Offshore Oil Rig Aims To Be ‘Green’ By Sourcing Power From Floating Winds

Oil rigs and green measures don’t go hand-in-hand. However, one Dutch company is seeking to develop a machine that can stand on its own against the changing tides of the climate. 

Huisman has created an oil rig that is able to sustain itself using a hybrid mix of power, which will include tapping on its very own floating wind turbines that will accompany it out to sea. 

Two floating turbines will be anchored by its side where energy generated will be pumped into the rig. Onshore hydroelectricity will also be produced and delivered to the machine via a cable from a nearby floating platform. 

This will bring down carbon emissions by almost 86% as the rig sets out to harvest fossil fuels.   

Huisman believes that there could be sustainable options when it comes to sourcing fossil fuels, and set out to build one that could potentially be that.

Along with its hybrid energy system, the rig has a low-drag robotic drilling system that operates at a constant speed. It also has a compensated drilling floor that allows it to weather rough waves. In addition, Huisman plans to cut down on onboard personnel by 40% to save energy. 

All of this can reduce emissions by an additional 30-40%. 

Green energy is becoming ever more present in our daily lives. However, its growth is still not fast enough to overtake the use of fossil fuels. 

According to Dieter Wijning, Huisman’s project manager, as Europe continues to take strides towards a greener future, it would still need to rely on fossil fuels until it can stand independent of traditional energy sources. 

Until then, the company is trying to find clean and efficient ways of harnessing such a power supply without contributing more damage to the environment. 

  
[via Offshore Energy and Huisman, cover image via Huisman]