DNV GL Urges Interest in Wind Energy Oil Recovery

DNV GL says its WIN WIN (WINd powered Water INjection) technology is now ready for prototype development after two joint industry projects have shown the concept to be technically feasible and cost efficient.

WIN WIN was conceived in 2013 by DNV GL. It would see the use of floating offshore wind to power water injection facilities to enhance oil recovery.

“Water injection is an effective tool in exploiting oil reserves, but the process is often inhibited by the high costs associated with large gas or diesel generators and complicated subsea infrastructure,” says DNV GL, based in Norway. “By using a floating wind turbine, the WIN WIN concept allows the injection system to operate independently, eliminating the need of long flowlines from the platform.”

Recently-completed research into the concept involved advanced proof-of-concept lab tests. DNV GL is now urging offshore oil and gas operators to implement a new solution using floating wind turbines to power water injection for oil recovery.

DNV GL President and CEO Remi Eriksen says, “Wind power working for oil and gas, and oil and gas working for wind power, not only captures the imagination in these times of transition, but makes a lot of business sense. The question, now, is who is going to take this concept into physical reality?”

Project director, Johan Sandberg, says, “As operators know too well, conventional water injection is expensive, with the power plant occupying valuable deck space and expensive flowlines running to the injection site. With WIN WIN, the power is supplied in situ at potentially much lower cost, with increased flexibility and without emissions.”

In the latest round of research, DNV GL conducted a joint industry project (JIP) with funding provided by ExxonMobil and Vår Energi. Jayme Meier, Vice-President, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, says, “The completion of phase 2 of the WIN WIN JIP drives us one step closer to a technically viable and commercially deployable system.”