white paper • white paper • white paper • white paper Industry: Oil and Gas Electrification Author: Tim Breuwer - Global Strategic Marketing Manager Medium Voltage Electrification: Decarbonising the Industrial Sector Implementation Summary: Industrial operations account for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, making them a central component in achieving net-zero strategies. Energy-intensive industries such as refining, petrochemicals and speciality chemicals rely heavily on process heat, which is traditionally produced by gas or oil-fired systems. These technologies are efficient at high temperatures but remain major emitters of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. Global agreements such as the Paris Climate Agreement and the COP28 UAE Consensus have placed renewed focus on industrial decarbonisation, with COP29 expected to expand financial frameworks supporting low-carbon technology deployment. The combination of regulatory pressure, carbon taxation and shareholder expectations is reshaping investment priorities. Industrial operators now face a dual challenge: to maintain operational continuity while progressively eliminating fossil-fuel dependence. One of the most impactful ways to address these challenges is through the electrification of process heat. Electric heaters convert almost all input energy directly into heat, offering efficiencies approaching 100 per cent. As renewable energy’s share of the power mix grows, the emissions associated with electric heating decline correspondingly. For many industrial processes, particularly in the range of 150 to 600°C, electric heating already provides a technically and economically viable replacement for combustion sy

• white paper • white paper The Case for Medium Voltage Systems While electric heating is not new, the scale at which it can now be applied has changed dramatically. For decades, most electric heaters operated at low voltage, typically below 1 kV and at power levels under 250 kW. Scaling these systems to multi-megawatt capacities has proven difficult because of excessive current flow, large transformers and cumbersome cabling. Medium voltage systems, defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as operating between 1 and 100 kV, resolve many of these constraints. For a given power...

• white paper • white paper • Until recently, there were no unified design standards covering complete medium voltage process heating systems. Most regulations addressed only individual components. The publication of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) S-723 standard has begun to fill this gap by specifying design, testing and operational requirements for medium voltage thermal systems. This development is helping industry move towards safer and more consistent design practice across global projects. An Example of Best Practice The POWERSAFE™ system, developed by Watlow,...

• white paper • white paper Integration with distributed control systems (DCS) and human–machine interfaces (HMI) allows operators to monitor parameters such as temperature, current, voltage and insulation resistance in real time. Predictive maintenance algorithms can identify early signs of degradation, allowing for planned servicing rather than unplanned shutdowns. These features are key enablers of safe, continuous operation in remote or unmanned facilities. Embedding Safety into the System Medium voltage systems must meet rigorous international safety standards. Designs such as the POWERSAFE...

• white paper • white paper • The example of the POWERSAFE system system demonstrates how established electrical engineering principles, when combined with modern control and safety practices, can deliver a new generation of process heating solutions. Medium voltage electrification offers a credible and scalable route to a low-carbon future, one in which industrial performance and environmental responsibility can progress in parallel. For more information go to www.watlow.com