The Dresser-Rand business, part of Siemens Power and Gas Division, recently delivered power generation equipment for a combined cycle power plant (CCPP) for the Shell Appomattox deep-water oil and gas floating production platform. The platform will be located 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico and is slated to start production around the end of this decade. The ~150 megawatt (MW) CCPP will feature four 27 megawatt (MW) gas turbine-driven generator sets equipped with heat recovery systems and a 40 MW steam turbine generator.
Photo courtesy: Dresser-Rand
The gas turbine gen-sets are self-contained mini-modules complete with all electrical wiring, piping, tubing and controls. The gen-set, ancillary equipment and baseplate remain connected after unit testing, substantially reducing the time required to install, commission and start-up the packages.
With CCPPs, a gas turbine generator produces electricity while the waste heat from the gas turbine is used to make steam to generate additional electricity via a steam turbine. The CCPP for the Shell Appomattox platform will improve overall fuel efficiency, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and increase total power generation for the platform.
“This project demonstrates the Dresser-Rand business’ unique capabilities to deliver full solutions for both power generation and oil and gas applications. Combined cycle power plants built for offshore applications are rare and we’re pleased to leverage our comprehensive portfolio to produce a solution that meets all of Shell’s requirements,” said Jesus Pacheco, Executive VP New Equipment Worldwide, Dresser-Rand business. “Our team designed and manufactured a compact, lightweight solution that will operate reliably and safely under the harsh conditions inherent in offshore applications.”
The packages feature a compact design and reduced weight to accommodate the platform’s footprint constraints. The design allows for easy accessibility to the package components for maintenance and service, along with adequate workspace.
The steam turbine generator package was manufactured in Wellsville, NY and packaged in Olean, NY. An 18.5 MW load test was performed on the steam turbine generator set using the steam-producing capability at the Olean facility. The gas turbine generator packages were designed in Kongsberg, Norway.
