Publications

In meeting the fast growth of electric power demand for increasing and expanding oil production activities, P.T. Caltex Pacific Indonesia has been utilizing gas turbines as prime movers for power generation since 1969. PT CPI has nine gas turbine generating units located at Duri and Minas. They total 125 Megawatts capacity and have recorded more than 200,000 operating hours to date. All gas turbine units were operating continuously on crude oil fuel until 1974 because this was the most economic fuel readily available at the time the turbine were originally installed. In 1974 gas fuel was introduced to the gas turbines at Duri Power Plant and the fuel conversion on three of the five units which were originally purchased for liquid'fuel burning only was carried out in the field. The four gas turbines at the Minas Power Plant which had been purchased with triple fuel capability (gas-crude oil-diesel oil) are scheduled to be converted from crude oil to gas fuel in mid 1975. The many hours of succesful operation of CPl's gas turbine generating units on crude fuel oil and the field conversion of the units to gas-crude oil-diesel oil fuel burning capability have generated valuable experience in the application of gas turbines for power generation in petroleum production operations. With proper maintenance frequency, constant review of operating performance and the follow-up of necessary adjustments based on operating experience, the gas-crude oil burning gas turbine has proved to be a reliable prime mover which can meet the requirements of an expanding oil production industry. In the case of crude oil-burning gas turbines, care must be exercised to maintain the properties of the crude oil fuel and operating parameters within the manufacturers specifications in order to obtain satisfactory turbine performance. Dry natural gas is by far the best fuel for gas turbines. However, where gas is not available in the petroleum producing field, crude oil with minor treatment has proved to be a satisfactory fuel for gas turbines.