Multifunctional Energy Systems for Arctic Offshore Oilfields

This case study examines the use of CHEMCAD process simulation software to design and evaluate multifunctional energy systems for Arctic offshore oilfields. The systems integrate power generation, waste‐heat recovery, and carbon dioxide capture and compression to support enhanced oil recovery (EOR) while addressing the severe energy and environmental constraints of Arctic operations. The simulated systems were developed for offshore platforms processing associated petroleum gas (APG) and producing supercritical CO₂ for oil recovery, sequestration, and platform energy supply.

Challenge

Arctic offshore oil production faces several interrelated challenges:

• Extreme climatic conditions and remote locations far from energy infrastructure
• Strict environmental requirements to protect a fragile ecosystem
• Low efficiency of conventional single‐purpose power systems
• The need to simultaneously improve oil recovery, reduce emissions, and ensure platform self sufficiency

Traditional energy solutions address these issues individually, often resulting in higher fuel consumption, lower efficiency, and increased operational complexity. The challenge was to determine whether a single, integrated technological system, evaluated using CHEMCAD, could deliver higher efficiency and multiple operational benefits at once.

Solution

CHEMCAD was used as the core simulation and analysis platform to model and compare multifunctional power systems.

• Steady‐state simulation of fully integrated process schemes
• Modeling of Brayton‐cycle gas turbines combined with Rankine cycles (low‐boiling working fluid or steam)
• Integration of a CO₂ capture and compression module producing supercritical CO₂ at 20MPa and 200 °C
  • Application of a CHEMCAD‐compatible Exergy Unit to calculate:
  • Exergy balance
  • Exergy losses
  • Overall exergy efficiency

The CHEMCAD simulations enabled direct comparison between the proposed system and an existing multifunctional reference system (VENZ‐4), using identical operating assumptions and thermodynamic criteria.