2012 Advisory PanelOil and Gas Applications

Ray ZowarkaCenter for Electromechanics

The University of Texas at Austin12/4/2012

Introduction

• The overlap between the oil and gas industry and CEM technology is broad

• Focus for coming year in four areas– Homopolar welding cost reduction– Vibroseis commercialization– Deep sea production technology development– Pumping technology improvements

The CEM Niche

• High power motors and generators• Isolated power grids• High power electromagnetic actuators for

exploration• Electromagnetic pipeline welding• Operation of electrical system components at

high pressure

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Two Projects Commercially Sensitive

• Vibroseis– Prototype built– Extensive field testing– Performance being

evaluated by sponsor and other investors

• Motors/Generators– Assessing new technology

to improve reliability

Homopolar Welding

• Key research challenge– Manufacturing for production

• Prototype built and demonstrated• Lower cost would reduce barrier to adoption

• Key applications– Tube welding for deep sea applications– Welding of irregular shapes– Welding of special alloys

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Homopolar Welding Demonstration

What we have done…

• We have conducted several welding, billet heating, sintering and spot welding programs– NSF basic research to determine weldability of metals– EPRI boiling water reactor pipe– Railroad rail welding– ASTEC Industry alloy steel heat exchanger tubing– OIME oil field pipe welding– Sintered several metal powders

• Aluminum alloys• Copper graphite• Metglas• Tungsten

– Billet heating – Joint Industrial Program (JIP) pipeline welding

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How we plan to develop this field

• Vision of the role CEM can play– Design and fabrication of an inexpensive HPG

• Who might our partners be– Industries with specialized welding problems

• Deep sea exploration• Railroads• Automotive

• Near-term steps to achieve the vision– Start a program with private industry– Pursue funding from NSF, ARPE-e, or other science-

related programs

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Deep Sea Production• Most of the “easy” oil and gas

reserves have been identified• Locating and exploiting future

reservoirs will require drilling and production in more challenging environments– “Tight” formations– Deeper water/higher pressures– Longer offsets

• CEM Research– Electric subsea valve actuation– Subsea/Offshore production– Power transmission/conversion

Relevant CEM Experience

• Pumps and compressors are electrical major loads– Advanced motors and drives are CEM core

technologies– Typical Floating Production, Storage and

Offloading (FPSO) ship has ~100 MW power generation

• Comparable to Navy surface combatant or land-based DOD installation

• Ship power system design and technology• Microgrid modeling, testing, and control• Testing under high ambient pressure

Key Facilities

• Hyperbaric test chamber– 10,000 psi, 400° F– 19” Ø x 58” L– 14 penetrations

• Instrumentation and power• Liquid heating/cooling

• Microgrid– AC or dc– Up to 1 MW

ESRDC Transformer480 : 800 V

480 VUtility Supply

SPCO ControlledRectifier

ALPSTransformer480 : 800 V

480 VUtility

Supply

ALPSPassiveRectifier

Toshiba VFD

ALPSMotorgen

Dyno

Kahn Dynamometer

0.5 MW

ALPSConverter

GE Reactors1 MVA

HVDCPowerSupply

CapacitorBank

DumpResistor

1 MW

There is some flexibility with this module; it is shown as another controlled load but we could

potentially implement or emulate energy storage and show power flow in both directions.

Existing equipment

Leased equipment

Field controllableengine drivenac generator

AC Load Bank1 MW

Field controllableengine drivenac generator

DC Bus1.1 kV

ALPSDC

Chopper

ALPS Load Bank

0.5 MW

800 VAC60 Hz

Summary

• This is an application area that leverages CEM experience

• Two projects focused on commercialization– One this year– One several years out

• Developing three research projects– Homopolar welding– Sea floor power systems– Efficient platform power

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