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PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum

Mechanical dispersion of oil on sea

Alternativ tittel: Mekanisk dispergering av oljesøl på sjøoverflaten

Tildelt: kr 2,4 mill.

I løpet av 2017 har vi gjennomført to omfattende tester av teknologien. Første test ble gjennomført på SINTEF i relativt stor tank med strømmende vann og flere oljekvaliteter. Disse forsøkene gav god innsikt i hvilke utfordringer som må løses og grunnlag for videre teknologiutvikling. Høsten 2017 ble det etablert et eget testanlegg i en noe mindre tank, med stillestående vann og bevegelig dysrigg - dvs mer likt det vi vil møte operativt (bevegelig rigg). Disse forsøkene har vært svært nyttige og vi har fastslått at mekanisk dispergering fungere tilfredsstillende. Det er utført tester med oljekvaliteter opp mot 30-40.000 mPaS. Testene viser konkret at vi oppnår høy umiddelbar effekt, at dråpestørrelses-fordelingen viser et noe høyere gjennomsnitt (diameter dråpestørrelse) sammenlignet med kjemisk dispergering, men at vi takler mer forvitret olje bedre enn kjemisk dispergering. Vi har utviklet en prototype som skal testes i felt. Prototypen er en ubemannet liten farkost med vår teknologi integrert. Prototypen er ferdig bygd og har blitt testet i Trondheimsfjorden i juni-september. Prototypen sendes til California i oktober 2018 for testing mot naturlige olje-lekkasjer (natural seeps) utenfor Santa Barbara i månedsskiftet oktober-november. Vi har inngått avtale med samarbeidspartnere i California for dette formålet. Totalt sett så går prosjektet etter planen.

Prosjektet er gjennomført i henhold til revidert plan. Arbeidet har resultert i at det er utviklet en ny metode for bekjempelse av oljesøl til havs. Denne metoden er nå under videreutvikling gjennom et prosjekt finansiert av Innovasjon Norge (Miljøteknologiordningen) og det forventes at selskapet kommer over i en kommersiell driftsfase i løpet av de neste to årene.

The present project describes a chemical free solution for dispersing oil on water using high-pressure water jet. Tests performed over the latest months has verified that the Chemfree-solution will enable treatment of both the light as well as the heavier oil grades and oil emulsions with high viscosities (up to at least 30.000mPas for crude oil emulsions). Through work carried out over a 5-year period, we are approaching a cost-efficient and new technology that has the possibility of solving a serious environmental challenge. ChemFree utilizes seawater to remove the oil slick from the surface and thereby preventing damage to the shoreline. During the development in 2017 we have reached a conclusion that the primary product will be a USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) with the Chemfree technology onboard. We have started the development of the USV in parallel with the present project, building on results from the present project. The USV-solution will solve a number of other issues related to oil spill contingency operations, with HES issues as the most important. The USV-concept enables small and larger solutions. The solution we are developing at the moment is a coast and harbour version (small to medium). One important result from the development in 2017 is that we have reached an understanding with the authorities in California USA that our solution shall be tested against natural seeps outside Santa Barbara in 2018. The development in 2017 and 2018 is adjusted according to this goal. We have also concluded that the NCA-pool in Horten is too small for a test of the USV-solution. We will therefore run the test in Trondheimsfjorden in April - may 2018 with focus on sea performance. Despite this we will still keep close contact with NOFO and NCA to ensure that we meet the requirements that they have regarding this type of oil spill technology. We are planning a small workshop here in Trondheim in connection with the sea test and a larger workshop in 2019 in Longyearbyen. A comprehensive marketing program is under development involving among others a WS arranged by Innovation Norway in Canada in April 2018, meetings with authorities in California, the Clean Gulf Conference, AMOP and Interspill, and a Nordic Innovation Conference / competition in Stockholm. We are also listed as an Associate Member of NOSCA (Norwegian Oil Spill Control Organization). We receive ample input on further development and application from all relevant actors and will also actively use our network within the oil spill market to directly gain access to key players nationally and internationally. Over the next few months we will develop a prototype for coastal areas and test this prototype on sea in Norway and USA. Modelling and medium-scale laboratory and tank experiments shows that the oil that hits the impact area of the water jet is effectively dispersed. CFD modelling activity along with model experiments and tests at SINTEF and in the company´s own premises has demonstrated that we are able to extend the window of opportunity for dispersion far beyond the capacity of chemical dispersion for most crude oil qualities.

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PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum