The Oseberg Gas Capacity Upgrade and Power from Shore (OGP) is by project owner and operator Equinor considered the most comprehensive electrification project in the North Sea, and also the most complex project in Northern Europe at the moment. This is the context for a pioneering test solution developed by Aibel in partnership with ABB.
Roughly speaking, the new Digital Test System (DTS) is a real-time simulator located in the basement of Aibel’s offices in Bergen. The system is developed to test and validate the comprehensive Static Frequency Converter (SFC) system and overall power system, including power from shore (Kollsnes) to Oseberg Field Center and the platform’s power system.
By incorporating simulation technologies and powerful data processing capabilities, the new system can accurately model and test various scenarios virtually, reducing the need for physical test environments.
“Traditional testing methods would typically involve building a physical replica at our yard in Haugesund or waiting until the actual equipment is installed offshore and then test and troubleshoot on-site,” explains Aibel’s Power System Manager in the OGP project, Jarle Blindheim and adds:
“These approaches are very time-intensive and expensive. Additionally, those methods entail higher risk, as on-site testing often involves live systems where failures can lead to costly downtimes, damage to the equipment or even represent safety risk for personnel.”
Technology and know-how in harmony
The initial ideas for the DTS were conceived by Aibel in February 2022. After a thorough design and development, including equipment and system specifications, the DTS has now been operative since August 2024, conducting the first tests of approx. 500-600 scenarios that need to be tested.
“It has been an exciting process thinking outside of the box and creating something completely new together with my colleagues and our partner ABB,” says Wei Hua, Package Responsible Engineer, and often referred to as the mastermind behind the system.
“The components and technology that we use are not new, but we saw an opportunity, and with Aibel’s knowhow and support from ABB, we have managed to bring the idea into actual design and further into an operational solution,” he says.
The DTS primarily relies on so-called Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation technology, creating a virtual environment that replicates the real-world power from shore and Oseberg platform power system. The test system uses the real control hardware, software and interface, but the power components are simulated using computer power. This enables extensive testing with high fidelity while minimizing time and cost drastically compared to physical testing.
Aibel’s client at the Oseberg project, Equinor, sees great benefit of the newly developed DTS as a digital test platform that allows them to evaluate operation modes and explore operation limits that would not be possible to test on the real system. The hypothesizes will then be verified during commissioning or operation. Without the DTS, operation limits would be more conservative, and there would be more uncertainty during commissioning, Equinor states.
Despite being operable by only one person and not using actual power components, the DTS still requires a bit of space and technical equipment. In order to gain the required computer power and create an adequate virtual environment, the DTS is comprised by a number of cabinets to represent the OGP power system, as well as separate units representing the power control system.
Taking groundbreaking work further
Even though the technology itself and “power of computing” aren’t new, the system is far from simple. It is more than hardware and software put together – it is an engineering solution, and the final DTS is characterized as pioneering work. This is underlined by the fact that ABB invited Aibel and Wei Hua to join them in writing a paper on the solution, which was presented at the PCIC Energy Europe conference in Rotterdam in June.
“The partnership with ABB works really well. The parties complemented each other and leveraged on each other’s expertise to create digital innovation to resolve issues and reduce risk related to offshore commissioning and operation,” Blindheim states and adds: “The close follow-up by Equinor with cooperation on detail level is crucial for project success.”
He is convinced that both Aibel and ABB will benefit from the work, not only in the ongoing OGP project, but also in other electrification projects or similar complex solutions.
For the OGP project, the DTS will be used for further testing, virtual commissioning, technical support and training of personnel.
Key benefits of the DTS
Efficiency and speed: DTS dramatically reduces both preparation and execution times. Unlike traditional methods, where test preparation could take weeks, months or years, DTS enables rapid scenario setup. The execution time of tests is aligned with the actual running time, allowing for efficient and consistent test cycles.
Cost savings: By replacing the need for physical test equipment and environments, DTS saves significant costs. Testing thousands of scenarios would traditionally require extensive resources and space. With DTS, these scenarios are completed digitally, reducing manpower and logistics expenses.
Safety: DTS eliminates risks by simulating the system entirely in a virtual environment. With all power equipment safely simulated, there is no risk of damaging expensive infrastructure or endangering personnel.
Flexibility and accuracy: DTS can simulate a wide range of potential scenarios, including normal operations, fault conditions, and extreme load cases. This flexibility ensures that all possible issues are examined and addressed before commissioning the actual system.
Published 28 March 2025
