TotalEnergies has announced the launch of a pilot project consisting of installing a 3MW floating wind turbine to supply renewable electricity to the Culzean offshore platform, off the coast of Scotland in the North Sea.
The French company said this scheme will “thus open the path to an innovative decarbonisation model”.
The floating turbine will be located 2km west of the Culzean platform (pictured) and 220km off the Scottish coast. It is expected to be operational by the end of 2025 and will cover around 20% of Culzean’s electricity needs, helping to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
The machine will be installed on a semi-submersible float with a light and modular hull designed by Ocergy, allowing rapid assembly and therefore cost optimisation.
TotalEnergies R&D director Marie-Noëlle Semeria said: “This innovative pilot project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of hybridising electricity production on an offshore installation, by combining renewable electricity generated by a floating wind turbine with existing electricity production from gas turbines.
“It also aims to qualify a promising float concept for the future of floating offshore wind power.
This pilot project was selected as part of the Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) call for projects, designed to encourage and stimulate the use of offshore wind to directly power oil and gas platforms. offshore gas.