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PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum

Clean Offshore Heat and Power Hub

Alternative title: Offshore hub for produksjon av ren kraft og varme

Awarded: NOK 9.6 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

326725

Project Period:

2021 - 2025

The project addresses Norway's ambition to decarbonise the offshore petroleum sector while retaining its international competitiveness. Current research activities demonstrate that decarbonising each platform individually can be technically and economically challenging. The project introduces a new paradigm where large-scale hub facilities at sea deliver low-carbon heat and power to clusters of offshore oil and gas production facilities. The underlying idea is that centralising the heat and power generation has the potential to be an energy and cost-efficient solution. Two main hub concepts will be considered. One is based on the integration of renewable energy sources with hydrogen as the main energy storage, and the other is based on compact carbon capture and storage solutions. Relevant technologies will be investigated to pinpoint the most efficient solutions for supplying low-carbon heat and power to existing and/or planned offshore oil and gas clusters. The hub concepts based on the selected technologies will be developed and their performance assessed with respect to relevant case studies. The comprehensive assessment will cover energy, environmental and economic aspects. A comparative analysis with alternative energy supply options – such as offshore electrification – will further put the hub concepts in perspective by highlighting their relative advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, the results will demonstrate the significant role that the CleanOFF Hub concept can play in taking the Norwegian Continental Shelf towards zero offshore emissions by 2050.

The CleanOFF Hub project addresses the Norwegian ambitions to extensively decarbonise the offshore petroleum sector while retaining its international competitiveness. Decarbonising each platform individually can be challenging as the current research activities demonstrate. Therefore, the project introduces a new paradigm where large-scale facilities at sea deliver low-carbon heat and power to clusters of offshore oil and gas production facilities. The CleanOFF Hub project intends to develop innovative cost-efficient concepts for Clean Offshore Heat and Power Hubs. The clean hub concepts are expected to greatly contribute approaching zero offshore emissions by 2050, while delivering a significant short-term impact as well where 50% or more CO2 emission reductions are targeted. Furthermore, the project aims to investigate the economic benefits and synergies available by centralising the power production and so to ensure economically competitive solutions. In order to meet the overall goal of the project, suitable technological solutions will be identified and the related key hurdles and research challenges addressed. The integration of the selected hub technologies will be investigated to ensure an efficient and reliable solution for firm electric power and heat supply, while fulfilling the high potential for reducing emissions in a cost-efficient manner. Recommendations will be provided to identify the most suitable technological solutions to decarbonise the offshore petroleum sector and a roadmap towards long-term sustainability will be outlined.

Funding scheme:

PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum