Rig Genset Power Scheduling With Energy Storage for Fuel Savings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Oilfield operations rely heavily on gensets, which consume large amounts of fuel and often idle to maintain power readiness, leading to inefficient fuel usage.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple gensets, a load, a controller, and a power storage unit that monitors and manages power consumption by calculating the necessary number of gensets to run and storing excess power for later use, optimizing fuel consumption and reducing idling time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gensets are set to idle to maintain power readiness, then power availability is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations based on the drill plan to predict future power requirements. The controller proactively determines which gensets should be running in advance, rather than maintaining all gensets in idle state continuously. This allows the system to prepare necessary power capacity before peak demand occurs while minimizing unnecessary idle operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating status of gensets based on real-time power consumption monitoring and predicted future requirements. Instead of a static idle configuration, the controller continuously optimizes which gensets remain running versus shutting down, adapting to changing load conditions and drill plan requirements to minimize fuel consumption while ensuring power availability.
2Power
If the number of gensets is increased to meet peak power demands, then power capacity is improved, but fuel consumption during low-demand periods worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the drill plan to perform preliminary analysis of power requirements across different time periods. By calculating expected power consumption in advance, the system determines the optimal number of gensets to operate at each stage, avoiding the need to maintain maximum capacity gensets during low-demand periods while ensuring sufficient capacity is available when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of gensets dynamically based on predicted power requirements. Rather than maintaining a fixed configuration, the controller adjusts which gensets remain online versus shutting down based on the drill plan timeline, matching power capacity to actual需求的 temporal variations and minimizing fuel consumption during low-demand periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If gensets are shut down to reduce fuel consumption, then fuel efficiency is improved, but power availability response time worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the drill plan to predict when power demand will increase. By anticipating future load requirements, the controller can proactively maintain necessary gensets in running state or initiate startup sequences in advance, ensuring power availability when needed while minimizing the time gensets spend in idle or shutdown states.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors actual power consumption and compares it against predictions from the drill plan. This feedback mechanism allows the controller to adjust genset operations in real-time, ensuring that sufficient power capacity is maintained while optimizing fuel efficiency. The system learns from actual usage patterns to improve future operational decisions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively manages genset operations to minimize fuel wastage by ensuring only necessary gensets are running and utilizing stored power when needed, thereby enhancing efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a power storage unit operatively coupled to one or more of the gensets and being configured to receive power from one or more of the gensets and to store the power for later use
Data Source
AI summary
A system for monitoring and optimizing fuel consumption by a genset at an oil rig is described. Gensets require large amounts of fuel to initiate and to maintain in a standby, idling position. The system accesses data in a drill plan to determine the present and future power requirements and initiates gensets if needed; otherwise gensets can be shut down. Excess power can be stored in a power storage unit such as a capacitor, battery, or a liquid air energy storage unit.