Summary

In order to maintain the pursued production capacity and to ensure the depletion of the gas field "Gaag" in the province "Zuid-Holland" a new advanced gas compressor installation was commissioned at the end of 2001 by oil / gas exploration and production company "Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij" (NAM). The compressor installation comprises a high-speed induction motor, a variable speed drive and electromagnetic bearings, allowing an energy-efficient production of natural gas under strongly fluctuating conditions. Compared with a conventional compressor installation, which normally is used for smaller gas fields, a large amount of electrical energy can be saved, because energy losses, induced by throttling at the suction side of the compressor, can be avoided. Application of magnetic bearings and owing to this advanced drive system, the absence of a conventional gearbox for high speed machinery, further reduces rotational friction losses. By this application of an energy-efficient compressor installation at the gas treatment location "Gaag" it is expected that within the period 2002-2009 more then 21 million kWh of electrical energy can be saved in total. The extra investment needed for the energy efficient compressor installation will be recovered in about 6 years.