Hyzon and Schlumberger to cooperate on high-power fuel cells in O&G field
The technology is ideal for enabling drilling in areas that are restricted today due to diesel emissions or diesel generator noise levels.
Hyzon Motors is teaming up with Schlumberger Limited to reduce emissions in upstream oil & gas operations with power generated by its heavy-duty fuel cell systems.
Under the joint development agreement (JDA), Hyzon will utilise its expertise in engineering and manufacturing high-power fuel cell systems for heavy-duty commercial mobility to co-develop zero-emissions fuel cell power generation solutions initially for North American oil & gas well construction for land drilling rigs, with opportunities for collaboration into other field operations in the broader oil & gas market.
Hyzon’s technology is intended to be integrated into Schlumberger’s portfolio of Intelligent Power Management solutions and powered by Hyzon. Currently, in the initial phase of the JDA, the companies expect to demonstrate the first fuel cell power module in oil & gas field operations as early as Q4 of 2022, starting with powering an onshore drilling rig application.
Under the JDA, Schlumberger will also provide customer validation opportunities and lead the product’s anticipated commercialisation to exist and new customers. As an initial step, Schlumberger has already executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate the fuel cell solution in Ensign Energy Services Inc. drilling operations within the next twelve months.
The Intelligent Power Management solution that Hyzon’s fuel cells will power is a direct replacement for the typical 4.0 MW of available diesel generators that power an oil & gas drilling rig today, meeting the same horsepower and footprint specifications of a 1.0 MW diesel generator on a high-spec North American land rig. A drilling rig powered completely by hydrogen fuel cell systems is projected to consume ~2.5 tons per day of hydrogen, which, when fueled by zero-carbon intensity hydrogen would eliminate 10,000 tons per year of CO2.
The versatility of hydrogen enables oilfield service companies and operators to use transportable fuel cell power solutions in a wide range of applications: to power entire drilling rigs, generate useful heat, fuel fleets for the long-haul, heavy-duty transport, and more – all with zero emissions at the point of use. The solution will also be evaluated for deployment in many other hard-to-decarbonise power use cases such as remote industrial operations and critical grid and operations power supply.
