Abstract
Abstract Climate change continues to present a significant global challenge, thereby driving the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In response, oil and gas companies are adopting cleaner energy strategies, such as committing to net-zero emissions by 2050. Climate change continues to present a significant global challenge, thereby driving the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In response, oil and gas companies are adopting cleaner energy strategies, such as committing to net-zero emissions by 2050. A key strategy in this transition is the substitution of traditional oil and gas production methods with renewable energy sources. This study aims to explore the feasibility of electrifying an unmanned wellhead platform through the use of Hydrokinetic turbines (HKT) as part of this broader transition strategy. To begin, a comprehensive desktop study is conducted to accurately determine the power requirements of an unmanned wellhead platform. Subsequently, a three-dimensional numerical simulation employing the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) method with the K-epsilon turbulence model is employed to simulate the hydrodynamic conditions and assess the performance of the HKT in generating electrical power. The results of this study reveal promising prospects for the electrification of a portion of the unmanned wellhead platform’s power demand through the utilization of Hydrokinetic turbines.