Selecting reliable and cost effective power systems for Oil & Gas facilities

The reliability of power systems is critical for Oil & Gas facilities. Traditionally, the process technology used in such facilities is very sensitive to power interruptions. This paper presents a methodology for selecting reliable and cost effective power systems solutions for Oil & Gas facilities using conventional as well as advanced electrical power technologies. Historically, the design of industrial power systems is based on prior engineering experience and knowledge. With the development of new power technology products and systems, such approach is not always the best and most optimal solution for the industrial power systems. A practical methodology for selecting reliable and cost effective power systems for Oil & Gas facilities is proposed in this paper. The implementation of the power system depends of the specific end user requirements, the technology process in the facility, and the limits imposed by the power distribution utility. The methodology allows for comparison of different power system configurations as well as the same type of configurations implemented with different technologies available in the market - AIS, GIS, hybrid, etc. These configurations are estimated using multiple criteria such as reliability, cost of poor reliability, operation and maintenance costs, initial investments, land acquisition and preparation costs. For any of the proposed configurations all of these criteria are combined into the Life Cycle Cost, (LCC). Ultimately, the proposed power system alternatives can be ranked by the end user in order to select an optimal power system solution for the Oil & Gas facility. The proposed methodology is applied for selecting an optimal power system for a typical Oil & Gas facility in Alberta, Canada. The results show the impact of a combined criterion including the Life Cycle Cost together with the end user´s subjective preferences on selecting a reliable and economically efficient industrial power system.- - The paper illustrates the importance of power system configurations and the applied technology on reliability and the Life Cycle Cost of the project.