Batteries set to back up oilfield control systems

Borri has ordered several sets of Saft rechargeable NiCd battery systems for UPS installations that will provide backup power in the exploration of the giant Kashagan oil field.

Borri has ordered several sets of Saft rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery systems for the UPS installations that will provide up to eight hours of autonomous backup power for critical control and communication systems used by Agip in the exploration of the giant Kashagan oil field - the largest to be discovered anywhere in the world for the last 30 years.

The Saft NiCd battery systems, each comprising hundreds of Saft SBL block batteries, have been specified by Borri to ensure maximum reliability, a long service life, reduced maintenance requirements and safe storage in the demanding environment found in the North Caspian Sea, where temperatures can range between -36 and +40C.

Agip, part of the Italian ENI Group, is working on behalf of seven companies as the single operator of the appraisal and development operations in the Kashagan field.

The Experimental Programme (EP), currently in execution, will cover the first phase of the field development, from an initial production of 75,000 to 450,000 barrels of oil per day.

Borri is supplying Agip with 26 redundant UPS systems to provide up to eight hours of autonomous operation for critical 110V DC and 230V AC control and communications circuits in the on-shore element of the EP.

The various Saft battery systems will provide this vital power backup for the gas treatment and sulphur plants, telecommunications and satellite systems and the main building.

Saft is supplying complete battery systems for the Kashagan project, including the mounting racks.

The batteries will vary in size and capacity, with the largest consisting of two parallel strings of 300 Saft SBL12560Ah block batteries.

The Kashagan project is a particularly demanding application for batteries, with extreme temperatures ranging from -36 to +40C.

One of the key reasons for Borri specifying Saft SBL batteries is their proven capability to deliver a long-service life and a high-level of reliability in extreme environmental conditions.

Unlike lead-acid batteries, they have a predictable lifetime, without the risk of sudden death failure.

They are also designed specifically to deliver standby power over relatively long discharge periods.

And a further benefit of the SBL's pocket plate construction is that it requires very low maintenance, with a large electrolyte reserve extending top-up intervals to around 18 months.

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