The electrification of floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units has emerged as a strategic solution to meet the growing demand for increased oil production while reducing carbon emissions associated with onboard gas turbine generation. Power-from-shore (PFS) systems represent a promising approach to achieving this goal, with transmission technologies based on high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) solutions. Although HVDC is more suitable for long-distance and high-power applications, HVAC systems offer advantages in terms of robustness, simplicity, and operational maturity. Nevertheless, the reactive power compensation requirements arising from the high capacitance of submarine cables remain a major technical challenge. This study investigates and compares several reactive power compensation topologies applied to three distinct PFS systems. The proposed methodology enables a comprehensive evaluation of both onshore and subsea reactor placement strategies under technically and technologically feasible conditions. The results demonstrate that long-distance transmission of 75 MW over 250 km was achieved exclusively through subsea compensation configurations, which maintained efficiencies above 90% and voltage and current profiles within operational limits. Conversely, onshore-only compensation proved to be the most efficient solution for shorter transmission distances. The results demonstrate that the full electrification of an FPSO is technically feasible, with voltage and current profiles remaining within acceptable operational limits. The findings also indicate that mid-cable reactor placement (at 50%) is not the most effective configuration, with superior results observed for placements at 20–80% and 40–70% of the cable length. Overall, the outcomes confirm that subsea reactor placement enables higher power transfer over longer distances, significantly extending the technical boundaries traditionally separating HVDC and HVAC solutions. These results emphasize the need for continued technological development to make subsea shunt reactor installation a viable and reliable option for future FPSO electrification projects.

Driven by the environmental benefits associated with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, oil companies have intensified research efforts into reassessing the strategies used to meet the electrical demands of offshore production platforms. Among the various alternatives available, the deployment of onshore–offshore interconnections via High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission systems has emerged as a promising solution, offering both economic and operational advantages. In addition to reliably meeting the electrical demand of offshore facilities, this approach enables enhanced operational flexibility due to the advanced control and regulation capabilities inherent to HVDC converter stations. Based on the use of interconnection through an HVDC link, aiming to evaluate the operation of the electrical system as a whole, this study focuses on evaluating dynamic events using the PSCAD software version 5.0.2 to analyze the direct online starting of a large induction motor and the sudden loss of a local synchronous generating unit. The simulation results are then analyzed to assess the effectiveness of both Grid-Following (GFL) and Grid-Forming (GFM) control strategies for the converters, while the synchronous generators are evaluated under both voltage regulation and constant power factor control operation, with a particular focus on system stability and restoration of normal operating conditions in the sequence of events.

In an effort to restrict further increases in climate change, governments and companies are exploring ways to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this context, the oil industry, which contributes to indirect GHG emissions, is seeking ways to develop solutions to this issue. One such approach focuses on the connection of offshore oil production platforms to the onshore power grid via high-voltage direct current (HVDC), enabling a total or partial reduction in the number of local generators, which are generally powered by gas turbines. Therefore, this work aims to determine the technical feasibility, based on transient and dynamic stability analyses, of electrifying a system composed of six floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units connected to a hub, which is powered by the onshore grid through submarine cables using HVDC technology. The analysis includes significant contingencies that could lead the system to undesirable operating conditions, allowing for the identification of appropriate remedial control actions. The analysis, based on real data and parameters, was carried out using PSCAD software. The results show that the modeled system is technically viable and could be adopted by oil companies. In addition to aligning with global warming mitigation goals, the proposal includes a complex system modeling approach, with the aim of enabling further study.