A subsea gas compression system has been developed in order to boost gas pressure in existing reservoirs. This allows additional gas to be recovered from the fields while providing reduced capex and opex compared with alternatives.

Electric actuators (operating at depths of up to 3000 meters below sea level) were developed for the gas compression system.

DEK Technologies worked as part of a team to develop a family of Electric Actuators to be used in Subsea Oil and Gas processing. We were responsible for the development of the control and power electronic subsystems in the Electric Actuators. The family of Electric Actuators share common electronics and meet at least SIL Level 3 with fully redundant control units.

Some of the reasons for using electric actuators are:

• Long standoff distances and ultra deep-water fields
• Applies specifically to fields in Arctic regions where 25 percent of the world’s undiscovered hydrocarbons are believed to be located
• Supply of hydraulics is complex and expensive
• High demands on Umbilical and topside hydraulic power units
• Loss of hydraulic fluid is a significant contributor to operating costs
• Installation costs of electric solutions are significantly cheaper than traditional hydraulic systems
• Because the interfaces are simplified, electric solutions reduce system engineering and testing time.
• Condition monitoring and product optimization also are improved with electric solutions, as are flexibility, scalability, and operability
• Improved response time: Electric solutions also benefit operators when rapid and accurate control is required