ONGC speeds up grid connectivity work at Mumbai High

As part of enhancing production of oil and gas, public sector undertaking Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has decided to install Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) in 26 Well Head Platforms (WHP) in Western Offshore of the coast of Mumbai.     

The work for the Offshore Grid Interconnectivity Project (OGIP) was awarded to Ukraine based NAFTOGAZ, who in turn sub-contracted the Rs 18 crore work to Coimbatore based Keas Controls Private.     

The sub-contract was for design, detail engineering of electrical instrumentation, telecommunication and structural, requirements of the project, S Ramachandran, Managing Director, Keas Controls, said yesterday.     

Keas Controls completed detail engineering and conducted site survey of all 26 platforms and carried out structural design for deck extension and deck strengthening. At present the power requirement of the well platforms were met by Solar Power Systems, he added.

The OGIP would be executed in two phases to provide power to four process platforms and in the second phase, 17 well head platforms in each WHP submersible pumps were planned to be provided in the near future and the composite submarine cables were to be used for power and as also for communication network, he said.     

The composite cables carry power cable suitable for electrical load of one mega watt on each WHP and also have optical fibers for transfer of data/communication and control signals, Ramachandran explained.

Composite cable design and sizing was also executed by Keas Control and detailed design of electrical instrumentation, telecom, fire & gas, fire suppression and pressurization and ventilation panels were carried out, he said.   

The assignment also included detailed design of telecom network including selection of fiber optic patch panels, Ethernet switches, cables and other accessories at the WHP topsides to provide connectivity to Remote Monitoring Control System (RMCS) local units, ESP control panels, Voice over Internet Protocol interface for telephone connection, he shared.   

Keas Control, a sister concern of Kavin Engineering and Services Private, also completed the instrumentation design and detailed engineering for monitoring all the WHP parameters and control of critical electrical breakers from the process platforms through fiber optic link.   

Ramachandran said the company had already inherited deep water operations technology by fulfilling various challenging assignments entrusted to them in Brazil, West Africa and other offshore operations.   

"Perhaps this was the reason with which the Ukraine experts awarded the contract to Keas Control and in turn Keas Control assisted NAFTOGAZ in procurement of all the major items like composite cables, switchgears, transformers, remote control and monitoring systems and  battery chargers  by exercising global vendor scrutiny and outsourcing methods", he discussed.   

By virtue of this installation of submersible pumps ONGC could envisage better productivity when the pressure was enhanced to its optimum level and there by the outburst of the crude is also achieved satisfactorily.