Development of an Eco-Sustainable Solution for the Second Life of Decommissioned Oil and Gas Platforms: The Mineral Accretion Technology

Lucia Margheritini,Diego Vicinanza,Trine Larsen Bjørgård,Caterina Lanfredi,Antonio Dell’Anno,Giuseppina Colaleo,Morten Enggrob Simonsen,Pasquale Contestabile

doi:10.3390/su12093742

Abstract

With the approaching end of the productive lives of offshore oil and gas platforms, the issue about decommissioning and what to do with existing structures arises. In this regard, this study aims to test solutions, at a preliminary level, for the eco-sustainable reuse of platforms at the end of their extraction phase. In particular, mineral accretion technology is applied by low-voltage electrolysis of seawater due to the precipitation of calcium carbonate on a cathode material in order to assess the protection capacity of the platforms against corrosion. This approach allows the extension of a platform’s “life” under a more sustainable purpose. The results, derived from laboratory and field experiments, will allow us to reduce uncertainties and define the best operating conditions to increase the efficiency of the mineral accretion technology in the marine ecosystem. The data collection on the main parameters that influence the process (i.e., temperature, salinity, and applied current) and the quantitative analysis of the collected material allowed us to acquire a better knowledge about mineral composition and deposition rate.

Highlights

The growing concern about the effect of climate change is leading the energy sector in moving from fossil fuel to renewable energies
With the approaching end of the productive lives of offshore oil and gas platforms, the issue about decommissioning and what to do with existing structures arises
Offshore oil and gas platforms have a limited duration of operations

Summary

Introduction

The growing concern about the effect of climate change is leading the energy sector in moving from fossil fuel to renewable energies. The transition may consist in the replacement of production facilities, or in their conversion or repowering, maximizing the efficiency and minimizing the environmental impact. An important form of energy transition can be represented by the reuse of offshore oil and gas (O&G) platforms at the end-of-life production phase [1]. Offshore oil and gas platforms have a limited duration of operations (average productive phase from 10 to 50 years). There are currently more than 7500 structures in offshore waters, located on the continental shelves of about 53 different countries About 0.4% of the world’s oil and gas reserves are located in the Mediterranean basin with n1o2r7tho-ffesahstorAetplalnattifco)rm[2,s3.].ThAebsoeuot ff0s.h4%oreosftrtuhectuwroerslda’rse omilaiannldy lgoacsateredseinrvtehseacreentloracal tMededinitetrhreanean sea, iMn tehdeitenrorartnheearnnbaansidn wceinthtr1a2l7Aodffrsihaotrice Spelaatfaotrmdesp. Poossssiibbllee ssoolluuttiioonnsshhaavveebebeeneninvinevsteigstaitgeadtfeodr fboorthbfoitxhedfioxfefdshoorffeshore platfoprlamtfsoramnsdasnudbssuebasoeaffsohffoshreorpeippiepleinlineses(M(Maarrttiinnss eett aall..,,22001199).).FiFgiugrue r1es1hoswhoswthsetphoesspibolsesiobplteioonpstions availaabvaleilafobrlethfeordethcoemdmeciosmsiomnisinsigonoifnOg &oGf Opl&aGtfoprmlatsf,odrmistsi,ngduisitsinhginugishbientgwebeentwfiexeend foixffesdhoorfefsphloarteforms and spulbatsfeoarmosffasnhdorseubpsiepaeolifnfsehso. re pipelines

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion