Adaptive algorithm for controlling the power management system on offshore jack-up drilling rigs

The power systems of offshore jack-up drilling rigs consist of diesel generators running in parallel load-sharing mode, controlled by an automatic Power Management System (PMS). In this paper, the operational performance of the diesel generators (DG) and the PMS on a jack-up drilling rig is investigated, focusing on two critical offshore drilling operations: “pipe tripping” and “pulling/pumping out of the hole” (POOH). During these operations, large power swings occur in the system, subjecting the DGs to sudden load surges. These severe imbalances in the system cause the PMS to intermittently start and stop the engines throughout the operation, leading to various problematic conditions in the power plant. The paper provides a novel solution for intermittent starting and stopping of the DGs in the form of development and implementation of an adaptive PMS algorithm, a mathematical model of the system and a machine learning approach to event prediction of PMS operation in offshore drilling. Research demonstrates a noteworthy decrease in intermittent DG starting and stopping when the adaptive algorithm is implemented, with a 96% reduction during pipe tripping and an 87% reduction during POOH. This improvement comes at the expense of an 11% increase in engine running hours and a 1.5% rise in fuel consumption. Furthermore, by configuring the adaptive algorithm to economy mode, savings of up to 1700 liters of fuel per month are achievable.