Regenerative Drive Project
Modernizing Well Pads with Regenerative Drive Technology
Oil and Gas | Bakken Formation, North Dakota
A major global energy company operating in the Bakken needed to modernize aging motor control assets across hundreds of wells. DSI engineered, installed, and scaled a regenerative drive platform that returns energy to the system instead of burning it off as heat.
The result is lower power consumption, better mechanical data, and a foundation that scales to more than a thousand units.
Project Summary
The Client Challenge
Many of the operator’s existing PowerFlex variable frequency drives had been running for more than 10 years and relied on dynamic braking resistors to shed excess energy. That approach wasted power as heat and added maintenance the operator did not want to carry.
Several pressures stacked on top of the aging equipment:
- Escalating energy costs
- Utility grid constraints across the region
- Corporate ESG commitments requiring a smaller carbon footprint
- A need for reliability and scalability across hundreds of wells
They needed a platform that could cut power waste, replace decades-old technology, support growth without new grid capacity, and drop into the control architecture they already ran.
Our Approach: Design, Build, Integrate, Deliver
Design
DSI engineers worked with Rockwell Automation to evaluate the available technologies and run a performance and compatibility analysis across the client’s field sites. After reviewing several pathways, we recommended moving to PowerFlex 755TR regenerative drives, a mature platform that reclaims energy back into the system instead of wasting it through resistors.
Integrate and Build
DSI and Rockwell personnel installed pilot units at three North Dakota well pads, then wired, commissioned, and tuned them. During the test period we collected data on power consumption, regenerated energy, torque accuracy, production impact, and resonance profiles, which let us refine the approach before recommending a full rollout.
Deliver
Once validated, DSI managed a multi-site deployment of more than 130 regenerative drives. Field crews worked in coordinated waves, and every site got drive parameter optimization, system documentation, operator support, and a maintenance handoff.
The Solution
The cornerstone of the modernization was the PowerFlex 755TR active front end regenerative drive.
- Returns excess power to the electrical system instead of producing heat
- Improves mechanical behavior using adaptive control
- Increases accuracy for pump torque and speed reporting
- Reduces overall site power consumption
- Scales across hundreds of assets
Rockwell leads the game right now in this active front-end regen drive, so it was an easy pick for us.
Casey Johnston, President, Design Solutions and Integration
Results and Impact
Substantial Energy Savings
With only 12% of the full rollout complete, the client was already seeing meaningful cost reductions. At full deployment of 1,200 or more units, the project is projected to deliver roughly $3M per month in energy savings, with 17% total regeneration and 95% of that energy reused.
Improved Reliability and Production Insight
Adaptive drive control tunes out mechanical resonances automatically. More accurate torque and speed data improved well performance reporting, and lower heat output extends drive life.
Carbon Credit Opportunity
Because the regen drives sharply reduce energy waste, the client can pursue carbon credits, which adds financial and ESG value on top of the power savings.
Scalable, Future Ready Infrastructure
The new platform opens the door to predictive maintenance using FactoryTalk Analytics GuardianAI, enabling condition monitoring for pumps and other equipment.
Why the Client Chose DSI
- 25+ years supporting America’s major oilfields, including the Bakken and the Permian
- Deep expertise across automation, electrical, and integration systems
- Long-standing Rockwell Automation partner
- 100% employee-owned team accountable for the work
- End-to-end services from engineering through field deployment
DSI is not just a contractor. We are a long-term partner helping energy companies modernize and prepare for the next decade of production.
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