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 Caterpillar 3406C diesel generators with Capstone C200S micro-gas turbines as the primary power source for Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) on eleven crude oil production wells at Zueitina Oil Company's 103D 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 economical 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 a compelling alternative worthy of serious consideration.

The study adopts a techno-economic analysis approach using real operational data obtained directly from Zueitina Oil Company. Thermodynamic formulations were applied to model the performance of the Capstone C200S micro-gas turbine across its compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine cycles. On the economic side, fuel costs were calculated using actual diesel production costs from the site's topping plant and estimated natural gas costs based on regional pricing references, covering all eleven targeted wells under both current and proposed configurations.

The results reveal a substantial cost advantage in favour of micro-gas turbines. Operating ESP systems on natural gas-fuelled Capstone C200S micro-turbines costs approximately seven times less per day than running the equivalent Caterpillar diesel generators, with average daily fuel costs of $34.5 per well for diesel compared to $5.4 per well for natural gas. Beyond fuel savings, micro-gas turbines offer lower maintenance requirements, fewer spare parts, reduced emissions, and facilitate easier installation and removal. These findings demonstrate that micro-gas turbines represent a technically sound and economically superior alternative for powering ESP systems in remote oil field environments. Adopted at scale across NOC-affiliated fields, this technology could generate substantial cost savings, support zero gas flaring targets, and meaningfully reduce the environmental footprint of oil production operations in Libya.