Offshore/subsea systems

Repurposing Offshore Pipeline as Energy Storage Opens Market Segment

The authors of this paper describe a system that enables the storage of renewable power while allowing for the optimization of time and expenditure for decommissioning of existing infrastructure.

HPES system configuration for ROPES.
Fig. 1—HPES system configuration for ROPES.

The repurposed offshore pipelines as energy storage (ROPES) solution repurposes aged offshore installations into energy storage systems based on proven hydropneumatic principles toward a cost-competitive, reliable system. Findings from a recent concept-assessment study show the cost competitiveness of the solution as a result of a low levelized cost of storage (LCOS) paired with the value of deferring full decommissioning of existing assets. The ROPES solution enables the storage of renewable power while allowing for the optimization of time and expenditure for decommissioning of infrastructure.

Background

Energy-storage technologies address a fundamental problem related to the integration of renewable energy production into conventional energy systems on a large scale: the mismatch between intermittent energy supply and consumer demand. Balancing supply and demand is quickly becoming the greatest obstacle to increased uptake of renewable energy.

An emerging industrialized energy storage solution (ESS) technology uses mechanical power storage based on proven fluid-compression principles.

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