London, Wednesday, 22 January 2022
As part of the focus on sustainability and green energy transition, Danish offshore drilling contractor Maersk Drilling and the country's Port Esbjerg have been working together to enable the delivery of green power for offshore drilling rigs to minimize carbon emissions.
Maersk Drilling's rigs may now link to green shore-to-ship electricity and avoid using fossil-fuel power entirely when docked, according to the port. The plant is the first of its sort in Denmark, allowing up to three rigs to be connected at once, lowering carbon emissions significantly.
The fundamental purpose for this collaborative investment in the plant is to reduce emissions, which is in keeping with both Port Esbjerg's and Maersk Drilling's commitment on sustainability and green energy transition. Port Esbjerg is trying to reduce carbon emissions by 70% by 2030, in keeping with the country's climate target, as previously reported.
Maersk Drilling is likewise aiming to cut emissions in its operations, with a goal of reducing emissions by half by 2030. The company is also installing hybrid, low-emission modifications on its rigs.
The Maersk Highlander jack-up rig is now connected to shore-to-ship electricity at Doggerkaj in the Port of Esbjerg as a result of this collaboration between Maersk Drilling and Port Esbjerg. The shore-to-ship power plant has a capacity of 1,300 Amp/1.5 MW and can provide green electricity to up to three drilling rigs, each of which consumes up to 10,000 kWh per day. While there is a significant reduction in carbon emissions, the exact amounts are dependent on how long the rigs are docked.
Claus Bachmann, Head of North Sea Division at Maersk Drilling, stated: “We’re thrilled to have the possibility to use green shore-to-ship electricity while our rigs are stationed in Esbjerg to be prepped for future missions. Maersk Drilling is a pioneer in the business, with a goal of halving its carbon emissions intensity by 2030, and shore-to-ship electricity helps them achieve that goal."
Many other ships at the port, according to Port Esbjerg's statement, have had the option to connect to shore-to-ship electricity for several years. In February 2021, DEME Group's wind farm installation vessels – Sea Installer and Sea Challenger – connected to Port Esbjerg's new shore-to-ship power units, as reported by our sister site offshoreWIND.biz.
While anchored at Port Esbjerg, the two jack-ups were the first offshore wind installation vessels, and the first two very large vessels, to use certified green power generated by offshore wind farms.
The difference is that the Port of Esbjerg now has the potential to provide drilling rigs with shore-to-ship power, which requires massive amounts of energy.
"More and more clients want for shore-to-ship electricity," said Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO of Port Esbjerg. "For us, it's not simply a matter of engaging actively in the green transition, on which we're already firmly engaged." It's also a business imperative, which is why we're working to add more shore-to-ship power plants to the port so that even more of our customers may benefit from green energy."
According to the port, employing shore-to-ship power instead of diesel generators may save up to 500 tonnes of CO2 per month per rig, as well as SOx and NOx emissions.
(Research and editing by: The Decision Maker)
Comments