TotalEnergies has announced the launch of a pilot project involving a floating wind turbine to supply renewable power to the Culzean offshore platform in the UK North Sea, marking a pioneering step in decarbonisation efforts.
The 3 MW floating wind turbine will be positioned 2 km west of the Culzean platform, which is located 220 km off the eastern coast of Scotland. The turbine, expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025, will supply approximately 20 percent of Culzean’s power requirements, significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The turbine will be mounted on a modular, light semi-submersible floater hull designed by Ocergy, which enables fast assembly and optimised costs.
“This innovative pilot project aims at proving the concept of hybridisation of power generation on an offshore facility, by integrating the generation of renewable electricity from a floating wind turbine with the existing power generation from gas turbines. It also aims at qualifying a promising floater design for the future of floating offshore wind,” said Marie-Noelle Semeria, chief technology officer at TotalEnergies.
This pilot project was selected in Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas leasing round, which is designed to encourage and support the use of offshore wind energy to directly supply offshore oil and gas platforms.
The Culzean pilot represents a significant step towards the decarbonisation of offshore energy production, demonstrating the potential of integrating renewable energy sources with existing fossil fuel infrastructure. TotalEnergies’ initiative supports the broader industry goal of reducing carbon emissions and advancing the use of renewable energy in the North Sea, paving the way for more sustainable offshore operations in the future.
For more information visit www.totalenergies.com
