KCA Deutag has been awarded a contract to carry out a major project to electrify Equinor’s
jackup rig, Askepott, in Norway.
The electrification project, which will be delivered by KCA Deutag’s Kenera business unit,
will make the Askepott rig the first in Equinor’s portfolio to be powered from onshore when it
is completed in Q4 2024.
Askepott will receive power from high voltage cabling via the Martin Linge A platform, which
is already supplied with power from the shore through the world’s longest alternating current
cable and is located 42 kilometres west of the Oseberg Field in the Norwegian Continental
Shelf (NCS). The electrification of the Askepott rig in the field will enable energy efficient
drilling operations and provide significant decreases in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
Based on historic records and predicted calculations, it is anticipated the project will result in
a reduction of twenty thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year when compared to
running with traditional diesel generators.
As a key part of the project, Kenera will convert the existing mud treatment room on
Askepott to an electrical power room and install transformers, Variable Frequency Drives
(VFDs) and high-voltage switch boards certified to DNV classification requirements.
Kenera will provide a turnkey solution from initial procurement, detailed engineering,
installation, and commissioning before handing the project over to Equinor and KCA
Deutag’s team in Norway for the day-to-day operations onboard Askepott.
