bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autonomous Inspection Vehicle: A New Dimension in Life of Field Operations
Authors: Jamieson James , Wilson Lee , Arredondo Miguel , Evans Jonathan , Hamilton Kelvin , Sotzing Christopher
Published: April 2012

A new tool for subsea inspection in the offshore oil and gas industry iscurrently going through performance and qualification testing. The AutonomousInspection Vehicle (AIV) has been designed and built by Subsea7 and SeeByte Ltdto provide the industry with a valuable tool capable of making a positivecontribution to Life of Field operations.

The station keeping and hovering ability of the AIV is the next step in theevolution of autonomous systems in the marine environment. Survey classautonomous vehicles have already shown their value with improved data qualityand efficiencies over traditional methods. The first commercial AIV will becapable of many of the inspection tasks currently carried out by RemotelyOperated Vehicles (ROV). Regular inspection data of risers, pipelines andseabed equipment can be gathered using a single AIV operating directly from anoffshore facility. A more rapid assessment of a field can be made usingmultiple systems operating together from a single support vessel. This has notbeen done before with a commercial vehicle and hence is truly leading edgetechnology.

The paper will outline some of the technical challenges in creating the vehicleand how the use of advanced simulation linked to practical testing is beingused to ensure the performance of the system. Finally the paper will draw aparallel with the evolution of subsea infrastructure that has fully enabled thecapability of the ROV and demonstrate how the introduction of autonomoustechnology should be considered with confidence.

Introduction

Subsea 7 is a major engineering and construction company supplying a range ofservices and technologies primarily into the offshore oil and gas industry. Thecompany operates a worldwide fleet of high specification subsea constructionand Inspection vessels together with over 100 ROVs. The company is activelyinvolved in bringing new and innovative technologies to the market to supportits operational focus. The development of autonomous underwater vehicles is onesuch technology.

SeeByte is a cutting-edge software company that develops some of the world'smost advanced software for managing unmanned and remote assets. The company isfocused on advancing autonomous vehicle development and is actively involved inmajor programs of work for international customers. SeeByte brings a proventrack record of de-risking and demonstrating this technology for customers inmilitary, offshore and subsea sectors.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigation on Underwater Ground Anchors
Authors: Sciacca Leonello , Valmori Fausto , melegari cesare , maletti Fabio , Lenzi Maurizio , Campana Paola
Published: April 2012

Deepening of harbours has become a priority, necessary to the ongoing operationof the wharves in the face of deeper draft merchant vessels and cruise ships. It is now standard practice in many areas to provide for harbours to be dredgedto significant depths below mean sea level, in the order of 12.00 m (39 ft) forexisting berths and 15.00 m (49 ft) for new wharf construction. The RavennaPort Authority initiated a project to deepen the harbour bottom at selectedwharves to a depth of 12.00 m (39 ft). In preference to reconstruction of thewharves with longer and heavier sheet piling or other equally disruptivereconstruction, they identified the structural reinforcement of the existingwharves by means of deep underwater tie rods as a possible alternativecost-effective solution.

Having defined the design concept, effort was concentrated on developing therequired technology. A technique, already in use for the installation of tierods by means of robotics, was identified as potentially suitable forunderwater use. It was decided to carry out the fine tuning and the evolutionof the technology for a marine environment of the robot unit and of the relatedremote control software that controls the installation of the tie rods. Anexperimental test site was set up to refine the drilling, installation, grouting, monitoring and testing of underwater tie rods. The purpose was toconfirm the feasibility of the proposed solution and the reliability of thesetie rods for use in the reinforcement and construction of wharves.

The paper also discusses the theoretical and experimental study of underwatertie rods dealing with the theoretical analysis of the interaction between tierod and soil, aimed at identifying the correlation between the forces ofapplied traction and the corresponding measured elongations. A series of testswere carried out with positive results, both at the operating load of 300 kN(67 kips) and at the nominal maximum load of 630 kN (142 kips). The tests werecarried out on seven tie rods, of which three were installed at a depth of 5.00m (16 ft), principally to test the reliability of the operating and remotecontrol systems in the presence of a significant hydrostatic pressure, and fourwere placed at a depth of 8.00 m (26 ft) to check the load bearing capabilityof the tie rods positioned at the depth called for by the currentproject.

Introduction

In a port environment, deepening of the harbour is increasingly becoming apriority requirement, necessary for guaranteeing the ongoing operability of thewharves in the face of a continual increase in traffic and in the tonnages ofmerchant and cruise ships. Hence it is now standard practice that ports'regulatory plans provide for harbours to be dredged to significant depthscompared to mean sea level, in the order of 12.00 m for existing berths and15.00 m for new wharf construction.
Marlim 3 Phase Subsea Separation System: Subsea Process Design and Technology Qualification Program
Authors: Capela Moraes Carlos Alberto , da Silva Fabricio Soares , Marins Luiz Philipe Martinez , Monteiro Andre Sampaio , de Oliveira Dennis Azevedo , Pereira Rafael Merenda , Pereira Rogerio da Silva , Alves Amadeu , Raposo Gelmirez Martins , Orlowski Rene , Figueiredo Laura , Folhadella Heloisa , Mikkelsen Rene , Kolbu Jolstein , McKenzie Lachlan , Elamin Zabia M.F. , McClimans Ole Thomas
Published: April 2012

This paper presents the selected concept, the main challenges of the adoptedscenario and in consequence the requirements for a development of an extensiveTechnological Qualification Program performed on the components and on thewhole sub-sea water separation and re-injection pilot system for Marlim field -known as SSAO Marlim Project. Due to being a pioneer project, even consideringthe previous Troll and Tordis sub-sea separation and re-injection systems, itwas necessary to perform a very extensive and broad Technological QualificationProgram (TQP). Two main characteristics of the SSAO project are responsible forthe mentioned pioneer character of the project. Initially, in opposition to thementioned existing systems, separated water has to be re-injected in theproduction reservoir formation, due to non available disposal reservoir inproduction field area. Thus, required water quality, relating to oil andsediment content after separation, was very strict in order to avoid loss ofinjectivity. Furthermore, due to the deep water depth of the installation site(870 m) and due to the fact that the SSAO is a pilot for future deep waterinstallations, conventional gravity separators - as used in the mentionedprojects - would not be feasible and new technologies, not yet used elsewhere, have to be adopted.
LNG as a Fuel for Offshore Vessels - Bunkering Technology
Authors: Hodgson Mark Andrew , Lee David
Published: April 2012

The shipping industry is on the cusp of great change in improving itsenvironmental emissions profile and particularly those to air. Amongst otherfactors, forthcoming international environmental legislation and legislationalready in place nationally and regionally has driven the emerging use ofliquefied natural gas (LNG) as a potential clean fuel option. Whilst LNG hasbeen used for more than 40 years on board the world's LNG carrier fleet, it isa relatively new application in other shipping sectors such as Offshore SupportVessels (OSVs).

As a result, LNG fuelled vessel designs are being developed globally for thismarket including OSVs and indeed various LNG fuelled vessels have beendelivered or ordered.

Global LNG shore infrastructure is presently limited to LNG terminals focussedon the LNG shipping industry and for the few LNG fuelled vessel applicationssuch as passenger ferries, small scale stations consisting of either bunkeringdirect from shore installation or from LNG distribution truck.

Based on internal development with engineering partners and with learning fromthe existing LNG shipping industry, this paper will describe LNG bunkeringtechnology options for small and larger scale bunkering stations includingharbour bunkering from a barge, that will be required for a wider range of LNGfuelled applications across the shipping industry, including OSV application. Since the concepts are immature, regulatory regimes are presently in similarcondition and as such, the paper will address the codes, standards and featuresanticipated in LNG bunkering.

Since the emergence of LNG as a fuel will potentially have a substantial effecton shipping arguably not seen in more than 25 years, the development of LNGfuelling transfer technology that captures existing and novel LNG transferdesign and practice for application in the offshore oil industry is a keyenabler for achieving improved emissions targets in the offshore support andother shipping sectors.
Jubilee Project Overview
Authors: McLaughlin Dennis Carl
Published: April 2012

The Jubilee Project was a very ambitious challenge for the first significantdevelopment ever offshore Ghana. The Joint Venture used a split operatorship toexecute a world-class deepwater project in an area with no existinginfrastructure, in less than 3 years from the start of concept selection. Thispaper will highlight the approach used to manage the Jubilee risks and projectexecution, emphasizing the keys to success and lessons for this fast-trackedproject.

Kosmos Energy was appointed Technical Operator for the project withresponsibility to assemble and lead the Integrated Project Team (IPT) inplanning and executing the project. Tullow Oil was appointed the Unit Operator(UO) with the responsibility to drill and complete wells, build the in-countryinfrastructure and organization for production operations, and to subsequentlyoperate and manage the field in the future. Anadarko, a non-operating partner, seconded a significant number of experienced key project personnel to the IPT, enabling the IPT to fully leverage the capabilities of the majorpartners.

Jubilee first oil occurred on 28 November, 2010 and the field continued to rampup production and injection as wells were completed into 4Q 2011. Despiteseveral significant technical and commercial hurdles, the project achievedexcellent HSE, schedule, and cost performance. The IPT continued to support theUO's production operations post-first oil, and the final commissioning of gascompression/injection systems was achieved late 2Q, 2011. While there have beenthe normal challenges with shaking down a large and complex production system, overall uptime performance has been very good at >95% in the first year ofproduction. Jubilee's unique circumstances justified a very aggressiveappraisal development strategy and dictated an unconventional approach toorganizing and managing the project, which ultimately was highlysuccessful.

Introduction

The Jubilee Field was discovered in June 2007 in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 60 km offshore Western Ghana. It is a very large, light, sweetoil accumulation in 1200–1500m of water. The Jubilee Partners, along with GhanaNational Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) decided in January 2008 to develop thefield using a phased approach, after just one appraisal well. Kosmos Energy wasappointed Technical Operator to lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) inexecuting the development project and Tullow Oil (Ghana) was appointed UnitOperator to execute in-country activities, deliver wells, and operate andmanage the field in the future. A third major partner, Anadarko, providednumerous key project personnel to the IPT. The IPT developed a plan to targetjust under 300 million barrels in Phase 1 with a 17-well subsea well system and120,000 bopd FPSO. Phase 1 was approved by Partners in August 2008, and FirstOil was achieved in November 2010, within the aggressive goal set by GNPC andthe Jubilee Partners.
Jubilee Field FPSO--A Fast Track Delivery Success
Authors: Weinbel Robert Cory , Araujo Ronaldo
Published: April 2012

The Jubilee Field is a deepwater development located approximately 60 kmoffshore Ghana that was executed over 3.5 years between discovery and first oilproduction. Meeting this aggressive schedule required the fast-track executionof the turret-moored FPSO, named Kwame Nkrumah, as the FPSO was consistently onthe project's critical path schedule. A key to successful delivery of the FPSOon the fast-track schedule was establishing a strategy and adhering to thestrategy even under multiple challenges. The details of the fast-trackstrategy, the challenges imposed, and the actual performance of the FPSOexecution team in delivering the FPSO safely to location will be covered inthis paper. This work also highlights the importance of building amulti-discipline team driven by clear, well-understood goals, creating astructure suited for execution, and of selecting the right Contractors for theproject and building strong relationships with them.

Although fast tracking major O&G development projects is often a statedobjective for many projects, few achieve the performance achieved on Jubilee. This work illustrates the establishment of a solid strategy and successfulexecution of that strategy to deliver an FPSO to the site in 22 months fromaward of contract. Despite the effort put in place to meet an aggressiveschedule, the project team still encountered some significant challenges duringthe execution of the FPSO design, engineering, and construction. The key tosuccessfully resolving these challenges was the team's ability to stay true tothe execution strategy as well as develop a response plan to meet thechallenges and implement it successfully and safely.

Introduction

The Jubilee Field was discovered in June 2007 in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 60 km offshore Western Ghana. It is a very large, light, sweetoil accumulation in 1200–1500m of water. The Jubilee Partners, along with GhanaNational Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) decided in January 2008 to develop thefield using a phased approach, after just one appraisal well. Kosmos Energy wasappointed Technical Operator to lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) inexecuting the development project and Tullow Oil (Ghana) was appointed UnitOperator to execute in-country activities, deliver wells, and operate andmanage the field in the future. A third major partner, Anadarko, providednumerous key project personnel to the IPT. The IPT developed a plan to targetjust under 300 million barrels in Phase 1 with a 17-well subsea well system and120,000 bopd FPSO. Phase 1 was approved by Partners in August 2008, and FirstOil was achieved in November 2010, within the aggressive goal set by GNPC andthe Jubilee Partners.
LNG Fueled Offshore Support Vessels in the Americas
Authors: Vollmers Tony
Published: April 2012

This paper details the strong incentives to use gas as a marine propulsionfuel. The gas fuel ship is a very attractive option considering theenvironmental and economic drivers even though the gas fuel support systemsinitially cost more and are a challenge to arrange within the ship. The scopeof the paper covers the pros and cons of the use of:–LNG fuel for marine applications,–Diesel scrubber technology versus utilising natural gas–Classification and regulatory hurdles–Some offshore support vessel arrangement considerations.

There has been a significant amount of interest and discussion in recent monthsin the US regarding the application and benefits of using natural gas as asource of fuel for marine vessels. There are many examples of vessels (LNGcarriers, passenger, patrol, ferries, etc.) currently in operation usingnatural gas in Europe; however, it has been slow to progress in North Americaas a fuel for operating vessels.

International class societies have been overseeing the design and operation ofnatural gas fuelled vessels for over a decade now; however, most classsocieties have only recently created or put into force gas propulsionguidelines and rules. Luckily, most of the guidelines and rules are similar innature because they have been developed from roadmap International MaritimeOrganization guidelines. Although the American Bureau of Shipping has draftrules that follow the intent of the international rules, the US Coast Guard hasadditional domestic interpretations of the international rules that areconsidered more stringent. In order to suit the particular regulations in theUS, the configuration of the vessel plays a large part in the ability to fit anLNG propulsion system without sacrificing cargo capacity, especially foroffshore supply vessels.

The capital investment for gas fuelled propulsion and the associated gasdistribution equipment is large but the return on investment is achieved in arelatively short amount of time if the costs of the gas fuel are compared withultra-low sulphur diesel and the cost of urea for the selective catalyticreactor (SCR), and the SCR itself. A conservative annual estimate for thesavings in fuel costs are 2 to 2.5 million USD when compared to conventionaldiesel fuel. Long term maintenance costs for the gas engines is also purportedto be less and still more cost effective to maintain compared to an SCRsystem.
Jubilee Development Installation, Hookup and Commissioning and Ready for Startup
Authors: Culembourg Laurent , Weinbel Robert Cory , Mutimer Keith
Published: April 2012

The world-class Jubilee Field Development located 60 km offshore Ghana beganPhase 1 production in November 2010, just 3.5 years from its discovery. Thispaper highlights the challenging but successful execution of the in-countryInstallation, Hookup and Commissioning (IHUC) Phase of the project inconjuction with Operations Readiness and Assurance (OR&A) activities tosafely bring the production system to an on-time Ready for Startup (RFSU)condition to meet the aggressive schedule. This paper highlights the keys tosuccess during the IHUC Phase including the use of an Integrated Project Team(IPT), close Contractor relationships, proven technologies, exceptionalcommunication, and the design-for-safety concept. Some of the executionchallenges faced by the IPT during this phase are also discussed along with thestrategies implemented such as organization structures, interface planning, tools, systems, and specific results.

Although fast-tracking major oil and gas development projects is often a statedobjective for many projects, few achieve the performance achieved on Jubilee. This work illustrates the successful integration of a multi-partner projectteam, the management of critical interfaces, and the technical and logisticschallenges with major Contractors during the IHUC Phase. Despite theengineering and planning effort put in place to meet the aggressive schedule, the project team did encounter several unexpected events during the IHUC Phasewhich required quick response to keep the project on schedule. The key tosuccessfully resolving these challenges was linked with the overall executionstrategy of empowering the team to quickly develop and implement response planswith the proper assurances that allowed the project to move ahead.

Introduction

The Jubilee Field was discovered in June 2007 in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 60 km offshore Western Ghana. It is a very large, light, sweetoil accumulation in 1200–1500m of water. The Jubilee Partners, along with GhanaNational Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) decided in January 2008 to develop thefield using a phased approach, after just one appraisal well. Kosmos Energy wasappointed Technical Operator to lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) inexecuting the development project and Tullow Oil (Ghana) was appointed UnitOperator to execute in-country activities, deliver wells, and operate andmanage the field in the future. A third major partner, Anadarko, providednumerous key project personnel to the IPT. The IPT developed a plan to targetjust under 300 million barrels in Phase 1 with a 17-well subsea well system and120,000 bopd FPSO as illustrated in Figure 1. Phase 1 was approved by Partnersin August 2008, and First Oil was achieved in November 2010, within theaggressive goal set by GNPC and the Jubilee Partners.
Jubilee Field Subsea Production System Design and Delivery
Authors: Cain Richard
Published: April 2012

Introduction

The Jubilee Field was discovered in June 2007 in the Gulf of Guinea, approximately 60 km offshore Western Ghana. It is a very large, light, sweetoil accumulation in 1200-1500m of water. The Jubilee Partners, along with GhanaNational Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) decided in January 2008 to develop thefield using a phased approach, after just one appraisal well. Kosmos Energy wasappointed Technical Operator to lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) inexecuting the development project and Tullow Oil (Ghana) was appointed UnitOperator to execute in-country activities, deliver wells, and operate andmanage the field in the future. A third major partner, Anadarko, providednumerous key project personnel to the IPT. The IPT developed a plan to targetjust under 300 million barrels in Phase 1 with a 17-well subsea well system and120,000 bopd FPSO. Phase 1 was approved by Partners in August 2008, and FirstOil was achieved in November 2010, within the aggressive goal set by GNPC andthe Jubilee Partners.

Challenged to achieve first production in less than 3 years from start ofplanning for production facilities, the IPT quickly evaluated developmentoptions and chose the predominate West Africa model of a subsea productionsystem connected to a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. It was immediately clear that the subsea production system design, procurementand delivery in 21 months would be key to maintaining the fast trackschedule.

Subsea System Delivery Team and Philosophy

With a proven track record of deepwater project delivery, major partnerAnadarko seconded, several key IPT members to the project, including the SubseaSystem Delivery Manager. Many of the processes, relationships and executionphilosophies from their experience were combined with the Technical Operator'sphilosophy and experience to establish a " fit for purpose" strategy for projectexecution driven by the fast track delivery requirement. The success of thisstrategy relied heavily on the major vendors providing field proventechnologies and " off the shelf" solutions and the experience of the SubseaSystem Delivery Team. Within this strategy, the Team was empowered to maketimely decisions with minimal management involvement. The adoption of the " fitfor purpose" strategy for the execution of the project was also applied toprocurement processes as well. The resulting efficiencies realized in theseareas facilitated the fast, safe pace required by the project.

Another important part of the strategy was to develop the team concept. The IPTfostered a Jubilee Team philosophy with all contributors a part of " The Team" versus representatives from their respective companies resulting in adedication by all to meet the challenge imposed by the project schedule.
New Generation Control System for 20 KSI Subsea BOP
Authors: Shanks Earl F. , Reynolds Scott , Daley Harold , Williams Danny
Published: April 2012

Description of the Material

This paper describes the reasoning and methods used to design, develop, andtest a 7500 psi differential pressure Subsea BOP Control System. This systemintroduces the necessary upgrades and enhancements to existing control systemsfor application on the very demanding 20,000 psi Subsea Ram BOP Stacks. ManyDrilling Contractors are requiring additional features on 20 ksi BOP Systemssuch as additional Ram Cavities and larger Shear Ram Operators which requiresignificant additional control fluid at higher pressure. The 7500 psi controlfluid supply requires fewer accumulators and delivers greater usable fluid thanconventional 5000 psi systems.

Application

The BOP Control System is enhanced to supply 7500 psi differential pressurefrom the surface supply to the accumulators on the Lower BOP Stack. The surfacehydraulic power unit, HPU, and accumulators supply the diverter and othersurface requirements and supplies the subsea BOP through the riser conduit(s)and hot line. The rigid conduit manifold distributes the 7500 psi hydraulicsupply between the LMRP accumulators, redundant pods, and lower BOPaccumulators. 7500 psi to 5000 psi step down regulators supply fluid to podmanifolds and Lower BOP Stack functions.

Results, Observations and Conclusions

Development of the key components of the 7500 psi system include, surface HPU, various sizes of regulators, SPM function valves, check valves, shuttle valves, and isolation valves. Development of these components has proven the newGeneration of 7500 psi BOP Control System is a viable solution for the newgeneration of 20,000 psi (20 ksi) BOP Systems.

Significance of Subject Matter

The 7500 psi control system supply allows Emergency Systems such as the Casingand Blind Shear Rams capable of shearing pipe at demands approaching 5000 psiwhich would be prohibited by 5000 psi systems. The 7500 psi Control Systemgreatly reduces the number of accumulators needed for surface and subsea highpressure control fluid storage when compared to 5000 psi control systems.

Background

The industry has been drilling high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) wellson the shelf and in deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to true vertical depths ofover 30,000 feet over the last decade. The reservoir pressures exceed20,000–25,000 psi and temperatures can exceed 300°F. The mudline shut-inpressures for some of these wells approach, and in some cases exceed 15,000psi. To date, deepwater Mobil Offshore Drilling Units (MODU's) have not had thewell pressure containment equipment to complete wells where the anticipatedwellhead pressures approach or exceed 15,000 psi.
Subsea Gas-liquid Separation: Case Studies and Technology Benefits
Authors: Magi Stefano , Gassert Michael , Russo Giovanni , Argento Francesco , Margarone Michele , Citi Gianfederico
Published: April 2012

Recent deepwater projects are considering Subsea Gas-Liquid Separation aspotential technology to unlock oil reserves. Eni e&p is currently workingon R&D and development studies to evaluate the benefit of this technologyfor a number of representative assets in its deepwater portfolio.

The paper presents several findings of this original analysis. Case studies arerepresentative of a wide range of potential applications: from secondarytiebacks in standard deepwater depth to 1500 m water depth oil developmentapplications and heavy/difficult oil cases to condensate/gas fieldsapplications.

The results are presented with the comparisons between standard deepwaterarchitectures and configurations based on Subsea Gas-Liquid separation in termsof flowassurance strategy, field layout, capital costs and benefits for theoperators in terms of potential additional recovery and production. SubseaGas-Liquid separation may become an enabling technology for deepwaterdevelopments if oil industry is able to resolve and mitigate possible risksassociated.

INTRODUCTION

Subsea processing coupled with innovative field architectures are one of themost attractive tools currently being utilized and considered by the oil andgas industry to open new opportunities and achieve more effective exploitationof offshore fields. Every day new oil and gas reservoirs are being discoveredin unconventional and remote areas in deep and ultra-deep water, typically farfrom existing treating and storage facilities. Subsea processing technologiesare becoming faster and faster applicable options to improve technical andeconomic performance of those challenging subsea field developments, improvingthe reserves recovery and operation strategy, and, in some cases, reducing theassociated development CAPEX.

The term " subsea processing" can be defined as any treatment of the producedfluids performed on the seabed prior to reaching the offshore installation andthe conventional surface process facility. Different devices have beenqualified and installed to boost the raw wellstream, like subsea multiphasepumps and wet gas compressors. In the last ten years, technologies to separatethe gas phase from a liquid stream and produced water from hydrocarbons rapidlyevolved thanks to great efforts on qualification program and testing campaign. Moreover, a few installations of separation and boosting devices have beenachieved, presenting really encouraging results but not neglecting operationalissues they have encountered during field life.
Enhanced Subsea Safety Critical Systems
Authors: Shanks Earl F. , Pfeifer Wesley , Savage Sean , Jain Ashish
Published: April 2012

Description of the Material

This paper describes how the Subsea Safety Critical Systems can be enhanced toprovide greater shearing pressure and volume for the Shear Rams when being usedby the Emergency Disconnect System, EDS, Deadman System, or Autoshear System. Utilizing accumulators which can be charged to 7500 psi differential pressureallows shearing pressures to approach the full working pressure of 5000 psi forthe Shear Ram Operators. Also discussed is the development of the 7500 to 5000psi stepdown regulator and other critical system components and how this systemcan be economically installed on existing Subsea Blowout Preventer (BOP)Systems.

Application

Some Drilling Contractors presently use 6000 to 7500 psi rated accumulators onthe BOP Stack in order to precharge on the surface to greater than 5000 psi. However, with surface Hydraulic Pressure Units (HPU), rated for 5000 psi, theycannot take advantage of the full working pressure of the accumulators. Thesubsea accumulators can be supplied with 7500 psi by several means. This paperaddresses the use of a hot line or subsea intensifier to supply the fluidpressure to the subsea accumulators. The key to having 7500 psi stored in thesubsea accumulators is to have a 7500 to 5000 psi step down regulator and othercritical components rated for 7500 psi.

Results, Observations and Conclusions

The 7500 to 5000 psi regulator and critical complimentary control componentshave been designed, developed, and tested for hot line use. The Isolation andDump Sub-Plate Mounted (SPM) valves have been qualified for 7500 psi serviceand the 7500 psi check valves are in the qualification process. The subseaintensifier is under testing and the results will be presented at thepresentation.

Significance of Subject Matter

The well construction designs for wells presently required by regulatoryrequirements are requiring larger, thicker wall, and higher yield casingstrings as well as drill pipe used in drilling and landing strings. Thesegreater strength requirements are requiring greater shearing pressures for thehigh pressure Shear Rams. Utilizing 7500 psi supply allows shear pressures togo as high as 5000 psi with a reasonable number of accumulators to supply thefluid.

Background

The goal of a rig's safety critical emergency system is the ability to shearpipe and safely seal the well when circumstances dictate.

Two important aspects of Safety Critical BOP Systems are:BOP Components and ArrangementControl System Design, Operating Philosophy and Dedication ofAccumulators
Improved Decision-making and Operational Efficiencies through Integrated Production Operations Solutions
Authors: Noller David , Myren Frode , Haaland Oystein , Brisco Justin , Bryan Edward W.
Published: April 2012

More than ever, business leaders are expected to deliver increased value at alower cost. Processes are increasingly interconnected and often highly complex. Flexibility and responsiveness are key elements in this dynamic and challengingeconomic environment to improve and optimize operational processes across thebusiness. There is a myriad of data out there today, all of which clearly couldimprove both business and operational performance if leveraged in the rightway, but the traditional focus of Oil & Gas firms has led to a siloed andsegmented business environment. There is also a looming skills shortage waitingin the wings, with pending retirements. Combined with fewer new engineersentering the business, there will be a shortage of skilled engineers to servefuture business needs.

The ability to capture experience and transfer knowledge from one person to thenext and bridge the gaps between different parts of the organization so dataand employee knowledge can be applied independently of organizationalfunctions, disciplines and geography, is critical to addressing thesechallenges. Decision makers need the right data at the right time and in theright context. Advances in connectivity, high-performance computing andservices capabilities make the use of software an extraordinary choice forinformation sharing between disconnected employees and operations. Real-timecommunication makes collaborative decision-making, learning and knowledgetransfer possible. This paper will demonstrate how unlocking information todeliver solutions to help alter business models can maximize operationalefficiency and drive business success.

Smarter Operations - An Overview

Today, there are nearly a billion transistors for every human on the planet andan estimated 30 billion RFID tags in total. They allow us to measure, monitorand manage nearly every physical system that supports life on this planet, fromroads to pharmaceuticals to waterways to livestock. They are allowing us to" instrument" our world, and extract unprecedented information about the way ourworld works, and how to make it work better. They are enabling a smarterplanet.

The Oil & Gas industry is inundated with data generated by all means ofdevices, applications and events. Information that was previously generated bypeople will increasingly be machine-generated, flowing from sensors, devicesand applications. As the degree of instrumentation increases, so does thevolume of data generated. This is the key issue in the Oil & Gas industry. In order to make sense of data, analyze and act on it, the convergence oftechnology across the enterprise, not just traditional back-office orfront-office systems, becomes a critical business enabler.
Subsea to Subsea Commissioning and Diagnostics for Subsea Facilities
Authors: Mancini Christopher S.
Published: April 2012

ROV based subsea facilities diagnostics have evolved from an intervention ofnecessity to identify faults, in particular for power and fluids distributionsystems and also flowlines, trees and manifolds. From this use during the postconstruction life of a field these techniques are now used for commissioning ofsystems during construction.

For electro-optical umbilicals subsea testing includes:Time-domain reflectometryOptical time-domain reflectometryMegohmmetry (IR)Resistance measurementSignal analysis by:OscilloscopeSampling optical oscilloscopeFor hydraulic umbilicals subsea testing includes:Hydro testingPressure vs. volumeDisplacementFor flow-lines:Hydro testingPressure vs. volumeDisplacementPig launching

For systems ROV work-over controls provide the operator with the ability tofunction trees, manifolds and modules with an ROV independent of topsidesfacilities.

Applications:Fault findingQuantitative AnalysisPre-commissioningCommissioningFunction testing
The Aseng FPSO: A Project Execution Example
Authors: Van Dijk Herman , Ulyett Brian , Tranchand Christian , Quinn Tony , Childres Scott , Rager Brent , Gallon Steve , Neuman Kent , Senules Edward
Published: April 2012

The Aseng field is located in Block I in Equatorial Guinea, to the east ofBioko Island. Noble Energy is developing the field using an FPSO and contractedSBM Offshore in 2009 to supply and operate the FPSO on a lease basis, for aduration of 15 years, plus options for a 5 year extension. The FPSO startedproduction on November 7th, 2011, 55 days ahead of the contractual first oildate. The project was also executed within budget and is an example within theNoble and SBM organizations of successful project execution.

This paper will describe the execution of the project and will highlight someof the critical factors that contributed to the success of the project. Thepaper will start with a technical description of the FPSO and will highlightthe design challenges. Then it will describe the work that was donepre-contract award and its value to the project. After that it will go into theproject organization, both on the contractor and client side, engineeringexecution and critical focus areas, procurement strategy and constructionstrategy. Integration of operations staff into the project team will beaddressed as well.

More and more fields are developed these days, using the FPSO concept and thisis expected to increase further in the near future. Other operators andcontractors can learn valuable lessons from the Aseng project executionexample.

Critical success factors for the Aseng project were:–Extensive schedule development work pre-award, with involvement and buy-in ofall internal stakeholders.–Development of P&IDs pre-award allowing the design activities to hit theground running.–A well-resourced and experienced contractor PMT with delegatedresponsibilities and focus on ownership.–Involvement of production operations, construction and commissioningpersonnel early in the design phase.–The contractual set-up, based on a lease and the contractor's CorporateEngineering Standards.–Open communication between client and contractor with a ‘here to help’attitude from the client.–Successful change management based on a relationship of mutual respectbetween client and contractor.–Focus on critical deliverable processes during the engineering phase, specifically on piping design and management of vendor information.–Procurement strategy focused on meeting schedule PO dates and localsourcing.–A proven construction strategy with long time ‘construction partners’.

Many FPSO projects over the years have been plagued by schedule and costoverruns. The Aseng example can give operators and contractors some insightsinto their project execution methodology which in turn can assist them inachieving their execution targets.
Technology Roadmaps As A Tool For The Technology Management Process In Production Assets
Authors: Camacho Velazquez Rodolfo , Jimenez-Aquino Marco , Villalobos-Luevanos Ernesto
Published: April 2012

In Mexico the production of " easy oil" will not meet in the future the risingdemand of hydrocarbons. Technology is the tool to drive the national oilcompany to access more difficult oil supplies. This paper describes the processto determine the technology needs in Pemex E&P and the set of actions takento address these needs in order to meet the country´s energy challenges.

Technology roadmaps, associated to the investment production projects, are aplanning tool to implant those technologies that have and important impact inthe development of these projects. It is expected that the use of technologyroadmaps will consolidate the advances and drive the company to the next levelof technological performance.

Background

Technology is an important strategic asset for every organization in the oilindustry. There is a growing need to include technological aspects into thestrategy and planning procedures in the companies.

As any other company, Pemex's technological plan was developed from itsbusiness plan, and it was promoted by the internal changes that it hadexperimented by the decline of some of its main fields. The highly productivenaturally fractured reservoirs allowed the company to increase the productionto the historical record of almost 3.2 MBPD in 2004. The decline and maturityof many of the main reservoirs, new findings of increasingly heavier oil, andthe development of complex highly heterogeneous reservoirs, impose another kindof business conditions for the company. Now, Pemex is facing technologicalneeds associated to efficient exploitation of increasingly heavier crudes, atdeeper water depths than before, exploitation of unconventional reservoirs, like Chicontepec, and the optimum management of mature fields.

During 2004–2005 the strategic technological effort was materialized andfocused in 12 or 15 projects, 5 of them very important; now, the portfolio has40 projects, 10 of them important. These conditions enforce to take intoaccount technologies related to the efficient exploitation of heavy oil fieldsand how to recover more hydrocarbons in all reservoirs. To be more efficient incrude extraction under more complex conditions considering subjects like flowassurance, water control, fluid injection and EOR processes.

In order to accomplish the above objectives it is necessary to select and applytechnologies that have been proved to be useful in the oil industry and had notbeen applied in Pemex. This requires a careful selection of these technologiesand the fields where these technologies could be tested. Also, it is necessaryto identify those needs where there is no technology available to generate aresearch and technology development plan.

To achieve that, it was necessary to generate a technology strategy thatattended the priority technological challenges that may reach the establishedgoals of the business plan for the period 2010–2025.
The New Edge In Knowledge: How Knowledge Management Is Changing The Way We Do Business
Authors: Hubert Cindy
Published: April 2012

The project challenges of the oil and gas industry are characterized by changeand uncertainty. Work operations span the globe and smooth working partnershipscannot be anticipated. However, we can confront that uncertainty by becomingmore agile. Greater levels of agility rest upon leveraging the power ofknowledge - the cornerstone of successful corporations.

The difference between powerful Knowledge Management (KM) programs and thealso-ran is the ability to identify and enable critical knowledge. Theknowledge management system is a tool and not the end product. People stillmake the system work and are the critical component for input, expertcollaboration, and mentoring. In fact business value is created when criticalknowledge gets to the right person at their teachable moment and it is applied. The crucial knowledge-set within your organization is often hidden - sometimesburied - because it resides in people or in many electronic reports or instacks of lessons-learnt. The question we need to ponder is: Can too muchknowledge flow?

The goal of this paper is to outline how executives in the oil and gas industrycan capture and share knowledge to improve business performance. The papercontents will detail the best, most practical and innovative practicesorganizations are using today to create, maintain and measure knowledgesystems. The paper draws upon decades of research and experiential learning onperformance analytics, best practices, process improvement, and knowledgemanagement. The hope of the author is that the paper will prove to be a usefulreference whether your needs are to retain technical knowledge across globaloperations or transfer best practices in complex drilling geographies.

What Is Knowledge Management?

From a practical perspective, we define knowledge as information in action. Until people take information and use it, it isn't knowledge. In a businesscontext, knowledge is what employees know about their customers, each other, products, processes, mistakes, and successes, whether that knowledge is tacitor explicit.
Case Study: Optimization in Intervention Monobore Design in Completing Horizontal Gas Producing Wells in Malaysia
Authors: Elliott Christopher , Feroze Mohd Imran , Ahmad Mahdzan A.A. , Tirungnanasambandan Saradah , Sulaiman M. Zarkashi , Mohammad Mahzan , Hakim Mulyanto , Omar M. Afiefe , Abdul Aziz Khairil Faiz , Paramavathar Sanggeetha
Published: April 2012

The demand for high capacity production in deep wells has increased interest inthe monobore concept, and thus, when an anticipated gas shortage was expectedin East Malaysia, this concept was considered as a possible strategy for afield in Malaysia which consists of a 3-well development. The targeted area, located approximately 200 km offshore from Bintulu, is expected to deliver100mmscf/day of gas to the Malaysian Liquified Natural Gas (MLNG) plants atBintulu, East Malaysia.

New technology such as a tubing hanger profile, fluid-loss device, and glassreinforced epoxy (GRE) completion for large-bore wells and their firstapplication in this country will be presented along with the well requirements, work-over operations, and the innovative solution design developed.

Details regarding the completion design, prior development, pre-job planning, asystem-integration test (SIT), operational challenges, and post-job discussionsconcerning the successful completion of these wells will be discussed, as thistype of completion was a first for Malaysia.

The findings from the extensive development of the best solution for operationsand the challenges of the project cost objectives will be used to providelessons and improvements for future applications.

Introduction

The field developments consist of 10 new fields that will be developed in twophases. The first phase consists of 3 of the fields. The second phase consistsof 7 wells in each field, and these will be completed two to three years afterthe first field campaign. The second phase completion design will be based onthe design review and the lessons learned from the initial development.

In each field, the first phase will be developed using 3 separate techniquesthat have been identified for each field. The wells have been chosen to bedeveloped as single monobore completions, whereas the other two fields will bedeveloped as openhole sand-control completions and subsea completions. Eachtechnique was chosen to be part of the Petronas long-term vision to train thelocal project team with new technologies and prepare them with basic guidelinesfor the second phase field development. Although all of these completiontechniques have been installed in other regions by other major oil operators, they were new concepts for the project team, and therefore, would provide newcompletion experience.