Four Reasons to Consider Dual Fuel Solutions for Your FPSO

Dual fuel solutions are increasingly popular in the oil and gas industry for a number of reasons—flexibility, time- and cost-savings, efficiency and more. Here are four reasons you might want to consider the Cat® CM34DF and CM46DF dual fuel products for your FPSO application.

1. They maximize your fuel flexibility without sacrificing performance.

If you’re running traditional main power, and there’s a limited supply of gas in your deep water oil field, bringing more on board can be time-consuming and costly. A dual fuel product gives you more options. You can burn the fuel gas when it’s available, then switch to another fuel source—crude oil, associated gas, diesel—when the fuel gas isn’t available or runs out.

More important, you can do it without giving up performance. The Cat CM34DF (2910-4370 ekW) and CM46DF (5240-13970 ekW) offer power density and load response on par with their diesel engine counterparts.

2. They’re available as “plug-and-play” solutions, speeding new builds or conversions.

Both the Cat CM34DF and CM46DF are available in an Offshore Power Generation Module configuration. This turnkey EPC scope, scalable, single lift, modular power plant product fully integrates into your FPSO design—whether it’s a new build or a conversion.

The Offshore Power Generation Module is a complete power system package featuring proven technology, a simple design, robust construction and worldwide support for operating even in the harshest environments, such as the North Sea. It can be directly mounted onto the top deck of the vessel or into the engine room in the case of new builds, which cuts down on the time required. Caterpillar also can manage the process from design through commissioning, another time-saver.

A truly redundant solution, the Offshore Power Generation Module delivers high availability. Its N+1 individual modules are independent and all systems are module-specific. Because it’s designed for single-point lift, the unit is self-standing, requiring no additional supports or loose items like lifting frames. That reduces overall weight.

Noise insulation makes for a silent, safe work environment, improving crew comfort and ease of maintenance. The entire module can be disconnected during service periods.

3. They could eliminate the need for other power systems, reducing costs and downtime.

When using Cat dual fuel engines in the Offshore Power Generation Module configuration, you may not need separate power sources for essential services. That’s because the module features an emergency configuration, which allows you to switch back and forth easily between main power and emergency power. Fewer power sources mean less maintenance, lower costs and reduced downtime.

4. They’re backed by the strength of Caterpillar and our worldwide dealer network.

The CM34DF and CM46DF come with the durability, reliability and worldwide support you expect from Caterpillar—the world’s leading manufacturer of diesel and natural gas engines. We’ve manufactured engines for the oilfield since the 1930s and today provide power solutions with outputs ranging from 31 to 16,000 kW. Our sales and service network includes more than 2,100 dealer locations worldwide.

Cat dual fuel units will last for life of your field, and you can count on the same dealer support during that entire period as well. We’ll work with you from the initial design phase to help you determine exactly what kind of power you need, through installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and support. Caterpillar is committed to being your power generation partner through the full life of your project.

To learn more about Caterpillar dual fuel solutions for FPSOs and other oil and gas applications, visit us at Booth A03-G at the FPSO World Congress, September 19-22 in Singapore. You’ll also find more information at www.cat.com/oilandgas or by following us on Facebook and Twitter.