FMC has supplied over 120 all-electric subsea systems in commercial applications to customers. This includes a substaintial amount of all-electric actuators and communication units.
An electric choke actuator system, consisting of electric choke controls and a sand detection system, was retrofitted to StatoilHydro’s Statfjord project in 2001.
The system was developed for easy integration into existing subsea control system architectures, with no impact on communication quality and a minor increase in power consumption. To avoid loss of production, the new system was designed so it could be installed without having to retrieve the SCMs (Subsea Control Modules) or choke bridges.
All subsea equipment was designed for installation with ROV support. The choke actuators easily adapt to any ROV interface.
Due to the success of this system, FMC was selected by StatoilHydro to develop an all-electric subsea tree for another field, representing a significant milestone in the evolution of all-electric technology.