Anchor Project: Processes, Lessons and Challenges from Developing 20K Subsea Equipment
Authors: Sauer S. , White R. D. , Varnado M. , Wilhelmi J. 
Published: April 2024

High pressure technology is required for development of the Anchor asset in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GOM). To deliver the 20K program technology, the Anchor project undertook a world class technology development program. This paper will provide an overview of the 20K program subsea production and boosting technology and equipment development process, share key technical and process learnings as well as the associated independent third party (I3P) and regulatory review processes.

Chevron contracted with subsea equipment original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to engineer and qualify 20K subsea production equipment in accordance with American Petroleum Institute (API) standards and new API high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) recommendations. HPHT equipment design and qualification required review by an I3P for the approval of HPHT equipment. A prototype to production (P2P) process was developed to document and justify the changes between single unit prototypes into fully integrated production equipment. In addition, supplier led solutions (SLS) were used to identify ideas to reduce costs. A standardization plan was developed to allow the use of newly developed HPHT equipment to be deployed across multiple HPHT assets.

Qualification of 16,500 psi rated production manifolds and boosting equipment is complete for the Anchor project. Two production 4-slot manifolds and a combined 4-slot manifold and pump station were successfully installed in July of 2023. Qualification of the 20 ksi rated vertical monobore production tree (VMXT) system along with 20 ksi rated multiphase flowmeters (MPFMs) and 17,500 psi rated chemical injection valves are complete with delivery and installation expected in 2024.

Proposals to the challenge of reducing project costs led to the SLS development of an integrated manifold and pump station (IMPS) to reduce the number of subsea structures required to develop the field and associated installation cost. The SLS challenges also introduced integral MPFMs and chemical injection metering valves (CIMVs) on the production trees.

A standardization initiative has been successful with the production of HPHT equipment currently in progress for another asset. Some gaps in adapting prototype equipment for full scale production use have been identified where the qualification, build, and test program did not address challenges in building and testing full scale production equipment in a shop environment.

The development of HPHT subsea production equipment for Anchor has generated considerable learning. Aspects that will be addressed in this paper include design and qualification of HPHT equipment, interpretation of existing industry standards, adaptation of prototype designs into full scale production equipment, and standardizing equipment across multiple assets.

For clarity, the following terms are used throughout this paper. High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) refers to equipment rated to pressures greater than 15,000 psi and / or temperatures equal to or greater than 350°F. Anchor is a high pressure project under the HPHT category. 20K refers to the Anchor Project's technology development and qualification program.