Publications

Medco E&P Indonesia operates the Rimau block, an onshore location in south-central Sumatra. The Rimau block has three major gatherings and processing stations: Kaji, Kaji Satellite and Semoga. These stations are separated from each other by around 3 kilometers. As nearly all Rimau production facilities are operated by electrical power, such as electric submersible pumps (ESP), power availability is a crucial issue. Electricity in production stations is supplied by twenty-six 770 kW unit generator sets that work in parallel operation. In order to maintain the power distribution system, Medco has installed a Load Shedding system to stabilize power supply in the event that one or more of the generators trips and turns offline. Unlike an operator, The Load Shedding system operates automatically as to respond to sudden disturbances. In addition, it is operated with a Programmable Logic Control (PLC), while its communication system utilizes fiber optics. Since its installation six years ago, the Load Shedding system has vastly improved operations, increasing electric power system availability from 704.75 hours per month to 713.47 hours per month. This paper outlines details of the design, installation and operation of the Load Shedding system as well as its operational performance data. The Load Shedding system has been applied successfully and complies with operational requirements. Keywords: Load Shedding, PLC Based, Fiber Optics