The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) has recognized Framo’s Submerged Turbine technology with its Spotlight on New Technology award. The award will be presented on May 1 at this year’s conference held in Houston, Texas. The Framo Submerged Turbine is designed to increase the efficiency of the cooling water system used on offshore installations by as much as 20 to 30 percent. It also lowers CO2 emissions created in the system by up to 3000 – 5000 tonnes per year.

On offshore installations, huge volumes of seawater are lifted from the sea to deck level for use as a cooling medium for onboard processing. The used seawater is then dumped back to the sea, meaning that substantial quantities of energy are left unexploited in the dumped seawater. The Framo Submerged Turbine generates electric power as the cooling water flows from the deck to the sea.

The unique feature of the turbine is the fact that it is submersible, enabling the full energy potential to be harnessed from the dumped water. In this application the additional static height can contribute to as much as 50-70 percent additional energy recovery compared to a topside mounted turbine.

Generated power from the turbine technology will contribute to the total power supply on the offshore facility, thereby reducing gas fuel consumption for power generation. By liberating gas that would usually be utilized for energy production onboard, the solution also contributes to better earnings potential via increased gas exports. This benefit is in addition to reducing CO2 emissions and operational costs. This technology is the first to reuse the unexploited energy in cooling systems on offshore installations.

“Stricter global environmental regulations and cost considerations are significantly affecting offshore operations,” commented Sigve Gjerstad, Director Offshore Pumping Systems at Framo. “This new technology not only increases the sustainability and operational efficiency of offshore installations, it also considerably helps to reduce their operating costs.”

“At OTC we take pride in recognizing the companies transforming the future of the offshore energy sector. The Spotlight on New Technology Award is one of the many ways we like to show our appreciation. Revolutionizing the field is no easy task. It requires collaboration, intense consistency, and the brightest minds in the industry to drive innovation. This year’s recipients exemplify these efforts and we are proud to acknowledge them”, said Paul Jones, chairperson, OTC Board of Directors.

The Framo technology will deliver the greatest positive effect on offshore installations that require large amounts of cooling water for installations located in areas with higher water temperatures. Over the past decade, seawater cooling quantities have typically increased by a factor of more than two to three. This is due to larger offshore process facilities and combined cycle power generation modules.  This emphasizes the significant potential Framo’s technology offers in regenerating power from waste cooling water.

The Framo Submerged Turbine is suitable for both new installations as well as for retrofitting to existing facilities. Its performance and efficiency have been verified through analytical calculations. Framo is an established world-leader in pump technology for the marine industry with a history dating back to 1938.