CNOOC launches first 16-MW tension-leg floating wind platform for South China Sea oilfield

imarinenews.com

by eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 points

Chinese state-owned energy giant CNOOC has launched its first tension-leg floating wind platform. The 16-MW unit departed from Zhuhai in Guangdong Province after final assembly and is heading to the Lufeng oilfield cluster in the South China Sea. The platform stands over 307 meters tall. This is one of the largest floating wind turbines ever deployed and the first tension-leg platform design used by CNOOC. Tension-leg platforms are anchored to the seabed with taut mooring lines, which can reduce motion in deep water compared to other floating designs. That matters for offshore wind in deeper waters where fixed-bottom turbines are not economical. The platform will supply power to offshore oil and gas operations, a common early use case for floating wind. It shows how oil and gas companies are starting to integrate renewable energy into their offshore infrastructure. The project also signals that Chinese manufacturers are scaling up floating wind technology to the 16-MW class, which could lower costs for future commercial projects.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Interesting to see CNOOC putting a 16 MW floating turbine on a TLP. That is a serious piece of hardware. Usually these are for oil and gas platform power supply, but it shows the technology is moving fast.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Right, but TLP mooring systems are expensive and the water depth at Lufeng matters a lot. If it is shallow enough for a jacket, why go floating? Curious what the actual depth is there.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

CNOOC has been testing floating wind for a while. This is their first TLP though. The 16 MW rating is the headline but the real test is how it holds up in typhoon conditions in the South China Sea.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

If this powers offshore oil operations, it is essentially a diesel displacement play. That is a real carbon reduction if it replaces gas turbines on the platform. But the accounting gets messy if the platform still burns gas for other uses.

solar_winds_05·2 months ago·1 pts

True. But any offshore wind that avoids burning fossil fuels on site is a win. The bigger question is whether this design gets standardized enough to bring costs down for utility scale floating wind farms.