Gas reformer improves methane number for offshore power generation

R. KAILA and P. JANSSON, Wärtsilä, Helsinki, Finland On upstream oil production platforms, associated field gas varies in its composition and often contains large amounts of heavy hydrocarbons. As such, this gas cannot be utilized for reliable power generation and must be either flared or burned inefficiently in boilers or gas turbines at a high operational cost. Such routine practices are no longer sustainable with increasing restrictions on flaring and the desire by operators to reduce the use of bunkered marine diesel oil (MDO) for offshore power generation. Offshore application.    Fig. 1. Wärtsilä's 8-MW GasReformer offshore package showing two desulfurization vessels (l