Judy Maksoud
International Editor
Offshore

Electrochem Commercial Power, manufacturer of lithium battery packs and cells used in extreme environments, announced the development of rechargeable cells for high-temperature environments at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas.

Electrochem primary lithium cells have been used for demanding applications, including petroleum exploration, because of their ability to operate reliably thousands of feet under the earth's surface, where operating temperatures can exceed 150º C. Secondary cells will be highly desirable for these applications because they can be recharged on site. In addition, high-temperature rechargeable cells will provide reliable power source for intelligent wells and other new technologies that require remote installation in harsh environments, Electrochem says.

The Electrochem development team, led by Dr. Arden Johnson, anticipates that this new rechargeable cell will operate reliably under conditions with extreme temperature, shock, and vibration. The rechargeable Electrochem cell is under development and will be available for prototype sampling in 2006.

05/02/05