Oil and gas drilling and engineering firm KCA Deutag has secured a contract with Equinor to carry out an energy optimization project for two CAT J jack-up drilling rigs, the Askeladd and Askepott, in the Norwegian section of the North Sea.
The project, valued at around $12 million, is part of Equinor’s long-term low emissions strategy for 2050.
KCA Deutag’s new business unit Kenera, which launched last year to expand the Group’s offering in both the oilfield and energy transition markets, will deliver this project through the engineering and installation of a series of carbon-reduction technologies, KCA Deutag said.
Scheduled to start this month, the project is expected to complete over a 12-month period. It will include modifications to the main engines and pumps on the rigs and the application of several software upgrades.
The installation of selective catalytic reduction technology will eliminate up to 85-95% of the Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emissions, Auxiliary equipment modifications will ensure only the required fluids are delivered to pumps on the rigs, hence reducing total energy consumption, and several software upgrades will integrate drilling control and power management systems to provide enhanced energy control functionality, drilling optimization and active monitoring of cost parameters, KCA Deutag said.