PARIS—September 4, 2013—How many of us keep a flashlight in the nightstand or a set of matches and candles just in case? Rather than face what goes bump in the night, we reach for something to provide light and power. But, what if you are thousands of kilometers out at sea on a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit? Each clap of thunder amplified, echoing, each flash of lightening illuminating the line where the dark sea and sky become one, and there are no candles and matches, no flashlight that will keep the power going. Weighing in at 40,000 tons and 200 meters long, there is no good time for a blackout on a FPSO.
GE’s Power Conversion (NYSE: GE) business will showcase its latest in electrical house (E-house) technology at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen, U.K., from September 3–6, at booth 5B70. The new energy efficient E-house includes an anti-blackout solution, which is an advanced automation system that manages the electrical power availability and distribution for equipment on FPSOs.
“GE’s systems are developed with safety, increased availability and a reduced footprint to provide our customers with reliable, efficient operations that meet the industry’s challenges,” says Paul English, marine business leader for GE Power Conversion.
GE’s technology will provide a robust and reliable power solution in extreme offshore environments that is both cost-effective and efficient. The E-house distribution model is a fully integrated electrical distribution, automation and gateway management in one system as well as optimized with GE’s anti-blackout solution and latest in asset management technology allowing for maximized power availability for uninterrupted production.
“We have a strong commitment to tackle these interesting new opportunities, with our innovative technologies and an organization devoted to management of FPSO E-house projects,” says Paul English. “We are committed to supporting the future of the offshore industry and are currently developing an integrated FPSO (IFPSO) power pack solution that supports our clients’ needs to maximize production and minimize operating costs.
