GE Energy Connections has been chosen to supply its MV7Series 5 Level (MV7-5L) drive, which will sit topside on a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for the Greater Enfield project. Located 60km off Exmouth in Western Australia, the project aggregates production from the Laverda Canyon, Norton over Laverda and Cimatti oil accumulations.
The MV7-5L drive with ultimate waveform configuration supplied by GE’s Power Conversion, a sub-business from GE Energy Connections, will help start and control two multiphase pumps operating in parallel 32km away from topside the FPSO.
The drive boasts 5-level topology, enabling an increased voltage. The 12kV, high-voltage output eliminates the need for a step-up transformer, saving space onboard the vessel and requiring less installation costs for the customer. The smaller footprint also translates to less weight, giving room for an additional 15-20-ton worth of equipment.
“Less weight from the ultimate waveform drive solution installed on the FPSO unit means less structure support is required. In addition to the obvious cost-saving advantage, it also enables certain projects that were not feasible in the past, as the new solution allows more equipment to be installed before reaching the maximum capability of the supporting structure,” said Gilles Chene, senior sales manager, GE Energy Connections’ Power Conversion.
The removal of the step-up transformer means there are fewer parts to the solution, which helps reduce the risk of failure. Other features of the MV7-5L drive include its ability to produce cleaner power with fewer harmonics, which can help increase equipment life expectancy.
“The high voltage and smaller footprint characteristics of this MV7-5L drive make it ideal for applications in the demanding offshore support industry,” said Luca Polezzi, oil and gas segment leader, GE’s Power Conversion. “The ultimate waveform configuration is based on proven technology, and its predecessor has an impressive 10GW installed base worldwide.”