Expanding its role as a leading energy technology supplier for Brazil’s offshore oil and gas sector, GE’s Distributed Power business today announced it will supply four additional LM2500+G4 aeroderivative gas turbine generators to supply 85 megawatts (MW) of reliable on-site electricity for a new floating oil and gas production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel—the Cidade de Caraguatatuba MV-27.

GE will supply the four units to MODEC, a general contractor specializing in the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of floating production systems. The new FPSO, owned and operated by MODEC, will be installed and operated on charter in 2,240 meters of water in the pre-salt fields off the coast of Brazil.

The four new LM2500+G4 units will generate reliable power to support the facility’s production processes, water reinjection, gas compression and process heating. Underscoring the operational and fuel flexibility of GE’s aeroderivative gas turbine technology, the units will use non-commercial grade “field gas” that is produced at the vessel. As a result, GE’s equipment will help reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
The agreement represents the latest vessel set order between the two companies, following previous orders for projects in Brazil and Africa. In June 2013, GE announced it would supply an earlier group of four LM2500+G4 aeroderivative units for an FPSO platform in Brazil’s pre-salt field.

“This latest order for our aeroderivative gas turbines reaffirms GE’s leadership in supporting the diverse on-site power needs of Brazil’s offshore industrial sector as it develops the country’s energy resources,” said Lorraine Bolsinger, president and CEO for GE Power & Water’s Distributed Power.

GE will ship the new LM2500+G4 gas turbines in late 2014. The units are scheduled to be installed in 2015, with commercial operation planned for 2016 or 2017.

GE’s LM2500+G4 offshore gas turbine-generator packages offer a reduced weight and compact solution for installation on floating as well as fixed platforms. These packages are specifically built for rugged offshore/near shore applications with all necessary oil and gas standards for safety, durability and reliability.

GE launched its new Distributed Power business in February 2014, combining three product lines—aeroderivative gas turbines, Jenbacher gas engines and Waukesha gas engines—to better serve the distributed power space and help meet the world’s growing demand for on-site power systems that are easier to finance, faster to install and more efficient and reliable for customers.

The company announced the Latin America launch of its Distributed Power business on April 8, 2014 in Mexico City.

According to a white paper released by GE, The Rise of Distributed Power, more communities and businesses are installing distributed power technologies to improve access to electricity in remote areas with poor or non-existent electric grids. In addition, in both developing and developed economies, industries are using distributed power to improve industrial and residential energy efficiency and ensure they have emergency power in the event of natural disasters and other unplanned outages. At the same time, the oil and gas industry relies heavily on on-site power to provide electricity to remote operations as well as mechanical power to pump and compress gas.