TotalEnergies launches pilot project for floating wind turbine in North Sea
TotalEnergies has initiated a pilot project to provide renewable energy to an oil and gas platform in the North Sea through a 3 MW floating wind turbine. The turbine will be located 2 km west of the Culzean platform, which is situated 220 km off the eastern coast of Scotland. It is expected to supply approximately 20% of the Culzean platform’s power requirements, supplementing the electricity generated by existing gas turbines.
The floating wind turbine will be installed on a modular, light semi-submersible floater hull designed by wind energy equipment manufacturer Ocergy, which is supported by Octopus Energy. The project, anticipated to be fully operational by the end of 2025, is part of TotalEnergies’ broader strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize its offshore assets. It was selected in Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round, aimed at promoting the use of offshore wind energy to power oil and gas platforms.
TotalEnergies holds a 49.99% stake in the Culzean field, one of its key offshore facilities, with BP owning 32% and JX Nippon holding 18.01%. The Culzean field began gas production in 2019 and is expected to remain operational for at least 13 years.
TotalEnergies Chief Technology Officer Marie-Noelle Semeria stated, “This pilot project aims at proving the concept of hybridisation of power generation on an offshore facility, by integrating the generation of renewable electricity from a floating wind turbine with the existing power generation from gas turbines. It also aims at qualifying a promising floater design for the future of floating offshore wind.”
In the UK, TotalEnergies is implementing its Integrated Power strategy, which combines renewable power production with flexible power generation capacities. The company’s renewable portfolio in the UK includes 1.1GW of gross installed capacity and 4.5GW under development. In 2024, TotalEnergies has also expanded its international wind power portfolio, securing development rights for offshore wind farms in Germany and acquiring a 50% stake in the OranjeWind wind farm in the Netherlands.