Electric Drives for FPSO Deepwell Pumps

Hamworthy has won two more orders for electric-drive deepwell pumps for FPSOs, highlighting the success of the electric drive's challenge to the hydraulic pumping systems traditionally dominant in the offshore sector. The first FPSO contract was for Bergesen Worldwide Offshore, which will be a conversion of the 360,000 dwt ULCC Berge Enterprise at Sembawang in Singapore. The second contract is for a 600,000-barrel storage capacity FPSO being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea for the Japanese company MODEC. The contract specifies 12 x CKL 200 cargo pumps and two DL 125 slop pumps, each of which is 22m long.

FPSO deepwell pumps featuring electric drives made a breakthrough early last year when Hamworthy was selected to supply the cargo handling system for a 900,000-barrel storage capacity FPSO being built by Samsung Heavy Industries. This included 20 pumps in all for various purposes, such as cargo pumps, booster, skimming and slop pumps and ballast pumps, all served by 24.5m-long shaft transmissions. Electric-driven deepwell pumps offer operators a reliable, safe and energy-saving alternative for handling crude product on FPSO/FSO vessels. Significant interest in the merits of electric-driven deepwell pump systems has also been expressed by tanker owners and builders for crude and clean oil products handling in the Handy-sized to Panamax tonnage range.