Optimization Process Maximizes Financial, Environmental Benefits in LNG Breakwater
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: October 2021

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 31284, “Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Project for BP In Mauritania and Senegal: Breakwater Design and Local Content Optimizations,” by Alexis Replumaz, Yann Julien, and Damien Bellengier, Eiffage Génie Civil Marine, prepared for the 2021 Offshore Technology Conference, originally scheduled to be held in Houston, 4–7 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2021 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission.

During summer 2017, the authors’ company was invited by BP to bid for the construction of a concrete caisson breakwater protecting an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) floating terminal at a water depth of 33 m on the Mauritanian/Senegalese maritime border. As a result of subsequent front-end engineering design (FEED) studies, including 3D model testing, the company was able to reduce the amount of concrete required by 40% compared with the initial design, leading to financial and environmental benefits.

Introduction

The BP Tortue development comprises a subsea production system tied back to a pretreatment floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit, which transfers gas to a near-shore hub for LNG production and export.

Phase 1 will provide sales gas production and domestic supply and will generate approximately 2.5 mtpa of LNG to Mauritania and Senegal. The Phase 1 FPSO, in 100–130 m of water, will process inlet gas from the subsea wells located across several drill centers by separating condensate from the gas stream and exporting conditioned gas to a hub, where LNG processing and export will occur.

The hub, 10 km from shore, comprises a breakwater to protect marine operations, including LNG processing and carrier loading. A single floating LNG vessel will condition the gas for LNG export. Hub construction began early in 2019 and should be completed in 2021 for a first-gas target in 2022.

The breakwater design was conceived during the bidding stage of the project at the end of 2017 by proposing an alternative design for the breakwater adapted to project-specific conditions and regional facilities. The design has been improved continuously and optimized during the FEED stage based on a collaborative approach between the client and the contractor.

Client Preliminary Design Optimizations

During pre-FEED and bidding stages, the client performed an intensive geotechnical campaign based on several shallow and deep boreholes and a large-area geophysical survey. In water depths greater than 18 m along the maritime boundary between Mauritania and Senegal, a significant layer of soft soil exists, except around the outcrop located on the west side (10–11 km offshore in approximately 33 m of water).

Although rock quantities could be slightly higher in the western location, the reduction of the dredging quantities and the reduction of the effect on the nearby coastal community of Saint Louis (lighting, noise, and vessel traffic) led to selection of this location for the hub terminal.

The initial breakwater type was a rubble-mound structure. However, a composite breakwater (caisson on berm foundation) allowed for optimization of dredging and rock quantities. The change in breakwater type allowed a rock-quantity drop from 5.8 million to 1.1 million m3.