Wärtsilä to supply direct electric heating system to African offshore oilfield

Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply its direct electric heating (Wärtsilä DEH) system for Chevron Overseas Congo Limited's Lianzi offshore development project, located off the Republic of Congo and Angolan coasts.

The 9000kW system will be used to heat the 43 km long subsea production pipeline between the Lianzi field and the Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) platform. The Lianzi field lies approximately 100 km off the coast of the Republic of Congo, and the BBLT platform is located in Angola. The pipeline lies in some 900 m of water. DEH is a flow assurance tool used to avoid ice-like structures called hydrate plugs and the appearance of wax in production flow lines.

"The Wärtsilä DEH technology is proven and has been used already for more than 10 years on the Norwegian continental shelf. It is also being used in West African installations, as evidenced by this latest order. … We envisage that demand for this technology will grow rapidly," says Juhani Hupli, Vice President Electrical & Automation, Wärtsilä Ship Power.

One of Wärtsilä's core competences is the ability to design and tune the DEH system according to the pipe and heating cable needed for the subsea conditions. A special power system analysis to ensure the unit's integrity with the platform system is included with every delivery.

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/23052013/w%C3%A4rtsil%C3%A4_to_supply_direct_electric_heating_system_african_offshore_oilfield/