Power from shore: ABB technologies at Troll A platform

HVDC > HVDC References > Europe > Troll HVDC Light

The first offshore HVDC Light project transmits power to Statoil's Troll A gas production platform in the North Sea.

In 2002 ABB was awarded the first project in the world for offshore transmission with HVDC from Statoil, Norway (ABB press release). This project is called Troll A Precompression Electrical Drive System (Statoil's press release). The tests on the Drive System were successfully completed in February 2005. The project combines the HVDC Light® technology and the ABB VHV Motor (Very High Voltage Motor), which is cable-wound. It consists of two transmissions, each with the rated power of 40 MW on the mechanical shaft of the VHV Motor. The inverter station on the platform is directly connected to the motor thus no transformer is needed.

The rectifier at Kollsnes (onshore station) is connected through a standard power transformer to an existing 132 kV network with a breaker. From rectifier approximately 70 km HVDC Light cable connects the rectifier with the Inverter placed on the Troll A platform. One line diagram.

Troll project.<br>Kollsnes HVDC Light station
The land station at Kollsnes.
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Troll project.<br>HVDC Light offshore module on the platform.
The Troll platform module.
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Click here for images of the offshore module being shipped and lifted.

The AC side of the inverter is connected to the VHV Motor via a breaker and AC cables. The VHV Motor's outgoing shaft is directly coupled to a gearbox that deliver the right number of revolutions. The VHV Motor is governed by the HVDC Light® control system MACH 2TM.

Compared to conventional systems, HVDC Light saves weight and reduces the space the system takes up on the platform.

Main data
Commissioning year:2005
Power rating:84 MW
No of circuits2
AC Voltage:132 kV (Kollsnes), 56 kV (Troll)
DC Voltage:±60 kV
Length of DC submarine cables:4 x 70 km
Main reason for choosing HVDC Light:Environment, long submarine cable distance, compactness of converter on platform

Film "Power from shore"
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Small 4.4 MB
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Long version 18:11 min
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Small 17.1 MB
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Last edited 2009-06-06
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