Dynamic Converter Capacity Allocation for Multifunctional Energy Storage Systems in Oil and Gas Applications

In this paper, a power management strategy is proposed for enhancing the benefits of energy storage systems to wind powered offshore Oil and Gas platforms. Different functionalities of the converter, such as following a charging schedule from an upper layer control and active power filtering are dynamically assessed, and the converter capacity is optimally allocated among the different services, while preserving the stability of the converter-controllers interactions. To achieve that, a non-linear controller is developed, allowing for full range regulation of the energy storage. To demonstrate the proposed power management strategy, a dynamic model of a platform section is developed and time domain simulations are carried out. The results revealed that load generated reactive, harmonic and unbalanced currents could be successfully compensated, improving the local power quality indices while following the storage charging schedule and respecting the converter limitations under both static and transient conditions, so that the converter cost-benefit relation is improved.