World's First Demonstration of Hydrogen Blending in Dual-Fuel Engines on a Drilling Rig

As part of the global effort to decrease emissions through the use of alternative fuels, the first ever use of hydrogen fuel in a dual-fuel engine on a drilling rig was successfully demonstrated in the Appalachian region. The process of safely managing hydrogen on site is described along with the effects on engine emissions and performance. Prior to the in-field demonstration, initial testing was performed in a controlled environment to simulate the site conditions and confirm engineering modeling of combustion characteristics. The demonstration consisted of initial testing at 5% hydrogen concentration and concluded with testing at 20% hydrogen. New safety requirements were established with regards to how hydrogen was managed on site. No changes to the drilling program were made in order to validate performance using real-world conditions. The hydrogen was blended into compressed natural gas (CNG) on-site, which provided flexibility to adjust the properties of the fuel mix. The demonstration successfully proved that the existing dual-fuel engines can support a blend of up to 20% hydrogen without requiring any additional engine development, adjustments to the rig's control system, or hardware modifications. Transient re sponse of the engine was not compromised during load steps, load sheds, or gas shutoffs, even with the maximum hydrogen concentration. Aggressive engine substitution rates were maintained and a negligible change in engine efficiency was observed. Reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were observed to be directly correlated to the concentration of hydrogen in the fuel mixture. Although existing infrastructure needs to grow before hydrogen becomes an economically viable fuel for drilling applications, significant investment in the hydrogen industry indicates a future where hydrogen is a widely adopted source of energy. This demonstration represents an important first step to prepare for the hydrogen economy of the future.