Micro gas turbines as an alternative for diesel generators driving Electricals Submersible Pumps (ESP) on oil wells in Libya

This study examines the technical and economic feasibility of replacing diesel generators with microgas turbines as the primary power source for Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) on a set of crude oil production wells at a Zueitina Oil Company field in Libya. Diesel generators, while widely used across Libya's oil fields to power ESP systems in remote locations far from electricity grids, carry significant operational and economic disadvantages, including high fuel costs, substantial maintenance requirements, extensive spare parts inventories, and considerable environmental impact. With natural gas abundantly available on production sites and often partially flared, micro-gas turbines fuelled by natural gas present an alternative worthy of serious consideration.

The study adopts a techno-economic analysis approach using operational data obtained from Zueitina Oil Company. Fuel costs for both configurations were evaluated on a common energy basis, using diesel consumption and production cost data from the site's topping plant together with the manufacturerspecified performance characteristics of the micro-gas turbine, including its electrical conversion efficiency. Results are presented as aggregated statistics across the targeted wells to preserve the confidentiality of per-well operational data.

The results indicate a cost advantage in favour of micro-gas turbines. Operating ESP systems on natural gas-fuelled micro-turbines costs less per day than running the equivalent diesel generators. Beyond fuel savings, micro-gas turbines offer lower maintenance requirements, fewer spare parts, reduced emissions, and facilitate easier installation and removal. Adopted at scale across NOC-affiliated fields, this technology could generate cost savings, support zero gas flaring targets, and meaningfully reduce the environmental footprint of oil production operations in Libya.