Analysis of Wind Potential on FPSO Platform Relating Lidar Wind Measurement to Reanalysis Data

Abstract The oil and gas sector, committed to reduce carbon emissions in favor of sustainable energy transition, have been seeking strategies to achieve decarbonization. Offshore wind energy has proven to be an efficient alternative for this. Brazil stands out due to its extensive and promising coastline in terms of wind potential and the presence of FPSO platforms. In this context, the present study evaluates the technical wind potential in the Mero Field region, on FPSO Pioneiro de Libra - southeast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - a region known for the existence of offshore oil and gas exploration platforms. Data measured by a fixed LIDAR installed on the FPSO (with measurement heights ranging from 70 to 150 meters over a period of 5.5 months) were analyzed and compared with ERA5 reanalysis data (covering a 23-year period at 10 and 100 meters), using Windographer software. By applying the MCP methodology to short-term target data using long-term reference data and an extension to correlate the data, the mean wind speed at 100 meters increases by 7.8%, indicating that the period measured by the LIDAR was below the long-term behavior. By analyzing the raw LIDAR data from a specific month (July 2019), it was possible to extract the vertical profile coefficient (shear) and apply it to the ERA5 long-term data series, extrapolating the series to 150 meters and simulating the gross energy production and capacity factor. Different scenarios were established for applying the shear in the reanalysis series. Analyzing the raw data at 100 meters, the LIDAR recorded an mean speed of 8.62 m/s in July 2019, while ERA5 reported 8.35 m/s for the same period, resulting in a 3.15% difference. Considering only ERA5, the increment in mean wind speed when extrapolating from 100 to 150 meters using the shear calculated by ERA5 itself is 2.61%. For the analysis at 150 meters in July 2019, the wind speed measured by the LIDAR was 8.81 m/s, while the ERA5 extrapolated speed using the LIDAR shear was 8.49 m/s, resulting in a 3.68% difference. Regarding energy production, the SG167-8.4MW Offshore wind turbine was selected and applying the LIDAR shear to the extrapolated reanalysis series at 150 meters resulted in a -6.17% difference in terms of energy produced and a -3.25% difference in gross capacity factor compared to the LIDAR. Thus, it is possible to affirm the wind potential in the FPSO region for potential clean energy supply as a complement to the FPSO's oil and gas exploration. There is consistency between the two data acquisition methodologies: all direct comparisons showed differences of less than 6.1%, and the indirect analysis using MCP indicated a 7.8% difference, thereby validating the reliability and potential application in other offshore environments with similar characteristics.