TROLL PLATFORM, Norwegian Continental Shelf – The Troll B and C platforms have commenced receiving partial power from onshore sources as of September 7, marking a significant step in reducing carbon emissions from offshore operations.

According to Trend News Agency, Norwegian energy giant Equinor has successfully integrated onshore electricity supply into its Troll B and C platforms, an effort that is expected to cut annual CO2 emissions by 250,000 tonnes. This initiative is part of the broader Troll West Electrification (TWEL) plan, which was greenlit by Norwegian authorities in 2021 to diminish the carbon footprint associated with offshore energy production.

The electricity for the platforms originates from the Kollsnes plant, located northwest of Bergen, and travels through a dedicated electro-building that serves both the Troll and Oseberg fields. From there, a 132 kV power cable extends to Troll B and subsequently to Troll C. The project includes the installation of new voltage-adjusting modules on the platforms, enabling the shift of processing and other energy-intensive systems to electric power. However, the platforms’ large export compressors will continue to operate on gas.

Plans are in place to fully electrify Troll C, with aims to source all its energy needs from onshore power. This next phase of the TWEL project is projected to further cut CO2 emissions by an additional 200,000 tonnes per year, which would represent nearly 4 percent of the total emissions reduction from the Norwegian oil and gas sector and about 1 percent of Norway’s total emissions.

The infrastructure improvements at Kollsnes and the installation of the power cable have also been designed with future capabilities in mind, potentially allowing for the full electrification of Troll B. Notably, Troll A, also known as Troll East, has been fully powered from shore since its inception in 1996, setting a precedent for sustainable operations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.