Mott MacDonald has been commissioned by Zakum Development Company (ZADCO) Abu Dhabi as Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) consultant to replace diesel generators at Arzanah Island is under way.
Part of ZADCO’s Satah oilfield, situated 200km offshore of Abu Dhabi, Arzanah Island has water injection facilities as well as utility and accommodation loads and requires around 3.5 to 4 megawatts of power. As natural gas is not available on the island, power turbines are operated on liquid fuel (diesel). To reduce fuel consumption, ZADCO had replaced some of its turbines with high speed diesel generators. The high speed generators proved to be more fuel efficient but operated with recurring problems and occasional major breakdowns, Mott MacDonald said in a statement.
Phase one of the project will see the installation of two new diesel generators with 13.8kV and 60Hz terminal voltage inside a customer designed engine room. Mott MacDonald’s professionals were commissioned to provide design and engineering services as well as cost consultancy services for the project, in addition to health and safety and environmental impact assessments.
Capital outlay for both phase one and phase two of the project will be around US$18 million.
Alex Jacob, Mott MacDonald’s project director explained, “The only way to access Arzanah is by fixed wing aircraft for people or supply boats for shipments, as such replacing generator equipment and power management systems is not straightforward. Mott MacDonald has an excellent track record in oil, gas and petroleum engineering and technical consultancy and we were delighted that ZADCO selected us for this commission.”
Mott MacDonald was awarded the project management consultant contract by ZADCO for the $226 million Satah oil field development in 2005.
The aim of the project is to establish gas injection for the Satah Field oil to enhance and sustain oil production to 25,000 bpd for the next 25 years according to Mott MacDonald’s website.
