Development and Testing of the HydraStar Underwater Mateable, Fiber-Optic, Electric (Hybrid) Connector
Authors: Stephens D. , Brown G. , Christiansen M. 
Published: October 2008

Longer step-out distances, higher data rates and increased electrical noise levels in the umbilical have combined to create a need for fiber optic data links between subsea equipment and the surface operators. For the subsea industry to take full advantage of optical communications requires the use of an underwater mateable optical connector. Subsea mateable optical connectors enable the industry to build modular components that can be assembled on the seafloor and make disconnections and reconnections for future expansion or maintenance purposes. This paper presents an overview of the design, development, testing and track record of such a connector, the next generation Lockheed Martin developed SEA CON®HydraStar connector system. It is also shown that because of the HydraStar's reliability and high technical integrity the Operator can make significant cost savings in CAPital EXpenditure (CAPEX) and OPerating EXpenditure (OPEX).

Background

There are increasing economic pressures on Offshore Operators to optimize production from subsea oil and gas reservoirs. This includes new reservoirs that are more remote, in deeper water or increasingly complex. The rapid development of modern technology has facilitated the discovery, exploitation and enhanced production of these reservoirs. Examples of how this has been achieved:Increasingly sophisticated and significantly faster seismic streamer array processingMore sophisticated and complex deepwater drilling systemsThe use of high power transmission systems which rule out conventional electrical data communications due to high electrical noise levels (Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI))Fast data transfer from subsea to topside enables immediate assessment of;Reservoir performance and optimizationHealth and status of subsea equipment (for safety and to better understand equipment maintenance regimes)Raw subsea dataIncreasingly sophisticated subsea and downhole control and monitoring systems to cater for;Intelligent subsea well systemsMultilateral well systemsSeparation and processing systemsProduction boosting systemsFast control to ensure subsea/downhole high power pumps and motors can be safely controlled within operational parameters at remote distancesDownhole and/or subsea electrical and/or optical instrumentation such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, water cut, 3-phase measurements, oil-in-water, water-inoil, seismic sources and sensors etc. to provide more and accurate information about the depleting or changing state of the reservoirsDownhole high temperature electronics systems or optical systems because higher downhole and reservoir well temperatures mean conventional electronics cannot be used reliablyHigher subsea electrical voltage and power requirements for subsea and downhole systems and applications that cater for longer step-outs and deeper water.

To assist the use of this type of technology subsea requires communication systems that can transfer data at much faster rates (i.e. higher bandwidth) than currently available using conventional electrical communication systems. It is the advent and use of optical communications systems that has helped these technologies to develop and will continue to facilitate them in their application for use in subsea oil and gas environs.

Introduction

In general there are three main reasons to use optical communication systems: