project Final Report

Scope:

Net Zero Pathways

Emission Source:

Flaring
Fugitive Emissions
Power Generation
Transportation

Project Type:

Related Science Activity

Operational Area:

Full Field

Funding Amount:

$624,061

Project Summary

This study will examine the feasibility of using floating wind energy to power near-shore oil and gas assets such as idle, warm-stacked mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) and shore bases. The project plans to use currently stacked MODUs as a test case to identify technology gaps associated with real world use of floating wind power for offshore assets. Examples of technology gaps include challenges associated with motions of a MODU, requirements for quick disconnect and reconnect in a harsh weather and ice environments. www.wesi.ca

Project Final Report

Scope:

Design Innovation and Technology Demonstration

Emission Source:

Power Generation

Project Type:

Research and Development

Operational Area:

Drilling

Funding Amount:

$1,653,824