Energy Backbone for Oil & Gas Operations

Power availability and reliability is a major concern for companies with operations in isolated areas. In the remote shale plays across West Texas where utility power is sparse, microgrids can be a lifeline for companies working on projects there.

The typical oilfield covers many square miles, involving many different sites that are often situated far from a reliable grid power. For oilfield companies, microgrids can provide power exactly where it’s needed for drilling operations without having to wait for utility companies to expand their grids. Microgrids also allow oilfield companies to be energy independent and, therefore, not susceptible to mass outages during severe weather or any other disturbances utility power can experience. During such outages, utility companies prioritize densely populated areas, so it could be weeks before utility power is restored in more remote locations.

Also, oilfield and fracking companies have a unique advantage in that they produce their own generator fuel. Natural gas produced during oil extraction fuel can be scrubbed, which means removing traces of liquid so that it can be used as fuel for the natural gas generators that make up a microgrid. This byproduct normally burned off as waste is now put to work greatly reducing fuel costs.