The Oil & Gas industry is a heavy consumer of reactive power because of its use of a large number of pumps, recompressors and other heavy equipment. Control reactive power allows voltage fluctuations limitation, power factor management and electricity bills limitation. Companies require FACTS to regulate reactive power balance; it corrects voltage fluctuations, reduces electricity bills and meets Utility Grid Code requirements.
Equipment operated within FACTS relies on medium and high voltage circuit breakers to energize or de-energize capacitor banks, shunt reactors, filters, SVC, STATCOM, etc. However, an uncontrolled or random load switching operation causes voltage disturbances and inrush currents. These may damage circuit breakers and equipment within a substation, alter power quality and lead to equipment failure or to blackouts.
The SynchroTeq controlled switching device improves reliability and stability of FACTS solutions: while switching loads, it operates circuit breakers at the optimal moment to prevent transients such as inrush currents and voltage disturbances. Thanks to its fast switching technology, the SynchroTeq helps FACTS quickly adjust the power factor.
Benefits:
- Increases revenue as downtimes are minimized
- Complies with Utility Grid Code requirements and avoid associated penalties
- Leverages power factor correction techniques
- Limits maintenance frequency for voltage dips and transient elimination
- Ensures power stability and reliability
- Quickly adjusts the power factor through fast switching of capacitive loads
- Improves voltage control of offshore platform
Read more about SynchroTeq technology
