Advanced Synchronizing Systems for Offshore Power Systems: Improving System Reliability and Flexibility

Small power systems, such as those found on offshore platforms, are fragile, yet they must operate reliably for economy and the safety of both personnel and the environment. These systems often include combustion turbine generators for the main process power requirements and black start diesel generators that can supply essential and emergency buses; the diesel generators can also be used to restart the main generation systems in the event of a power-system collapse. The power distribution systems on these offshore platforms have built-in redundancy with multiple circuits to supply critical loads for fault tolerance and operating flexibility. A system to easily and safely synchronize islanded buses via many possible synchronization points can revolutionize the operational flexibility and, therefore, the safety and reliability of the power system. This article reports on advanced synchronizing systems installed on two offshore platforms.