Professional Documents
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6 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
CONSTRUCTION & INSTALLATION
Helix to deploy rst ship-shaped DP FPU in Gulf of Mexico .................................... 97
Helix Energy Solutions is about to launch the rst ship-shaped, disconnectable, dynamically
positioned (DP), oating production unit in the GoM. The vessel will be used to exploit marginal
deepwater oil and gas prospects.
Jumbo Shipping exes muscles with all-in-one concept .................................... 102
The Netherlands-based Jumbo Shipping has completed a full years work with its J1800-class
Jumbo Javelin and Fairpartner DP-2, heavy-lift, transportation, and installation vessels, the rst
two of four vessels planned for the class.
Hull strength, fatigue analysis critical during design/conversion phase ............... 106
Structural issues reported on both purpose-built FPSOs and conversions after entering service
reveal the importance of hull strength and fatigue verication during the design/conversion
stage.
TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
High-pressure exible pipe, the next frontier ......................................................... 110
Development of high pressure reservoirs over the past few years, with more expected in the
future, and the maturity of the spar platform concept for development of such reservoirs, has
increased the need for high pressure pipes.
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International Edition
Volume 67, Number 5
May 2007
COVER: Superior Energy Services
200-ft class vessels, M/V Superior Inter-
vention and M/V Superior Excellence are
working as a duel vessel, multi-service
package in 72-ft of water in the Gulf
of Mexico Matagorda Island area. The
vessels are performing coiled tubing/ni-
trogen stimulation with electric wireline,
which stimulates depleting wells, maxi-
mizing well life. One vessel completed
hook-up and construction on the caisson
while the other vessel completed the
wells. This saved the operator on rig
time. The vessels are capable of working
in water depths to 145 ft. Photo taken by
Glen Clark.
102
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GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS
Newly merged seismic
super-group plans global expansion ............ 116
It is eight months since CGG and Veritas announced
their intention to merge, creating the worlds largest
seismic group. Of fshore asked CGGVeritas Christophe
Pettenati-Auziere, President, Geophysical Services, for
a progress report.
Time-lapse seismic swaths prove
cost-effective alternative to full-eld 4D ....... 120
With careful planning, time-lapse seismic technol-
ogy (4D) swaths can be a cost-effective alternative to
full-eld 4D seismic acquisition for structurally simple
elds and are important in Shells North Sea 4D strategy.
NOIA SUPPLEMENT
Offshore energy education must begin with the public and politicians ................ 130
Over the past 25 years, if one thing has proven true its that one Presidential Administration can-
not change our dependence on imported oil. Today, the United States continues to import 60% of
our oil and were more dependent on sources from the Middle East than we ever have been.
The rst step toward energy independence? .......................................................... 134
As I watched the Presidents State of Union address in January, I was struck that he, like Presi-
dents before him, was making a promise for energy independence. In more than 20 of the last 34
State of Union addresses since 1973, Presidents have tried to x the nations energy problems.
FRANCE SUPPLEMENT
Buoyant French contractors open to global business opportunities ..................... 148
Submarine ber-optic and DC power solution for ultra-long tieback .................... 150
Cryogenic oating exibles widen options for LNG transfer .................................. 152
Construction specialists seeking further alliance opportunities ........................... 154
Test loop assesses feasibility of deepwater subsea separation ............................ 156
DENMARK REPORT
Denmark promoting its skills in oating production, decommissioning ............... 159
Flexible riser passes tensile, fatigue tests .............................................................. 160
Ramboll assessing Russian pipeline impact ........................................................... 162
SWEDEN
Sweden technology proles ..................................................................................... 163
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Volume 67, Number 5
May 2007
D E P A R T M E N T S
Comment ............................................. 10
Data ..................................................... 12
Global E&P .......................................... 14
Offshore Europe .................................. 18
Gulf of Mexico ..................................... 20
Subsea/Surface Systems ................... 24
Vessels ................................................ 26
Drilling & Production .......................... 30
Geosciences ........................................ 32
Business Briefs ................................. 164
Advertisers Index ............................. 167
Beyond the Horizon .......................... 168
116
8 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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Setting the Standard
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International E&P report
This issue features our annual International Report a complete roundup of offshore
exploration and production activity worldwide.
As she does every May, International Editor Judy Maksoud takes a re-
gion-by-region look at what has occurred in the last 12 months. She brings
you up to date on discoveries, eld developments, and new exploration
plans. As a veteran of this type of research, analysis, and reporting, Mak-
soud presents a lively, fact-lled review and forecast from West Africa to
the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea to South America, and the Asia-Pacic to
offshore Canada. She covers the globe.
As you might expect to nd, a lot has happened in the last 12 months, and a lot more
is on the horizon. For the latest and the soon-to-be-expected, dont miss this annual fea-
ture. The 12-page special report begins on page 34.
TPG 500 moves outside North Sea
Production is building at Shah Deniz in the Azeri sector of the Caspian. Under the
rst phase of the BP-operated development, nine wells will deliver up to 900 MMcf/d of
gas and 58,000 b/d of condensate. All production is being exported through parallel sea
lines to a terminal in Sangachal, on the shore of Azerbaijan.
The wells are being drilled from a three-legged TPG 500 jackup platform, supplied
and installed by the projects main engineering contractor, Technip. Shah Deniz is the
third application of this proprietary design, the forerunners being BPs Har-
ding and Totals Elgin/Franklin in the North Sea.
In his feature on the development of Shan Deniz, Jeremy Beckman, Edi-
tor, Europe, talks with the project decision-makers about how and why the
concept was chosen. His report on their selection process and how the eld
was developed begins on page 70.
Helix to deploy rst ship-shaped DP FPU in Gulf of Mexico
As Managing Editor David Paganie points out in his feature on Helix
Energy Solutions, operators in the Gulf of Mexico continue to nd new ways
of dealing with challenging eld development and operational conditions.
Helix is about to launch the rst ship-shaped, disconnectable, dynami-
cally positioned (DP), oating production unit in the GoM. The vessel will
be used to exploit marginal deepwater oil and gas prospects.
The company also is managing a separate set of challenges at the instal-
lation site, where it continues to clear wreckage of the Typhoon TLP. Helixs oating
production unit (FPU), Helix Producer I (HPI), will be installed on the old Typhoon eld,
renamed Phoenix, in Green Canyon block 237 in 640 m (2,100 ft) of water.
In this Offshore exclusive report, Helix Executive Vice President and COO Bart
Heijermans discusses the decision behind the concept selection and the investments
upside potential, beginning on page 97.
Time-lapse seismic swaths prove cost-effective
With careful planning, time-lapse seismic technology (4D) swaths can be a cost-effec-
tive alternative to full-eld 4D seismic acquisition for structurally simple elds and are
important in Shells North Sea 4D strategy.
Thats the conclusion of a team of authors from Shell UK. The authors include Jon
Brain, Peter Grant, Rob Staples, and Erik Tijdens.
As they explain, the portfolio approach to 4D swath acquisition successfully acquired
time-lapse seismic data over four North Sea elds at low cost with minimal preparation.
In the case of Nelson and Guillemot elds, processed results support current business
activities. For Scoter and Cook elds, the results are less convincing. In all cases, valu-
able information was acquired.
Keys to technical success, they say, are out-of-plane geological dips, which result in
imaging errors and serious 4D non-repeatability. See their entire analysis beginning on
page 120.
10 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
To respond to articles in Of fshore, or to of fer articles for publication, contact the editor by email
(eldonb@pennwell.com) or fax (1-713-963-6296).
COMMENT
Eldon Ball Houston
PennWell
1700 West Loop South, Suite 1000, Houston, TX 77027 U.S.A.
Tel: (01) 713 621-9720 Fax: (01) 713 963-6296
PRESIDENT,
PETROLEUM GROUP
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GROUP PUBLISHER
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WORLDWIDE SALES MANAGER
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Contact subscriber services for address changes
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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Luke R. Corbett, Anadarko
David J. Greer, Shell International E&P
Jack B. Moore, Cameron Corp.
Hugh ODonnell, Saipem
Bruce Crager, INTEC Engineering
James K. Wicklund, Spinnerhawk Capital Management
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
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All Rights reserved
Offshore ISSN-0030-0608
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POSTER EDITOR/TECHNICAL ADVISOR
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EDITOR-EUROPE
Jeremy Beckman (jeremyb@pennwell.com)
P.O. Box 32911, London SW19 5WL UK
Tel: +44 208 946 7783 Fax: +44 208 946 1543
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Nick Terdre (Norway)
David Shields (Mexico)
Peter Howard Wertheim (Brazil)
Gurdip Singh (Singapore)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Eldon R. Ball
eldonb@pennwell.com
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Gene Kliewer
genek@pennwell.com
MANAGING EDITOR
David Paganie
davidp@pennwell.com
DRILLING & PRODUCTION EDITOR
Frank Hartley
frankh@pennwell.com
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR
Judy Maksoud
judym@pennwell.com
PRESENTATION EDITOR
Josh Troutman
josht@pennwell.com
Maksoud
Beckman
Paganie
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HALLIBURTON
Drilling, Evaluation
and Digital Solutions
2007 Halliburton. All rights reserved.
the LOGIQ
Platform
Gone are the days when you had to choose between precision
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system and our powerful PC-based LOGIQ surface system,
it also features a dramatic reduction in the length and
weight of downhole tools without penalty in temperature
or pressure rating specifications. And with that shorter logging
tool string comes a much lower potential for sticking. All this
with superior service quality.
Halliburton Wireline and Perforating Services.
All things considered, the logical choice. For the rest of
the story, visit us at www.halliburton.com/wireline.
Unleash the energy.
Awards are being made for work on the Deep Panuke gas project off-
shore Nova Scotia.
Intec Engineering and alliance partner IMV Projects Atlantic
have landed a contract for subsea and pipeline design. Front-end
engineering and design (FEED) work will support project sanction,
which is expected before the end of the year. The FEED work will
also lead to bid packages for the subsea and pipeline contracts.
Intec plans to assign a subsea/pipeline engineer to EnCanas ofce
in Halifax as part of the clients integrated project management team.
Mediterranean
In mid-March ONGC Videsh Ltd. signed an agreement to operate
in deepwater offshore Libya. The company signed an exploration
and production-sharing agreement (PSA) with National Oil Corp. of
Libya for contract area 43. The PSA was part of the countrys re-
cently concluded third bid round.
The contract area consists of four blocks with a total area of 7,449
sq km (2,876 sq mi) in the Cyrenaica offshore area of the Mediterra-
nean Sea. The block boundaries extend from the coastline to a water
depth of about 2,200 m (7,218 ft).
OVLs work program includes acquiring 1,000 km (621 mi) of 2D
seismic data and 4,000 sq km (1,544 sq mi) of 3D data, as well as drill-
ing an exploratory well during the ve-year exploration phase of the
contract. About two-thirds of the contract area has sparse coverage of
2D seismic data. There is also a shallow-water exploration well that es-
tablished the presence of hydrocarbons at the southwest boundary.
Libya is reportedly planning to hold another bidding round later
this year to develop onshore and offshore gas elds. The round will
GLOBAL E&P
Judy Maksoud Houston
14 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
0 31
Miles
0 50
Km
Block Q
Block N
Indian Ocean
South China Sea
BORNEO
(Kalimantan)
SARAWAK
BRUNEI SABAH
PALAWAN
SINGAPORE
M A L A Y S I A
I N D O N E S I A
S
U
M
A
T
R
A
MALYSIA
V
I
E
T
N
A
M
Area shown
BHP Billiton Ltd. and Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. committed $156.4 mil-
lion to explore ultra deepwater blocks N and Q offshore Malaysia.
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For more than 60 years, KBR has made it possible
for our clients to execute some of the most complex
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From concept through execution, KBR delivers the
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include 10-15 blocks.
Libya has an estimated 100 Bbbl of oil reserves and is looking to
nearly double production in the next ten years.
Middle East
Qatar Gas Transport Co. Ltd. (Nakilat) has signed an agreement
with Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. subsidiary KS Investments Ltd.
to jointly develop a world-class shipyard facility in the Port of Ras
Laffan, Qatar.
This agreement is a partnership between a major LNG transporter
and the global leader in ship repair, ship conversion, and construc-
tion of offshore drilling rigs.
The proposed shipyard will be part of the expansion of the Ara-
bian Gulf Port of Ras Laffan and is expected to begin operation in
2010.
The new facility will be suitable for repair and maintenance of
very large LNG carriers and a wide range of other vessels and the
conversion of tankers to FPSO and FSO vessels. The estimated cost
of the shipyard is approximately $450 million.
This business venture is in line with our Near Market, Near Cus-
tomer strategy to be close to our customers so that we can better
serve them, Tong Chong Heong, managing director/COO of Kep-
pel O&M, says.
Nakilat and KS Investments have agreed to form an 80/20 joint
venture company to manage the design, construction, and opera-
tion of the 43-hectare (106-acre) shipyard, which will be built on re-
claimed land. KS Investments will contribute $23 million for its 20%
interest in the joint venture.
The name of the JVC is Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd.
Europe
Toreador Resources and TPAO each have reported Black Sea gas
discoveries.
Toreador found more gas in the Black Sea offshore Turkey.
The Guluc-1 well owed approximately 17 MMcf/d of gas. It was
drilled in a fault-separated prospect along the same trend as the Ak-
cakoca-3 and Akcakoca -4 wells in the deeper waters of the SASB
project area.
Turkish national oil company TPAO reportedly tested 6.8 MMcf/
d of gas at the Alapli-1 well northeast of the Akkaya eld and adja-
cent to the SASB area.
Africa
Most of the big West Africa news at the beginning of 2007 was
offshore Angola, but more recently, the spotlight has moved north
to Nigeria.
In late 3Q, Eni signed a production-sharing contract (PSC) with
Nigerian national oil company NNPC for the OPL 135 exploration
license. The area lies northeast of the Niger Delta near the Kwale/
Okpai treatment plants, operated by Eni.
The PSC has a duration of 25 years. The rst ve years will be de-
voted to the exploration phase, and the following 20 to development
and production, with a contractual option of putting gas discoveries
into production.
Through this acquisition, Eni plans to promote increasing involve-
ment of local companies in the domestic market, with the main ob-
jective of eliminating gas aring.
Eni will operate OPL 135 activities through NAOC. Eni has a 48%
stake in the block. Partners include Nigerian companies Global En-
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GEOSCI ENCES
Gene Kliewer Houston
Rocksourse contracts Elec-
troMagnetic GeoServices
Rocksource ASA has awarded a NOK 70
million ($11.4 million) survey on the Nor-
wegian continental shelf to ElecgtroMag-
netic GeoServices (EMGS) AS. The survey
covers 25 lines, but can be increased at
Rocksources option to 50 lines. The work is
scheduled to take three months to complete,
starting this summer.
This contract represents a major step in
implementing our strategy and allows us to
utilize our competitive strengths in handling
and interpreting electromagnetic data, says
Trygve Pederson, CEO. Rocksource will use
these datasets to select prospects with high
probability of nding hydrocarbons prior to
investing in expensive 3D seismic and explo-
ration wells. This will increase our overall ex-
ploration efciency.
We are very much looking forward to
this collaboration. says Dr. Honny Hest-
hammer, chief technology ofcer of Rock-
source. EMGS provides data of high qual-
ity and Rocksource has its own proprietary
system to handle the huge amounts of data
to be acquired with respect to the crucial as-
pects of integrated processing and analyses
for the decision making process.
North Sea cable
installation under way
Multi-Transient Electromagnetic has con-
tracted Global Marine Systems Ltd. to install
cable for the Venture Production Plc. oil
nder project. This is the rst time MTEM
technology will be used offshore to seek oil
and gas. Global Marines Sovereign cable ship
will lay receiver cable on the seaoor at water
depths of 80 m (262 ft) to 100 m (328 ft). The
recordings will be transmitted back to the
Sovereigns onboard recording facilities.
Barbados 2D
campaign complete
Acquisition of 2D long-offset seismic off-
shore Barbados by Waveeld Inseis is com-
plete. The project, done in cooperation with
the Ministry of Energy and the Environ-
ment, covers the entire Barbados shelf. The
government is expected to announce its rst
offshore lease round for June of this year
with this seismic data available to bidders.
This rst phase of the campaign collected
6,000 km (3,728 mi) of long offset multi -client
2D data using the M/V Akademik Nemchinov
under contract to Waveeld. The vessel towed
an 11,500 m (37,730 ft) streamer and used an
air gun source for improved imaging of both
shallow and deeper targets. Marine gravity
and magnetic data were also recorded during
the survey. Data processing is under way at
perforReuters by Geotrace Technology (UK)
under contract with Waveeld Inseis.
I am certainly pleased with the joint agree-
ment between the Ministry and Waveeld In-
seis, says Andre Brathwaite, chief geologist,
Barbados. The data produced from this sur-
vey has so far proven to be encouraging and I
believe that this will generate increased inter-
est in the Barbados offshore potential.
The survey was designed to establish the
major hydrocarbon prospective trends in the
Barbados offshore sector. The survey grid
was designed to delineate the structural rela-
tions between the Tobago basin, the Barba-
dos Ridge and Barbados Trough, as well as
the northwest part of the Barbados Ridge.
This survey also will tie together a deep seis-
mic data set that will surround the island and
provide important ties both to the onshore
geology of Barbados and to the Sandy Lane
well 145 km (90 mi) south of Barbados, just
north of the border with Trinidad Tobago.
This modern, long-offset seismic campaign
will enable explorers to achieve a much better
regional understanding of the exploration po-
tential of the Barbados offshore sector, which
32 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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For more information, circle number 21
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already has attracted signicant interest from
many of the international oil companies, says
Jan B. Gateman, senior VP G&G of Waveeld
Inseis. The onshore Woodbourne oileld that
has been in production since the 1970s is in it-
self a proof of the existence of a mature source
rock in this area. Also taking into account the
hydrocarbon discoveries in the northern parts
of the offshore sector of Trinidad and Tobago,
it is very likely that an active petroleum system
is present on the Barbados continental shelf.
Nido identies structures
off Palawan Island
Nido Petroleum Ltd. has completed seismic
acquisition programs in SC 54 and 58 offshore
North West Palawan and says preliminary
data interpretation, coupled with existing seis-
mic results, has identied 675 structures with
a range of play types and water depths. Fur-
ther work in 3Q 2007 is expected to result in
dening drilling prospects from mid-2008.
Automated handling
system contracted
Eastern Echo (Dubai) has awarded a NOK
200 million ($32.7 million) contract to ODIM
ASA for automated 3D seismic handling sys-
tems. The contract covers complete back-
deck hardware for four vessels handling 10
streamers each. Most of the equipment is
scheduled for delivery in 2008.
The seismic market is still good, and we
expect still high activity both among new
and well established companies, says Idar
Hatly, vice president Seismic at ODIM.
Aker contracts
work off Norway
Aker Exploration has contracted Electro-
Magnetic GeoServices to conduct seabed
logging on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Offshore eld survey and interpretation
work is scheduled to begin this month. The
results will be used in choosing the best
drilling prospects and prioritizing explora-
tion areas in license applications on the Nor-
wegian continental shelf.
Aker Explorations $37.5-million contract
with EMGS covers survey and interpretation
work in 2007. Aker holds options for four
one-year extensions of the contract. These
options are for the rst purpose-built seabed
logging vessel that EMGS will operate. The
vessel is under construction and scheduled
to enter service in March 2008.
The combination of an ultra-modern rig,
3D seismic data, and our new, close coopera-
tion with EMGS, the worlds leader in Sea-
bed Logging, makes Aker Exploration even
stronger, says Brd Johansen, Aker Explo-
ration president and CEO. By implementing
new technology in an innovative manner, we
increase the likelihood of locating commer-
cially viable reservoirs.
Nide Petroleums Palawan Island seismic runs.
For more information, circle number 22
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GoM to see $7 billion
in deepwater drilling
Petrobras ups domestic exploration spending
T
he US Minerals Management Service
estimates undiscovered Gulf of Mex-
ico reserves at 50 Bboe. Estimated
capex for 2007 of $7 billion for deep-
water developments alone will con-
tribute to uncovering new GoM reserves.
Canadas east coast brings a mixed bag to
the table this year. EnCanas resumed activ-
ity on the Deep Panuke gas development is
breathing life back into Nova Scotias off-
shore just as drilling is put on hold off New-
foundland. And Brazil has earmarked $38
billion for E&P through 2010.
Gulf of Mexico
The US GoM saw a string of successes
last year.
Anadarko hit oil with Mission Deep in
Green Canyon block 955. This nd was the
ninth out of the 12 tests the company carried
out in the GoM last year. Anadarko plans to
drill 10-15 exploration wells in the GoM in
the next two years.
Nexen had a good 2006 as well, with the
Ringo and Longhorn nds in Mississippi
Canyon block 546. Eni found gas with Long-
horn North in nearby block 502, and BPs
Kaskida logged 244 m (800 ft) of net oil sands
in Keathley Canyon block 295. BP is planning
appraisal drilling on Kaskida this year.
Hess Pony, logging 145 m (475 ft) of oil
in Green Canyon block 468, hit a reservoir
with estimated total hydrocarbon resources
of 100-600 MMboe. And Totals Gotcha in Al-
aminos Canyon block 856 hit oil as well. Got-
cha, adjacent to the Great White discovery
in neighboring block 857, will likely be tied
back to Great White, which will be produced
through a spar beginning in 2009 or 2010.
Kerr-McGee (now Anadarko) found the
Caesar oil discovery on Green Canyon block
683 and the Claymore gas eld in Atwater
Valley block 140.
Noble Energy hit with Raton in Mississippi
Canyon block 248 and Redrock in block 204.
This year will be another busy year for ex-
ploration. And a number of discoveries will
go into production. BPs Atlantis is sched-
uled for rst production in mid-year, and
Anadarkos Independence Hub is due online
in the third quarter.
Genghis Khan, operated by BHP Billiton,
is to come onstream by mid-year through a
tie-back to the Marco Polo TLP, with the Nep-
tune eld coming online by year-end. Petro-
bras Cottonwood eld is also scheduled to
begin production this year.
The Mexican GoM also saw some signi-
cant drilling in 2006.
The most exciting discovery in the Mexi-
can Gulf last year was the Noxal 1 wildcat,
drilled by Pemex in the Catemaco fold belt.
Noxal 1 is Mexicos rst deepwater gas dis-
covery. An IHS report places reserves esti-
mates at 245 bcf.
Atlantic Canada
There is mixed news coming out of Atlan-
tic Canada.
Husky Energy Inc. has had a busy year
on the White Rose eld in the Jeanne dArc
basin off Newfoundland and Labrador. The
company completed the White Rose delinea-
tion program in late 2006 and in early April
this year received approval to increase pro-
duction to 140,000 b/d of oil for a maximum
annual production rate of 50 MMbbl.
Husky is evaluating opportunities for de-
veloping newly discovered resources from
the West White Rose and North Amethyst
elds. Husky and partner Hydro also had a
signicant discovery with the West Bonne
Bay F-12 well nearby during delineation
drilling and is now analyzing core and uid
samples as well as wireline log data to esti-
mate recoverable resources.
The company will spend $290 million next
year in a program that includes drilling and
completion of a seventh production well on
White Rose and delineation of the O-28 dis-
covery in the West Avalon Pool north of the
White Rose development.
Drilling in the deepwater Orphan basin
has not been so successful. Chevrons re-
peated problems with the Eirik Raude semi-
submersible led to suspension of drilling
activities. Resumed activity is dependent on
a very tight rig market.
The good news off Nova Scotia is that En-
Cana is going to move ahead with the Deep
Panuke project. The company is reportedly
looking for a jackup rig for a work program
that includes re-entering four wells on the
eld and drilling two more, a production
well and an acid gas injection well.
An ofcial request for bids is to be issued
in May, with an award following project sanc-
tion, which is expected in 4Q 2007.
Trinidad
In January 2005, BHP Billiton started pro-
duction from the Angostura eld in block
2(c) off Trinidads northeast coast. Angos-
tura contains an estimated 310 MMbbl of
recoverable oil reserves.
The next big news off Trinidad came in
mid-July 2006, when BG Group and its part-
ner Chevron delivered rst gas from the
Dolphin Deep development to the onshore
processing facilities at Beacheld on the
southeast coast.
Dolphin Deep is the rst subsea develop-
ment in Trinidad and Tobago.
34 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Judy Maksoud
International Editor
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Americas offshore summary of projected field developments 2007-2011 WWW.INFIELD.COM, OTC STAND #2599
Latin America 102 27 20,762 7,111 340 6 23 4 0 5 91 1 3 3,898 1,700
North America 89 109 3,432 10,345 479 7 2 8 9 0 51 10 20 8,201 98
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________
For more information, circle number 23
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36 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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The BG-operated eld is 83 km (52 mi) off
the east coast of Trinidad in the East Coast
Marine Area (ECMA). The ECMA contains
four natural gas elds: Dolphin, Dolphin
Deep, Starsh, and Manatee.
The Manatee eld, discovered by BG and
Chevron in January 2005, is part of a cross-bor-
der accumulation that stretches into neighboring
Venezuela. Monetization options for Manatee
gas are under review. Exploration drilling plans
within the ECMA also are being evaluated.
More exploration also is under way.
In mid-November, BHP hit oil with the
Ruby-1 exploration in block 3(a), 48 km (30
mi) off the northeast coast and 8 km (5 mi)
east of the central processing platform for
the Greater Angostura eld on block 2(C).
Ruby-1 was drilled to a TD of 1,753 m
(5,750 ft) and encountered 366 m (1,200 ft)
of hydrocarbon bearing sands, including
more than 244 m (800 ft) of net pay.
Canadian Superior is just launching its ex-
ploration program in Trinidad with the Vic-
tory 1 well on the Intrepid block 5(c), which
lies 97 km (60 mi) off the east coast.
The Kan Tan IV semisubmersible will
drill two additional wells following Victory
1 on separate natural gas prospects on the
block. The initial three-well program will
take a year to complete.
Canadas Talisman Energy Inc. has plans
for the region as well. The company has bud-
geted $65 million to drill at least two onshore
and four offshore wells this year.
Venezuela
The two big projects offshore Venezuela
are Plataforma Deltana and Corocoro.
Plataforma Deltana lies 240 km (149 mi)
from the Orinoco Delta.
Statoil won operatorship of block 4 on
Plataforma Deltana through a competitive
bidding process in February 2003. Block 4
covers 1,435 sq km (554 sq mi) in 200 m to
800 m (656-2,625 ft) water depth in the gas-
rich Columbus basin along the border with
Trinidad and Tobago. The entire Plataforma
Deltana area, which includes ve separately
licensed blocks, covers 32,000 sq km (12,355
sq mi).
A number of oil and gas discoveries have
been made on the Trinidad side of the bor-
der, where exploration is more mature.
For licensing, Plataforma Deltana has been
separated into ve blocks: block 1, site of the
Dorado discovery; block 2, awarded to Chev-
ronTexaco in 2003 and home of the Loran gas
eld; block 3, also licensed to ChevronTexaco;
block 4, licensed to Statoil that includes the Co-
cuina gas nd; and block 5 which was offered
for license but did not receive bids.
The Statoil license includes an explora-
tion period of four years, with a commitment
to drill three exploration wells.
Statoil completed the Cocuina 2X well in
December 2006 and conrmed the presence
of dry gas. The next two wells to be drilled
are Ballena 1X and Orca BX. This explora-
tion program is due to be completed by Oct.
2007.
Meanwhile, ChevronTexaco, which oper-
ates blocks 2 and 3, has made several signi-
cant gas discoveries.
The operator hit gas in 2006 on the Loran
eld in block 2. In block 3, Chevron hit gas
the previous year with the Macuira well.
Macuira encountered six gas intervals
with total gross thickness of 140 m (456 ft)
and tested a rate of 51 MMcf/d.
The discovery is in close proximity to the
Loran natural gas eld and provides signi-
cant resources that will be included in the
detailed evaluation as one potential gas sup-
ply source of what would be Venezuelas rst
LNG train. Seismic work elsewhere in block
3 began in 2006.
ConocoPhillips expects to bring the Coro-
coro eld in the Gulf of Paria onstream this
year, but not as early as the operator would
have liked. The eld has already missed its 1Q
2007 startup goal. The delay in reaching rst
oil means Corocoro probably will not reach its
full production potential until late next year.
These setbacks are symptomatic of Pd-
VSAs ever-changing rules. ConocoPhillips
initially planned to begin drilling Corocoro in
late 2004, but ran into contract and tax com-
plications with PdVSA, which insisted on the
operator building a drilling platform locally
to aid domestic oil service companies.
Venezuela also upped the royalty rate on
the project to 16.6% from 1%. The royalty rate
will increase again, this time to 33.3%, when
production begins. The ever changing, ever
increasing royalty rates in conjunction with
political hostility toward the US on behalf of
President Hugo Chavez has made Venezu-
ela a less than attractive draw for US compa-
nies, despite enormous reserves.
The Corocoro eld was declared commer-
cial ve years ago. Venezuela hopes to use
production on Corocoro, which is to reach
120,000 b/d, to help offset declining domestic
production. The eld contains an estimated
500 million barrels of recoverable oil.
Leading edge exploration is underway
offshore with SCAN Geophysical ASAs 3D
seismic survey, which was contracted by
Chevron. The survey covers two separate
areas and is expected to take several months
to complete.
Brazil
In April, Petrobras found a new light oil
eld in the Esprito Santo basin, the result
of the 4-ESS-164A well. The nd, 12 km (7.5
mi) northeast of the Golnho eld, has an
estimated volume of 280 MMboe of oil.
Around the same time, Petrobras drilled well
4-ESS-160 in the basin just adjacent to the Goln-
ho eld, which also resulted in a new discovery
with estimated volumes of 60-80 MMboe. Con-
sidering the Golnho elds earlier estimates at
250 MMboe, this new nd increases potential
reserves in the region to 310-330 MMboe.
With these two recent discoveries, Petro-
bras estimates that potential light oil reserves
in the basin now stand at 600 MMboe.
Petrobas had another discovery in the
Santos basin in October. The ultra deepwater
Tupi eld is in block BM-S-11, 250 km (155
mi) offshore in 2,126 m (6,975 ft) water depth.
Tupi reportedly is a large structure with sig-
nicant reserves potential. The discovery led
Petrobras and BG to agree on an accelerated
exploration and appraisal program.
This discovery follows an earlier nd last
year 70 km (43.5 mi) away in block BM-S-10
Brazil started off 2007 by laying plans for
a busy schedule through 2010.
To keep increasing production in the long
term, Petrobras has been enhancing its ex-
ploratory portfolio and now has more than
100 local blocks in addition to its overseas
acreage.
Seeking to maintain Brazils oil self-suf-
ciency, Petrobras has a portfolio that in-
cludes dozens of projects and will involve
$38 billion in investments in exploration and
production through 2010.
Petrobras will invest $7.4 million in explo-
ration alone through 2010, including invest-
ments made by partners and third parties.
The companys production goal for 2015
is 4,556,000 b/d of oil.
The operator took a step toward increas-
ing production in January when it brought
the Espadarte eld online via the Cidade do
Rio de Janeiro FPSO.
Full production is expected this year with
nine subsea completions ve for produc-
tion and four for water injection. A new oil
lifting system developed by Cenpes, the
Petrobras research center, will use subsea
pumps to help move the oil onto the FPSO.
The vessel can produce 100,000 b/d of oil,
2.5 MMcm/d (88 MMcf/d) of gas, and store
1.6 MMbbl of oil.
Devon Energy Corp. and its Korean part-
ner SK Corp. plans to drill three more explo-
ration wells this year in the BM-C-8 conces-
sion in the Campos basin offshore Brazil.
Devon will produce the eld with the Polvo
FPSO, which is designed to produce 90,000
b/d of oil, handle 135,000 b/d of water, and
compress 7.5 MMcf/d of natural gas.
The FPSO is to produce 50,000 b/d of oil
from the shallow-water eld, which is to see
rst oil in July 2007.
An interesting side note on Brazil is the
recent Petrobras/Gazprom memorandum of
understanding. Petrobras and Russias Gaz-
prom, the worlds biggest gas company, have
signed a memorandum of understanding to
identify cooperation opportunities for oil and
gas projects at a meeting that took place in
Brazil at the end of February.
Three potential initiatives include cooper-
ation possibilities in LNG, natural gas stor-
age, and natural gas transportation system
projects.
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EVOLUTION
Helix Energy Solutions is in the process of re-developing the Phoenix fields (also known
as the Typhoon and Boris fields) in the Gulf of Mexico using our forward-thinking
methodologies. The field is owned by our oil and gas production company, ERT GOM,
and will be developed using our contracting services assets, the MSV Q4000 and the
Intrepid. Production from these fields will be processed on a dynamic- positioned, ship-
shaped floating production unit (FPU) with a quick disconnect riser system. The MSV
Q4000 is scheduled to drill and complete deepwater wells in the Phoenix basin using
slimbore technology and a surface BOP. Both the FPU and the drilling technique are
novel concepts for the Gulf of Mexico.
Helix Energy Solutions has evolved
from a small diving company,
twenty years ago, into a significant
integrated provider of life of field
solutions for offshore fields in
general and marginal fields in
particular.
The range of our services and our
in-house E&P expertise allow us to
provide innovative solutions on
deepwater projects such as the
Phoenix development.
We are proud of our growth and
technical achievement and of the
recognition we have received
through two important awards from
the Offshore Technology Council
(OTC) this year. Our Executive
Chairman, Owen Kratz, is a
recipient of the OTC Heritage
Award for outstanding contribution
to our industry, and the company is
a recipient of the Distinguished
Achievement Award for our role in
the development of the Marco Polo
Project - one of the deepest tension
leg platforms in the world.
The Helix Advantage
400 North Sam Houston Parkway
Houston, Texas 77060
281-618-0400
www.HelixESG.com
For more information, circle number 25
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North Sea holds steady
Mediterranean exploration targets frontiers
T
hough there has been resurgence in
E&P in the UK North Sea, there is
some skepticism about whether the
level of investment will continue. High
rig rates and a lack of new tax incen-
tives could cause companies to rein in their
drilling plans.
On a more optimistic note, Hannon West-
wood expects to see 50-60 exploration and
appraisal wells this year. This number is just
short of the 61 E&A wells spudded in 2005.
The company expects the nal analysis of
2006 to prove that it was one of the most suc-
cessful years for reserves additions in the
North Sea since the early 1990s. This news
is encouraging for continued exploration
and appraisal drilling, the company says.
Last year saw some signicant discoveries,
the largest of which was ConocoPhillips Jas-
mine gas and condensate eld last Septem-
ber at a reported 175 MMboe. Jasmine, the
biggest North Sea gas nd since Buzzard,
lies in blocks 30/6 and 30/7 in the Central
North Sea 9 km (5 mi) west of the Judy devel-
opment. Production is expected in 2010.
In 2Q 2006, Canadas Oilexco found oil
on the Disraeli prospect in the UK Central
North Sea on block 21/23a. Disraeli lies
southwest of PetroCanadas Saxon, a 2005
oil nd in a similar geological setting.
Gaz de France Britain also had a new nd,
170 km (106 mi) off Englands Lincolnshire
coast in the southern gas basin. The Cygnus
44/12-2 well encountered several gas-bear-
ing zones, conrming the northern exten-
sion of prospectivity in this part of the south-
ern sector.
Last June, BG Group and Amerada achieved
rst gas from their jointly developed Atlan-
tic and Cromarty elds in the Outer Moray
Firth.
In July 2006, Chevron North Sea Ltd. brought
the Captain Area C project in block 13/22a in
the Inner Moray Firth onstream at a rate of
9,000 b/d of oil, with peak production of 15,000
b/d achieved soon after startup.
And last November, Serica Energy Plc.
announced initial results of the Columbus
exploratory well in block 23/16f. The well
encountered a gross gas column of at least
38 m (125 ft).
Offshore southern Ireland, Marathon Oil
took control of the Seven Heads gas eld in
the Celtic Sea early last year. In 2007, the
company hopes to mount a probe of the po-
tentially giant deepwater structure Killal in
western Irelands Rockall basin.
Also offshore Ireland, Dublin-based Provi-
dence Resources farmed out a portion of the
Dunquin prospect to ExxonMobil. The Dun-
quin license extends over 700 sq km (270
sq mi) in the Porcupine basin. The farm-in
entitles ExxonMobil to 80% of Dunquin. In
return, ExxonMobil will nance an upcom-
ing 2D long-offset seismic survey over the
acreage and up to two exploration wells.
Irelands government accepted applica-
tions early last year for acreage in the Slyne-
Erris-Donegal bidding round. Among the ap-
plicants, Island Oil & Gas bid for blocks in the
Southern Slyne and Donegal Basins, where
potential structures have been mapped.
In June, Island Oil & Gas tested gas with
the rst well of its 2006-2007 Celtic Sea drill-
ing program. In July, the company tested gas
from its second well on the Old Head of Kin-
sale prospect. This is the rst new discovery
in the region since 1990.
Well log analysis completed in August in-
dicates the gas extends over more than 22
sq km (8.5 sq mi) and that potential volumes
of gas in place are 90-120 bcf.
Meanwhile, a number of small companies
are shooting deepwater seismic surveys with
a view to bringing in partners if the data indi-
cate commercial reserves.
Dutch, Danish sectors
In early Jan. 2006, Gaz de France brought
four gas elds onstream simultaneously,
doubling its production capacity off The
Netherlands. The $401-million project in-
volved construction of two new platforms
and a subsea completion.
In 1Q 2006, Unocal Netherlands began its
rst major new project in the region following
its merger with Chevron. In partnership with
Dyas, DSM, and Dutch state company EBN,
Unocals A&B development encompasses
two exploration and ve production licenses
in the northern part of the Dutch sector.
The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) expects
exploration activity offshore Denmark to in-
tensify following the award of 14 new licenses
last year. The DEA says the combined 6th Li-
censing Round programs carry a commitment
for seven rm wells and 12 contingent wells,
with an overall investment pledge of around
$413 million.
Four of the successful bidders are rst-
time operators on the shelf. One of them,
Wintershall, recently outlined plans to begin
drilling its three blocks in 2008.
The DEA says in 2005 the total Danish
acreage covered by new seismic surveys was
the largest in the sector for over ve years.
Positive survey results could lay the frame-
work for additional exploration drilling.
38 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Judy Maksoud
International Editor
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Europe offshore summary of projected field developments 2007-2011 WWW.INFIELD.COM, OTC STAND #2599
Eastern Europe 19 0 5,373 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 0 2,831 0
Southern Europe 36 5 388 153 14 0 2 0 0 2 22 1 0 2,103 4
NWECS 303 34 9,422 7,722 678 3 17 0 0 4 74 0 13 9,747 460
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40 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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Norwegian North Sea
Norway saw a fairly busy 2006 as well.
Norways Energy Ministry opened acreage
under the countrys 2006 pre-dened areas
scheme (APA 2006). The 48 production li-
censes awarded are a record for a Norwe-
gian round, and a further 10 could be issued
following processing of work plans.
The permits, covering 85 blocks and part-
blocks, were divided among 33 oil companies,
including eight new to the Norwegian shelf.
The biggest winner in terms of license posi-
tions was Revus Energy with nine blocks. The
company already had plans to participate in up
to eight Norwegian shelf wells this year.
North Sea elds under development that
are expected to begin production this year
include Alvheim, Blane (which is unitized
across UK/Norway median line), Enoch (in
block 16/13a of the UKCS and block 15/5 of
the NCS), Vilje (north of the Heimdal eld),
and Volve in the southern Viking Graben area
between Heimdal and Sleipner. Tyrihans, in
the Halten Banken area 35 km (22 mi) south-
east of the Kristin eld in 285 m (935 ft) of
water, is also under development.
Norwegian Sea
In mid-March Norways government ap-
proved Statoils $390-million development plan
for the Alve gas-condensate eld in the Nor-
wegian Sea. Drilling is expected to begin in
August, with production by the end of 2008.
Statoil will develop the 6.78 bcm (239 bcf),
8.3 MMbbl eld in phases via a four-slot sub-
sea template tied back to the Norne FPSO.
BG will drill the undeveloped Bream oil
eld in the southern part of the Norwegian
North Sea this year. And Total will drill an
appraisal well on the Victoria gas structure.
Of course, the biggest project in the Norwe-
gian Sea is Ormen Lange on blocks 6305/4,
6305/5, 6305/6, and 6305/8. At 315 bcm of
gas, Ormen Lange is Norways second largest
gas eld and the largest gas eld under devel-
opment on the NCS. Production is expected
to begin in October.
Barents Sea
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate re-
ports three discoveries in the Barents Sea in
2006, the largest of which was Enis 7122/7-3
well on the Goliat discovery. In addition to de-
limiting the discovery, this well struck oil in
the Kobbe formation. The well also resulted
in a new, minor oil discovery in deeper drill-
ing targets in a previously undrilled level in
this part of the Barents Sea.
In late February 2007, Hydro hit oil and
gas on the Nucula prospect 110 km (68 mi)
northeast of the Goliat discovery and 65
km (40 mi) north of the Norwegian town of
Honningsvg.
New provinces continue to open up as drill-
ing continues in this under-explored area.
Meanwhile, Snhvit is still on track to come
onstream in 2007.
Mediterranean Sea
Egypt has seen a fair amount of activ-
ity over the past year, and the future holds
more of the same.
Last June, Egypt and Eni signed an explo-
ration agreement for the El-Bougaz block in
the Mediterranean Sea. Eni plans to expand
the Damietta gas liquefaction plant to double
its capacity, which will lay the groundwork
for more exploration and development in
Egypt, especially the Nile Delta deepwater
elds.
Also in June, Centurion Energy and Shell
spudded the Luzi-1 exploration well in the
West El Manzala concession, targeting a
prospect on trend with the existing El Was-
tani eld. The well encountered gas at a depth
of 1,009 m (3,310 ft), leading to exploration
wells being planned on the eastern side of the
West El Manzala concession.
In October, the company announced a 2007
drilling plan that includes 10 exploration and
appraisal wells and two development wells.
In November, Egypt awarded eight of 12
blocks offered in its 2006 bid round. PTTEP
was among the winners with the 4,294-sq-
km (1,658 sq mi) Sidi Abd El Rahman block,
which carries a work commitment of 3D
seismic surveying and an exploration well
in the rst three years. OMV Exploration
& Production GmbH will explore block 11,
which covers 9,140 sq km (3,529 sq mi).
In addition to the bid round blocks, a fur-
ther offshore award was made to Tharwa
Petroleum. The 2,281-sq-km (881-sq-mi) El
Arish exploration block is offshore Sinai. It
is the easternmost block of the offshore Nile
Delta and includes eight wells.
Dana Gas plans to drill 15 wells in Egypt in
the coming year through subsidiary, Centurion
Energy. Ten exploration and ve development
wells are planned, with target depths ranging
from 1,000 m to 4,000 m (3,280-13,123 ft).
In January, BP Egypt hit gas with the
Giza North-1 well in the North Alexandria
concession. BP estimates reserves for the
Giza complex at more than 1 tcf of gas. An
appraisal well was scheduled for April in the
Taurus eld as part of a planned four-well
appraisal program.
With boycotts and restrictions out of the
way, Libya is back in the E&P game, and a
handful of companies are actively pursuing
offshore acreage.
Russias Gazprom is one of the success-
ful bidders. On Dec. 20, 2006, Gazprom was
declared the winner among 45 contenders
for block 19, which garnered the company
an upstream license for up to 30 years. At
present, Gazprom expects to spend more
than $200 million for geological exploration
and drilling. Plans include drilling six explo-
ration wells.
Exxon Mobil Corp. subsidiary ExxonMobil
Libya Ltd. signed an exploration and produc-
tion-sharing agreement with Libyas National
Oil Corp. to begin exploration in the offshore
Sirte basin.
The agreement includes four blocks in
Contract Area 20, about 161 km (100 mi) off
the Libyan coast.
Offshore Tunisia has seen a fair amount
of activity as well.
In Aug. 2007, TGS-Nopec Geophysical Co.
announced a multi-client 600-sq-km (232 sq
mi) 3D survey in the El Louza block. And last
November, Plectrum Petroleum Plc. awarded
CGG a contract to acquire 3,000 km (1,864 mi)
of 2D seismic data over the Nabeul block.
The processed data will open the next
wave of exploration drilling.
Tunisias offshore reserves are also mov-
ing into production.
The Oudna eld began production in Nov.
2006. And in April 2007, PA Resources be-
gan regular production from the platform on
the Didon eld at 20,000 b/d oil.
Early this year, Northern Petroleum landed
three new offshore licenses adjacent to its per-
mits offshore southern Italy. The licenses are
the re-designated G.R20.NP (ex-d23GR.-NP),
G.R21.NP (ex-d22GR.-NP), and G.R22.NP (ex-
d24GR.-NP). All are next to Northerns exist-
ing three licenses in the Apennine-Maghreb
thrust belt west of Sicily and adjoining the Tu-
nisian median line. Across the border, Anadar-
ko, PetroCanada, and Shell hold interests in
the equivalent structural setting.
Northern believes its enlarged offshore acre-
age, now extending over 4,370 sq km (1,687 sq
mi), has strong oil-bearing potential.
Cyprus,
Lebanon, Syria
It looks as if a fair amount of Mediter-
ranean acreage will soon be on the
auction block.
PGS, in cooperation with the Cyprus
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and
Tourism, offcially opened the frst li-
censing round offshore Cyprus on Feb.
15, 2007, in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Unfortunately, politics has raised
its ugly head. Turkey wants to have
a say in exploration offshore Cyprus,
and the protests at being left out of the
equation might throw a wrench into the
cogs.
While Cyprus sorts out its political
issues, new seismic acquisition is go-
ing on nearby.
PGS is acquiring two new multi-cli-
ent 3D surveys offshore Lebanon, one
covering 1,500 sq km (579 sq mi) and
the other covering 1,000 sq km (386 sq
mi). These surveys are to form the ba-
sis for the frst licensing round offshore
Lebanon later this year.
And a little further north, Syria
reportedly is preparing to offer new
offshore and onshore blocks to interna-
tional oil companies as well, though no
formal plans have been announced.
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International investment
pours into Africa
B
illions of dollars in international invest-
ment have owed into West Africa in
the last few years, expanding explora-
tion drilling and moving a number of
world-class elds into production.
Investment in West Africas offshore is
growing and could be the largest in the world
by 2011 if Douglas-Westwood Ltd.s forecast
is accurate. The company contends that West
Africa will not only be the worlds largest off-
shore market, but will be the largest deepwa-
ter and subsea market as well.
Angola
Possibly the biggest news offshore West
Africa in 2006 was Dalia going onstream.
Discovered in September 1997 in block 17,
135 km (84 mi) offshore Angola in 1,200-1,500
m (3,937-4,921 ft) water depth, Dalia contains
an estimated 1 Bbbl of recoverable oil. It was
the largest deepwater development to be
brought onstream last year and is among the
largest projects of its kind in the world.
In fact, Angola was in the spotlight for
much of 2007. In early January, Sonangol and
Total E&P Angola announced the ultra-deep-
water Salsa-1 discovery, the sixth explora-
tion well on block 32. The discovery is in the
southeastern part of block 32, 15 km (9 mi)
southwest of the Mostarda-1 discovery.
Further exploration drilling is underway,
and more is planned across the block.
In late January, Chevron subsidiary Cabi-
nda Gulf Oil Co. and partners had a signi-
cant oil discovery in deepwater block 14 in
the Lower Congo basin.
Shortly after Chevrons announcement,
BP had a discovery with the deepwater Terra
well in block 31. The Terra well, which lies in
2,328 m (7,638 ft) water depth 411 km (255
mi) northwest of Luanda, is BPs twelfth dis-
covery on this block. Terra is 30 km (19 mi)
northwest of BPs Titania discovery, which
was announced in last October.
It was Totals turn next with oil discov-
eries from its eighth and ninth exploration
wells on ultra deepwater block 32.
Drilled in 1,977 m (6,486 ft) water depth,
the Manjerico-1 well tested more than 5,000
b/d of oil from Oligocene oil bearing reser-
voirs. This discovery is in the central part
of block 32. The discovery demonstrates ad-
ditional resource potential in the previously
unexplored central area of block 32.
Totals Caril-1 well, drilled in 1,673 m (5,489
ft) water depth, also encountered oil. The dis-
covery is in the northeastern part of block 32.
Further exploration drilling is under way and
planned across the block.
Angolas offshore will likely lead the re-
gion in the coming year as well. Sonangol is
offering new exploration acreage this year,
some of which lies in ultra deepwater be-
yond block 31.
Nigeria
Nigerias deepwater was not as productive
over the last year as Angolas, but a number of
companies will soon begin drilling obligatory
exploration wells on blocks awarded in 2005.
Devon Energy plans to drill its third and
nal obligation well in OPL 256 and its rst
well in OPL 242. Shell is planning a drilling
campaign in OPL 245; Petrobras will begin
drilling OPL 315, and Chevron will drill OPL
247. Chevron will also appraise the Obo dis-
covery in the Joint Development Zone that
Nigeria shares with So Tom and Prncipe.
ExxonMobil is working on appraisal activ-
ity at the Uge 1 discovery in deepwater OPL
214. And Eni will drill more appraisal wells
on the Oyo eld in OML 120.
The shallow-water HD project is Shells
primary focus offshore Nigeria this year.
The project encompasses HD, HA, and sat-
ellite elds that will produce 140,000 b/d of
oil as well as gas for NLNG.
Shell is also developing the deepwater
Bonga South West eld separately from Bon-
ga Main, which is already in production.
Last year saw some signicant milestones
offshore Nigeria, one of which was Shells dis-
covery at Bonga North in OPL 212 in early May.
Also in May, Chevron drilled the rst oil discov-
ery in OPL 214 about 113 km (70 mi) offshore.
The well encountered more than 100 m (328 net
ft) of oil, making it one of the most recent, size-
able deepwater discoveries in the Niger Delta.
Around the same time, Exxon Mobil Corp.
afliate, Esso E&P Nigeria Ltd. started pro-
duction from the deepwater Erha develop-
ment. The development includes Erha and
Erha North, which was to come onstream in
3Q 2006.
In July, Addax Petroleum began the a eld
development program on the Nda Field in
OPL-90 adjacent to the Okwori eld about 90
km (56 mi) offshore as a subsea tieback to
the Okwori FPSO.
Afren drilled an appraisal well for Okoro in
shallow-water OML 112 in Dec. 2006, which
sparked the decision to pursue a nine-month
development drilling program on Okoro and
Setu that is to begin in 3Q 2007. A fast-track
development plan is in place to produce rst
oil in early 2008.
The Bilabri eld in OML 122 is also on a fast
track. Operator Equator has leased the BW
Endeavour FPSO for a three-well, 30,000 b/d
operation that is to come onstream this year.
Other West African players
Totals Moho-Bilondo project is the key
project offshore Congo. In early April 2007,
Total made two oil discoveries in the northern
area of the permit, 80 km (50 mi) offshore.
The Moho Nord Marine-1 discovery well
encountered a 140-m (459-ft) column of oil,
and the Moho Nord Marine-2 well, about 1.5
km (1 mi) away, encountered two connected
reservoirs.
Appraisal is under way for the additional re-
serves in the three oil reservoirs, and develop-
ment plan studies have already been launched.
The wells are part of the second phase of
42 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Judy Maksoud
International Editor
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Africa offshore summary of projected field developments 2007-2011 WWW.INFIELD.COM, OTC STAND #2599
S. & E. Africa 16 0 1,321 0 29 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 545 22
West Africa 145 50 6,013 14,766 621 2 27 0 0 3 169 0 4 7,309 287
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Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page
Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page
O
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M S a
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________
For more information, circle number 28
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44 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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the campaign to add resources to the current
Phase 1 Moho-Bilondo development. An earlier
discovery, Mobi Marine 2, will be connected to
the Moho-Bilondo oating production unit.
Launched in late August 2005, the initial
Phase 1 development plan for Moho-Bilon-
do consists of 12 subsea wells tied back to a
oating production unit, with a peak output
of 90,000 b/d of oil. Production is scheduled
to begin in 2008.
Last December, Hess Corp. and partners
Tullow Oil and GEPetrol began production
from the Okume complex offshore Equato-
rial Guinea. First oil was achieved on Dec.
14 at the Okume B platform. Production will
grow during 2007 to reach 60,000 b/d peak
production in 2008.
While Hess moves to production, Devon
Energy and partners are making progress
with exploration drilling in block P offshore
Equatorial Guinea. In March, 2007, the group
announced the P-1 well on the Jupiter pros-
pect demonstrated that the major elements of
the hydrocarbon system are in place.
Though P-1 was unsuccessful, wells P-2,
P-2 sidetrack, and P-3 encountered com-
mercial hydrocarbons. Information from the
wells is being analyzed along with other re-
gional information. Based on the current es-
timates, the Green Sand discovery holds 33
MMbbl of gross recoverable oil reserves.
Devon is carrying out a feasibility study
to evaluate the commercial viability of the
project. Studies also are ongoing to evaluate
information acquired from the block to sup-
port decisions on further exploration and ap-
praisal activities within the area.
In Sept. 2006, FirstAfrica Oil completed
its initial development drilling program off-
shore Gabon in the East Orovinyare eld.
Initial production is expected in 3Q 2007 at
more than 7,000 b/d of oil.
And last December, Total added an explo-
ration and production sharing contract for
the Diaba license to its West Africa holdings.
The 9,075-sq-km (3,504-sq-mi) license lies in
100-2,500 m (328-8,202 ft) water depth 50 km
(31 mi) off southern Gabon.
The three-phase exploration program in-
cludes a 2,000-km (1,243-mi) 2D seismic sur-
vey, a 700-sq-km (270-sq-mi) 3D survey and
an obligation well.
At the southern end of West Africa, Tullow
Oil began drilling again offshore Namibia in
late 3Q 2007 on the potentially giant Kudu
gas eld.
Exploration and analysis to date suggest re-
serves of at least 3 tcf, with potential for up to 9
tcf. The parts of the reservoir drilled so far have
achieved good ows, but Tullow wants to test
other sections in a different geological setting.
Depending on the outcome of the two-
well appraisal program, development could
be expanded from the present option of fu-
eling a gas-to-power project on the border
with South Africa, to an export project, pos-
sibly involving LNG.
East Africa
Drilling is picking up offshore Kenya. In
mid-December 2006, Australias Woodside
Energy Ltd. set 51-mm (20-in) casing at
2,944 m (9,659 ft), 751 m (2,464 ft) below the
seabed and resumed drilling at the Pomboo
No. 1 well in license L-5 in the Lamu basin.
Woodside acquired 40% interest in the Ke-
nya L-5 license along with three other blocks
from Dana Petroleum Plc. subsidiary Dana
Petroleum (E&P) Ltd. in May 2003. The
blocks cover 47,500 sq km (18,340 sq mi) in
water depths to 3,000 m (9,842 ft).
In April 2006, Aminex entered into a seismic
option agreement with Upstream Petroleum
Services Ltd. over blocks L9 and L10. Under
UPSLs technical evaluation agreement, 570 km
(354 mi) of new 2D seismic were acquired over
the area as well as geochemical seabed coring
and additional seismic on prospective leads.
The area covered by this agreement is
about 5,000 sq km,(1,931 sq mi) involving
land and near-shore acreage of original Ke-
nyan blocks L9 and L10.
Last December, Australias Origin Energy
began the early stages of its Kenyan explora-
tion program with a 3,200 km (1,988 mi) seis-
mic survey in Lamu basin blocks L8 and L9.
Offshore Tanzania, EnerGulf submitted its
proposed production-sharing agreement for
the 8,000-sq-km (3,089 sq mi) Tanga block
last January, but although the company be-
lieves the block has potential for several sig-
nicant petroleum accumulations, no further
activity has yet taken place on the block.
In 2Q 2006, Aminex began acquiring a new
2D survey in the Area B transition zone of
the Nyuni license. Aminex acquired 330 km
(205 mi) of 2D marine seismic over this area
in 2005. The aim of the survey was to rm up
drilling targets for exploration wells.
Last April, East African Exploration Ltd.
farmed in to the block, agreeing to earn its
interest by acquiring new transition zone 2D
seismic data over Area B.
In March 2007, Dominion Petroleum Ltd.
signed a PSA for exploration block 7, which
covers 8,500 sq km (3,232 sq mi) in the Indian
Ocean east of Dar es Salaam. The PSA has an
initial exploration period of four years, during
which Dominion will spend at least $8.75 mil-
lion on surveys and will drill one well.
Offshore Mozambique, Anadarko Petro-
leum Corp. signed an exploration and pro-
duction concession contract last December
for Offshore Area 1 in the Rovuma basin.
The block includes 90,000 onshore acres
and stretches eastward 56 km (35 mi) offshore
into 1,800 m (6,000 ft) water depth. The blocks
boundary borders Tanzania to the north and
extends southward 160 km (100 mi).
Anadarko has identied multiple leads across
the area and is planning a ve-year initial explo-
ration term, with options to extend that phase
another three years.
More money is moving into this region, but
until there is a world-class nd, East Africa will
remain a side note to West Africas melody.
Africas bit players
Dana Petroleum and partners are forging ahead with a drilling campaign offshore
Mauritania. The most recent qualifed success took place last December, when the
group made an oil discovery on block 7. Though the discovery was not commercial,
it was encouraging enough to ensure Danas continued exploration activity in the
under-explored area.
Another considerably under-explored province is offshore Senegal, where there
have been nearly 50 wells drilled in the last 50 years. Almost half of the wells were in
the Casamance basin. Most of the discoveries have been oil, with primary produc-
tion coming from the Dome Flore and Gea felds, jointly operated by Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau. Thirteen wells have been drilled in the Dome Flore block, with sev-
eral penetrating heavy oil deposits. Two wells have hit lighter crude.
The primary activity off Senegal is a seismic survey First Australian Resources
Ltd. began in February 2007. The survey will be the largest 3D survey conducted in
the area, comprising 2,050 sq km (792 sq mi), including prospect C1 in the southwest
corner of the Sangomar offshore block.
The new survey follows Edisons recently completed 1,500-sq-km (579-sq-mi)
survey in the Rufsque Deep offshore block. The Rufsque Offshore Profond license
covers the northernmost inshore section of the Senegalese offshore area and ad-
joins Mauritanian block 1.
In early 2005, Woodside acquired exploration acreage off Liberia in the countrys
frst offshore licensing round.
Woodsides acreage adjoins blocks held by joint venturer Repsol in neighboring
Sierra Leone. Woodside and Repsol each hold a 50% interest in two blocks immedi-
ately west of Liberia in Sierra Leone, giving them interests in fve adjoining blocks
across the two countries.
Woodsides initial four-year work commitment in Liberia includes acquiring 600
km (373 mi) of 2D seismic data and 1,600 sq km (618 sq mi) of 3D data.
In Dec. 2002, Tullow and Addax Petroleum signed an exploration license with the
Cameroon Government for the shallow-water Ngosso area, which contains small oil
discoveries, including Narendi, Odiong, and Oongue. A 3D survey, covering 207 sq
km, was completed in 1Q 2006. There is a chance that two wells will be drilled this
year, most likely in 4Q.
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Caspian fields boost
regional production
Middle East invests in gas
S
hah Deniz, one of the largest oil and
gas elds in the world at an estimat-
ed 1.5-3 Bbbl of oil and 50-100 bcm of
gas, came onstream last December.
Full production could reach 37,000
b/d of condensate and 20 MMcf/d of gas.
Spending for upstream and midstream de-
velopment is expected to exceed $3 billion.
The Shah Deniz structure is in the south
Caspian Sea 70 km (43 mi) southeast of Baku
in water depths ranging from 50 m to 600 m
(164-1,969 ft).
KCA Drilling Ltd. performed front-end
design, construction, and commissioning on
the drilling facilities and operations. Plans for
later in the elds life call for a second drilling
center in 300 m (984 ft) of water, 5 km (3 mi)
south of the rst one. The second center is
expected to be a subsea satellite with wells
tied back to a manifold and owlines to the
xed platform for gas/liquids separation and
subsequent subsea pipeline to shore.
A seismic survey commissioned by BP in
late February will further delineate the Shah
Deniz eld. Reservoir Exploration Technol-
ogy ASA will carry out a ve-month 4C seis-
mic survey beginning in 4Q 2007.
In late Oct. 2006, the BP-operated Azer-
baijan International Operating Co. (AIOC)
began oil production from the East Azeri
platform in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG)
eld in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian.
Production, which began four months ahead
of schedule, marks the completion of Phase
2 of the ACG eld development. ACG is the
largest oil eld under development in the
region.
Phase 3, which will develop the deepwa-
ter Gunashli area of ACG, is on schedule to
begin production in 2008.
East Azeri (EA) lies in 150 m (492 ft) wa-
ter depth on the east side of the Azeri eld.
Production will increase through mid-2007
as the other pre-drilled wells are brought
online. When it reaches plateau, the EA fa-
cility will produce 260,000 b/d, bringing Az-
eri production, including West and Central
Azeri, to over 800,000 b/d.
Dragon Oil, meanwhile, is continuing its
drilling program in the Cheleken contract
area of the Turkmen sector of the Caspian.
The company signed a ve-year extension
for the Iran Khazar jackup in early March.
Around that time, another jackup, the Astra,
completed perforating and testing of a well
from the LAM 13 platform, which tested at
a rate of up to 1,525 b/d of oil from three
reservoir zones.
In addition to the drilling program, Drag-
on is planning a sustained program of work-
overs through 2007, with the objective of
drilling up to 25 development and appraisal
wells. The company also has budgeted $500
million this year for new production plat-
forms, offshore facility upgrades, new pipe-
lines, and enhanced export capability.
Brazils Petrobras, in a cooperative effort
with the National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) will
invest at least $470 million to develop Cas-
pian Sea reserves. According to NIOC, ne-
gotiations for cooperation between Iran and
Brazil have been nalized, and a contract is
pending. The work scope covers three wells
in blocks 6 and 29 offshore Iran.
Aral Sea
There were some interesting developments
late last year in the Aral Sea when the mem-
bers of a consortium of investors, including
Uzbekneftegaz, Lukoil Overseas, Petronas
Carigali Overseas, CNPC International Ltd.,
and KNOC Aral Ltd., signed a joint operating
agreement and a single-operator agreement
to implement a production-sharing agree-
ment (PSA) in the Uzbek sector of the sea.
The original PSA was signed Aug. 30,
2006, in Tashkent. In late October 2006, the
government of the Republic of Uzbekistan
adopted a resolution on measures required
to implement the project.
Exploration operations will be carried out
in two phases. In the rst phase, which cov-
ers three years, a 2,300-km (1,429-mi) 2D
seismic survey will be shot and two explo-
ration wells drilled for a minimal nancial
commitment of $99.8 million.
Phase two exploration operations, which
will last for 35 years, will be undertaken
after the commercial terms of the PSA are
approved.
Black Sea
The Black Sea saw a fair amount of activ-
ity in 2006, and drilling plans are in place for
2007.
In 4Q 2006, Toreador Resources Corp. and
partners TPAO and Stratic Energy Corp. hit
gas with the Akcakoca-3 well offshore Tur-
key. The well encountered 81 m (266 ft) of
gas-bearing sands in seven zones.
Akcakoca-3 was the 10th successful well
drilled in the South Akcakoca sub-basin gas
project and the rst well drilled by Toreador
and its joint venture partners to assess the
reserve potential along the Akcakoca trend
in waters too deep for jackup rig operations.
Toreador hit more Black Sea gas with the
Guluc-1 well in mid-March this year. Guluc-
1 owed approximately 17 MMcf/d of gas
from a fault-separated prospect along the
46 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
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International Editor
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Middle East offshore summary of projected field developments 2007-2011 WWW.INFIELD.COM, OTC STAND #2599
Middle East 48 2 94,224 369 22 8 1 0 0 8 179 30 2 8,569 42
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same trend as the Akcakoca-3 well in the
deeper waters of the project area.
With operations complete on Guluc-1 the
rig will move to Bulgarian waters to begin
work for Melrose Resources plc., which in
late January announced its plans for an ex-
ploration drilling program offshore Bulgaria
for later this year.
The company holds 100% working inter-
est in four exploration concessions in the
Bulgarian portion of the Western Black Sea
covering over 10,000 sq km (3,861 sq mi).
Melrose plans to begin a drilling program
that includes three rm and two optional
wells. Drilling is expected to begin by late
March.
The rst well will be in the Bourgas Deep
block. The Izgrev No.1 exploration well will
be the rst in this area of the Black Sea. The
second well, Obzor No.1, is in Block Kaliakra
99 in 650 m (2,133 ft) water depth. The third
well will be the Ropotamo No.1 exploration
well in block Rezovska 45 km (28 mi) east of
the Bulgarian coast in 160 m (525 ft) water
depth. Ropotamo No.1 will be the rst well
in this region of the Black Sea.
Depending on drilling results, up to two
further wells could be drilled.
For scal year 2007, Toreador has bud-
geted about $52.5 million (64% of the total
budget) for Turkey and is making plans for
additional drilling in August on the Thrace
Black Sea permit area in the extreme west-
ern end of Turkeys coastal waters.
Highlights
from the Middle East
In February, Saudi Aramco signed a con-
tract with Belgium dredging contractor Jan
De Nul to develop the 900,000-b/d Manifa
offshore oil eld.
Jan De Nul will carry out dredging work
in the Gulf before building several drilling
islands and a 41-km (24.5-mi) causeway that
will provide Saudi Aramco with a direct link
from the coast to shallow-water offshore
manmade drilling islands. The initial project
is scheduled for completion in 2009.
This is the rst lump-sum turnkey contract
to be signed under Saudi Aramcos Manifa
development program, the companys larg-
est offshore project. The objective is to add
900,000 b/d of oil production by 2011.
Last July, ExxonMobil Middle East Gas
Marketing Ltd., Qatar, and Qatar Petroleum
(QP) signed a development plan for phase
two of the Al Khaleej Gas project off Qatar.
Plans call for production of 1,580 MMcf/d
gas from the North eld when AKG-2 is op-
erational in 2009.
Al-Khaleej gas is being developed concur-
In addition to the drilling
program, Dragon is planning
a sustained program of
workovers through 2007, with
the objective of drilling up to 25
development and appraisal wells.
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rent with the Ras Laffan LNG Expansion
Project. Total investment for AKG-2 is ex-
pected to be more than $3 billion.
AKG-2 development will involve construc-
tion of offshore and onshore facilities, in-
cluding two wellhead platforms, gas treating
and liquids recovery facilities, and fraction-
ation operations. The onshore components
will be built adjacent to other RasGas facili-
ties in Ras Laffan Industrial City.
A subsidiary of J. Ray McDermott S.A.
won the contract for engineering, procure-
ment, construction, and installation of the
two wellhead platforms and pipelines.
The intra-eld pipeline included in the
new contract will connect the platforms with
38-in. wet gas export trunk lines. The plat-
forms will be connected to the RasGas Alpha
Complex by two separate power and ber-
optic subsea cables.
Construction is scheduled to begin in May
2007 at McDermotts Jebel Ali yard, with in-
stallation scheduled for completion in 2009.
In Feb. 2007, Qatar Petroleum offered
ExxonMobil Middle East Marketing Ltd. an
opportunity to participate in the Barzan gas
project. The offer brought with it the right to
participate in all future phases of the project
as well.
The initial phase of the project will supply
domestic gas to meet Qatars infrastructure
and industry growth.
The companies expect the initial phase of
the Barzan project to yield about 1.5 bcf/d of
sales gas. Startup is anticipated in 2012.
In March, Maersk Oil Qatar AS awarded
the National Petroleum Construction Co. of
Abu Dhabi the pipeline contract for block 5
development at Al Shaheen eld.
The work scope includes design, engineer-
ing, procurement, fabrication, offshore installa-
tion, and testing of 260 km (162 mi) of subma-
rine in addition to 60 km (37 mi) of submarine
power and communication cables, and associ-
ated works. Water depths range from 52 m to
70 m (171-230 ft).
The rst work is scheduled for comple-
tion by the end of 2007 and the remainder
by mid-2009.
Most of the work offshore the United
Arab Emirates aims at increasing gas pro-
duction as well.
In early March, Dolphin Energy Ltd. be-
gan testing its gas receiving and distribution
facilities at Taweelah, Abu Dhabi.
Gas is being received from Qatar Petroleum
(QP) for Dolphins export pipeline connecting
Qatar with the UAE. Early commissioning
saves many weeks of commissioning work
that would otherwise have been required in
the summer.
With Taweelah facilities commissioning com-
plete, Dolphin will supply up to 400 MMcf/d of
this gas to Dubai. The arrangement for early
gas deliveries with QP will come to an end when
Dolphins own gas is received from Qatar in mid-
summer for UAE customers.
In May 2006, appraisal/development drill-
ing got under way with the West Bukha-2
well in block 8, which lies 25 km (15.5 mi)
offshore Oman. The eld is being developed
via a wellhead platform.
Indago Petroleum Ltd. carried appraisal
forward with a 3D seismic survey over the
eld in August, the results of which will un-
dergo evaluation during the rst half of 2007.
In November, the company completed the
initial ow test on the Bukha-2 well, identi-
fying signicant oil and gas deposits. The
main objective of the well was to prove the
commerciality of the Mishrif-Mauddud res-
ervoir. Tests concluded in January.
More seismic surveying took place off-
shore Oman in Oct. 2006, with Circle Oil Plc.
contracting TGS-Nopec Geophysical Co.
(UK) Ltd. for a 2D survey over the 90,000-
sq-km (34,749-sq-mi) block 52 off the south-
west coast.
The survey, which concluded in March
2007, covered 6,300 km (3,915 mi) of seis-
mic data plus shipborne gravity data. Initial
data interpretation is scheduled to begin in
early summer.
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New impact technology could
revolutionize wireline logging
Moving intervention into a new zone
S
ince the introduction of slickline
technology for wellbore intervention,
there has been a need for a measure-
ment device that can determine not
only the strain on the wire, but the
forces applied to the toolstring.
Today, what stands between a successful
intervention and a miss-run is the skill of
the slickline operator and the surface weight
indicator, known as a load cell.
Newly introduced impact sensor technol-
ogy changes the status quo. Now, an opera-
tor using impact jars and manipulating tool
strings to impact a device for installation or
retrieval no longer has to rely solely on skill
and a surface weight indicator.
Value of impact
sensor technology
Impact sensors enhance the operators
understanding of the downhole conditions
by combining the weight indicator, the engi-
neer, and the impact sensor.
According to Stuart McLaughlin, presi-
dent of Impact Guidance Systems Inc.,
impact sensors aid in training slickline op-
erators because they allow the operator to
better understand what is occurring down-
hole by supplying results and information.
Using pressure and temperature sen-
sors and the ability to log with jarring, the
system can be used when retrieving devices
that can have differential trapped behind
them. Sensors also can be used when shift-
ing SSDs and can monitor U tube effects of
uid at depth, McLaughlin says
Evaluating the challenges
The primary reason for deploying impact
sensors is to produce digital data. The data
can be shown on charts that display the ac-
tual forces being applied to a given toolstring
conguration at depth. Toolstring congura-
tions differ greatly, and there can be hun-
dreds if not thousands of ways to congure
a toolstring assembly for a given installation
or retrieval, McLaughlin says. Completion
geometry also differs from eld to eld, and
toolstring dimensions must change to ac-
commodate this.
Another consideration is horizontal com-
pletion technology, which greatly acceler-
ates production, but greatly reduces func-
tionality of slickline deployed equipment,
McLaughlin explains. Wellbore deviation
causes friction on toolstrings, which reduces
the functionality of the impact jars. Reduced
jar functionality ultimately impedes the op-
eration, sometimes to the point that the op-
eration cannot be completed successfully.
While the application of impact sensor tech-
nology benets both the service provider and
the operator, it does not eliminate the need for a
surface weight indicator or load cell, McLaugh-
lin says. To function properly, the technology
requires the application of three critical compo-
nents; the impact sensor, the load cell, and the
skill of the slickline engineer.
Applying the technology
Impact sensor technology has been used
with slickline toolstrings in over 100 applica-
tions since its launch in September 2005, says
McLaughlin. The technology had been applied
by electric line, coiled tubing, drilling, and res-
ervoir analysis groups as well as others in the
industry, but it was applied less than two years
ago to the slickline intervention business.
The primary reason impact technology
was not applied to slickline operations soon-
er, McLaughlin explains, was a reluctance
resulting from the perceived risk associated
with deploying slickline into the well bore
where an unknown event could cause irrep-
arable damage to the completion system or
at the very least, a costly exercise in equip-
ment recovery.
In fact, using impact sensors with the slick-
line toolstring eliminates many unknown risk
factors by supplying the operator with known
parameters being applied at depth.
Using impact sensors
with downhole equipment
McLaughlin says the design of the impact
sensor is in line with todays slickline tool-
string geometry. The system comprises
a single modular structure that emulates
slickline weight bars in terms of dimension
and physical properties. The modular design
permits implementation of the system below
the mechanical impact jarring tool.
The location of the sensor is critical to its
reliability. When placed below the mechani-
cal impact jar, the sensor only sees impact
forces when it is in one of two positions:
latched onto a device in preparation for im-
pacting downwards with the mechanical jar
and latched onto a device in preparation to
upwardly impact with the mechanical jar,
McLaughlin explains.
Positioning determines the ability to ac-
celerate the impact sensor prior to impact
and protects the electronics packaged with-
in the tool from damage resulting from the
massive deceleration process after the me-
chanical jars impact.
McLaughlin says the physical properties
of the impact sensor must meet or exceed
that of the toolstring to which it is attached
and must be able to withstand impact forc-
es of varying degrees of severity. Where
smaller diameter toolstrings are used, im-
pact forces are generally reduced; so a cali-
brated impact sensor would be supplied for
that application.
Material selection is also critical. The
sensor must be of at least the level of the
material composition to which it is mated,
56 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Judy Maksoud
International Editor
DRI LLI NG & COMPLETI ON
Impact sensors can determine if a sliding sleeve
is open or closed and can read the inclination
of the tool string at depth. They also measure
temperature and pressure.
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58 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
DRI LLI NG & COMPLETI ON
McLaughlin says. Compatibility aids in the
sensors force recognition capability because
the sensor does not have to determine dif-
ferent material yields from one toolstring to
another, a factor that can cause differences
in acquired impact data.
Jarring tools
The system is design to operate with the
minimum of human interface but does have
the ability to be programmed with various
cycles for alternate toolstring congura-
tions, McLaughlin says. The system incor-
porates timing sequences that permit the
operator to increase or decrease record in-
tervals during impact events that are occur-
ring downhole:
Where mechanical jars are to be used,
the operator may only require a ve-
second record time during each impact
event and prior to re-setting the jars for
the next impact event
Where hydraulic jars are to be used, the
operator, may require a longer record in-
terval due to low temperatures to ensure
the hydraulic jar impact event is captured.
When a hydraulic jar is activated in a low
temperature well, ring times for the jars
can extend to several minutes.
The impact event itself is critically im-
portant, McLaughlin says, and can vary in
length and force as a result of several fac-
tors, including:
Acceleration
Deceleration
Toolstring weight
Toolstring deviation
Tubing size
Wellbore uid
Winch speed
Wire size
Wellhead/lubricator pressure.
Duration is also a factor. Two impact events
of the same force can be applied to the same
device with different results, McLaughlin ex-
plains. This happens when the length of the
impact event changes as follows:
9.072 kg (20,000 lb) impact force with a
duration of 20 ms.
9,072 kg (20,000 lb) impact force with a
duration of 200 ms.
While both impacts are of the same force,
the time the force was applied to the device
changes by a factor of 10. This type of impact
event frequently is seen in toolstrings, and the
results can cause enormous variations in the
ability to install or retrieve a specic device.
The problem, McLaughlin explains, is that
impact duration is not generally measured.
It is clear that the ability to understand
the impact duration for a specic toolstring
assembly can greatly enhance the success of
a particular intervention, McLaughlin says.
Impact jars are complex pieces of equip-
ment, but the point at which the stored en-
ergy is released to create an impact event is
by far the most dynamic consideration. The
variety and variability of conditions that jars
are exposed too is so diverse that no amount
of testing can ensure that the jar will func-
tion as required in various conditions every
time, McLaughlin says.
Impact testing
theory, application
From testing to application, McLaughlin
says, impact sensors have shown that while
some of the theory that was believed to be
true was indeed valid, other accepted theo-
ries do not match up to best practices.
Testing jars using impact sensors reveals
that jars manufactured to release a calcu-
lated force do not perform the same on the
test bed at surface as they do downhole,
McLaughlin says.
While this observation itself is not star-
tling, McLaughlin says, what is surprising is
that the loss of force discovered during test-
ing and in live well applications is far greater
than expected. In some cases during live well
application at depth with moderate, 40o devia-
tion, the impact sensors are showing that the
loss from the jars at depth can exceed 40%.
When the multitude of toolstring congu-
rations a single jar design can be impacted by
is taken into account, it is evident that there
are many open questions regarding what is
really happening at depth, McLaughin says.
Is the result of miss-runs in the eld due
more to jar performance, or are well condi-
tions to blame? he asks.
Impact sensor calibration
For an impact sensor to be used as an ac-
curate method of analyzing impact force, the
unit has to be calibrated to a known standard
so a true measurement can be determined.
Many of the output forces a device gener-
ates are based on mathematical calculations
that can give an indication of the expected
force in a perfect environment, but adding
Applications where impact
sensor technology is being used
Heavy duty fshing operations
Plug setting
Plug retrieval
Sliding side doors (SSD) manipulation
Side Pocket Mandrels (SPM) manipu-
lation
Safety valve change-out
Bridge plug retrieval
Tubing Conveyed Perforating (TCP)
gun fring force recognition
High-deviation device installation/re-
trieval
Formation isolation valve (FIV) ma-
nipulation
Crown plug installation/retrieval
Tubing patch retrieval
Pressure and temperature logging
(long/short term)
Differential pressure analysis (plug
retrieval)
Pressure test confrmation at depth
(plug setting)
Drift with bottomhole survey
Day-to-day operations with pressure/
temperature survey
Gradient surveys
Static surveys
All of these application can be
performed in combination with the
onboard sensors built into the impact
sensor module. The ability for the
system to withstand impact forces of
110,000 lb (48,895 kg) for a 1.75-in. (44.5
mm) diameter tool negates the need for
separate drift runs or alternate inter-
ventions to take place.
The ability of the impact sensors
gauges to withstand these forces al-
lows the sensors to be deployed in any
toolstring wellbore application, includ-
ing heavy duty fshing operations, with-
out the need to frst make a drift run.
The impact sensor is placed below the jarring tool.
Rope socket
Weight bar
Hydraulic
impact jars
Spangs
Impact sensor
Run/Pulling tool
Plug
Mechanical spang jars
Upward and downward
impacts recorded
Tubing
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variables such as uid, scale, angle, pressure, and temperature, can
affect the true output value, McLaughlin says.
One example is wireline jars, McLaughlin says. Jars are de-
signed to initiate an output force once manipulated. Based on recent
verication testing using impact sensors, we have seen that once
environmental variables are introduced, values can change dramati-
cally, which means the desired output may not be achieved.
Wireline Jars are generally tested on a service providers test bed.
Without a known, accurately calibrated standard, it is not possible to de-
termine the true output force from the test bed and from the device be-
ing tested, McLaughlin says. Service providers generally manufacture
their test beds to their own internal standards, so it is likely that there is
a variance between the test beds of one company and another.
One method of ensuring consistency is to calibrate the test bed to
a known standard. Standard ASTM-E-4-03 is dened by the Ameri-
can Society for Testing and Materials. The standard incorporates the
guidelines for force verication by means of a calibration device.
In order to satisfy ASTM-E-4, the impact sensor can be calibrated
in line with a load cell and a precise loading force. Once calibrated,
the impact sensor was capable of measuring the applied force within
a tolerance of +/- 0.03%, McLaughlin said.
A calibrated impact sensor can be made up to the bottom of a jar
either on a test bed or downhole environment and can be used to
determine the true output force with reference to a known industry
standard.
Surface equipment interface
An impact sensor is a memory-based system that has to be pro-
grammed prior to installation. The USB serial interface of the device
IGS has designed couples both the surface PC and the impact sensor via
a USB cable and interface box, McLaughlin explains. A probe attached
at the interface box is inserted into the impact sensor receptacle on the
female thread end of the tool to be programmed.
Programming in this manner eliminates the need for breaking down
or unscrewing modular assemblies, McLaughlin says, so it simplies
programming and saves a lot of time. It also maintains sensor integrity.
An isolation plug is inserted into the female threaded portion after the
tool is programmed to ensure no hydrocarbons enter the assembly.
The surface interface allows the operator to program the system
with a one-touch, one-button operation, which reduces the possibility
of programmable human error, McLaughlin says.
The surface PC operating system walks the operator through the
programming process and informs the operator what can and cannot be
accommodated during programming.
Old vs. new
Slickline engineers have always known that when jarring at shal-
low depth less than 305 m (1,000 ft) the preferred method for
applying a signicant force is to jar by hand, holding the wire and
manipulating it by pulling and releasing it.
Using a wireline winch at shallow depths is not ideal, McLaughlin
explains, because the winch is generally hydraulically operated and
cannot react quickly enough at shallow depths for efcient jar action
to be applied. Whilst the theory is widely accepted, until now, it has
never been proven other than in consistent and successful hand jar-
ring application, McLaughlin says.
Applying impacts at depth with the wireline winch at 131 m (430 ft)
enabled a maximum impact force of 3,050 lb (1,383 kg). When the impact
was carried out by hand, however, the results were drastically improved
and showed a maximum impact force of 4,200 lb (1,905 kg).
This theory is now proven through the impact sensors ability to
supply accurate and consistent data, McLaughlin says.
For more information, circle number 37
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For more information, circle number 38
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High-resolution LWD image
logs versus wireline image logs
62 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
W
ellbore stability analysis using wireline borehole images
is well established. Today, high-resolution logging-while-
drilling (LWD) images are available, and they offer infor-
mation in real time, as well as the opportunity to acquire
time-lapse information through re-logging while tripping.
Drilling practices continually push well design boundaries in the
areas of extended reach drilling, high pressure, and geometrically
complex well design. These scenarios require increasingly sophisti-
cated wellbore stability management. With the real-time information
within the while-drilling high-resolution images, a method has been
developed for real-time incorporation in to well bore stability man-
agement that will reduce risks in these challenging well conditions.
Understanding application differences
Wireline data, geophysical information, and offset well data are
used to dene a pre-well earth model. A wireline image measure-
ment of the borehole often yields information on the near-wellbore
stress regime. While such measurements are useful, by nature the
well has already been safely drilled. Casing strategy and mud weight
schedules based on the pre-well model are hence most often locked
into a drilling program.
The well bore integrity challenge until now has been that geome-
chanical modeling work is carried out up front and is rarely usefully
updated up in real time, where the greatest chance of failure is dur-
ing the drilling execution phase. In addition, real-time pore pressure
prediction techniques based on acoustic data, resistivity data, and
mud logging data help to rene the pre-drill model but still do not
dene the wellbore stress mechanism.
High resolution real-time LWD measurements can inuence cur-
rent and future drilling activity through indicating this stress mecha-
nism helping to calibrate the eld and pre-well stress model on the
y. Dynamic events such as induced fractures and well-threatening
instability are detected by these LWD images.
Understanding of the differences between the application of while-
drilling (LWD) and wireline imaging measurements allows us to use
both appropriately where we see good use for LWD images in the real-
time domain and wireline images in the pre-well modeling domain.
Comparing LWD and wireline logging
There are three fundamental differences between LWD and wire-
line electrical image logs:
Time of acquisition: Wireline logs are usually acquired 2-10 days
after drilling, whereas LWD logs are acquired minutes to hours
after drilling. With increasing time, ltercake build-up and inva-
sion increase as do the likelihood and potential severity of break-
out and other types of wall damage. In addition, induced fracture
aperture will not be at a maximum and is likely to be masked by
ltercake or annealing. LWD data can be acquired again on trip-
ping out of hole, up to a few days later, in which case the borehole
environment may be closer to that of wireline
Physical environment: Image acquisition on a dynamic platform
(e.g. rotating) is subject to vibration with dynamic pressure and
temperature changes, whereas wireline images are acquired at
equilibrium with a static uid column and tool motion determined
largely by the logger. Despite the dynamic environment LWD re-
cords the borehole in its most pristine condition (before deteriora-
tion and mud invasion)
Type of measurement: Wireline logs from an offset well can have
a complete suite of measurements for a post-well geomechanical
study, which forms the basis of a pre-well stability model. As wireline
measurements have been available for longer than while-drilling an-
alogues the assumptions, limitations and response sensitivities are
often better understood and integrated into processing workows.
Wireline electrical image logs are made using a series of buttons
on pads pressed onto the borehole wall, providing high resolution
but only partial borehole coverage. Conversely, LWD electrical im-
ages use drillstring rotation to scan the borehole wall using a single
sensor providing full borehole coverage and the ability to interpret
non-sinusoidal and discontinuous features on the borehole wall.
Well V sedimentological
and geomechanical characteristics
Data was used from a vertical well that was logged with high-reso-
lution LWD, wireline electrical imaging tools, and a range of other
G. Lindsay
S. Morris
J. Lofts
Inteq
S. Ong
Baker Atlas
DRI LLI NG & COMPLETI ON
The LWD image, left, shows induced fractures and wireline image over
the same interval in which induced fractures are not visible. Note that
induced fractures terminate against the more competent cemented zones.
Both images pick out thin laminations well.
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66 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
DRI LLI NG & COMPLETI ON
wireline measurements (including acoustic). The well was set in an
extensional basin of the North Sea and penetrates Jurassic uvial
and littoral sedimentary rocks.
Good agreement is seen between LWD and wireline images for
sedimentilogical features (bedding and lamination). In addition, rea-
sonable agreement is seen for structural features. However, poor
agreement between LWD and wireline geomechanical features may
be due to:
Time lag differences between LWD and wireline: Drilling induced
fractures (DIFs) were poorly imaged. This is caused by healing
of DIFs following drilling. The features are not threatening well-
bore integrity but are an indication that the mud weight is too high
which may also have caused hydraulic slowing of rate of penetra-
tion and an increase in mud loss to the formation.
Poor log quality: Caused by borehole shape. However, both break-
out and DIFs occur together but may not have been formed si-
multaneously.
Incomplete borehole coverage: DIFs missed due to gap between
pads. However, the arc width on the borehole of DIFs is greater
than the non-imaged gap between the wireline pads, indicating the
addition of healing lowering their visibility.
Geomechanical image analysis
In geomechanical modeling, an earth model should be calibrated
through back analysis of well data in order to lend credibility to for-
ward predictions. Borehole images showing failure features such as
breakout and DIFs provide the best source of information for con-
straining the far-eld stress tensor. Ideally for real-time applications,
a pre-well model should be constructed using offset well data and
then calibrated while drilling using LWD data to generate an opti-
mum solution for management of wellbore integrity.
The data from Well V were used to construct a pre-well geome-
chanical model using LWD and wireline image data, compressional
& shear slowness and leak-off tests (LOT). A stress polygon for this
well was plotted in which a friction coefcient of 0.7 was used to
constrain the maximum horizontal stress bounding the strike-slip
regime. Superimposed on the stress polygon were two failure lines
that delineate the limit of tensile and shear failures at a mud weight
of 1.83 SG. Due to high mud weight the wellbore was mostly in ten-
sion, resulting in the formation of DIFs.
Conversely, the occurrence of shear failure or breakout will be
inhibited by high mud weight except in low strength sections or in-
tervals having high in-situ stress anisotropy. This initial assessment
of plausible failure mechanisms is supported by areas bounded by
failure lines on the stress polygon for a normal fault regime of which
the latter is common in the North Sea.
An abundance of DIFs interspersed with some minor breakouts
are visible on the LWD images. The presence of these provides
real-time calibration of the pre-well geomechanical model. Using a
horizontal stress anisotropy value of 1.17 derived from the stress
polygon, the mud weight required to initiate hydraulic fracture and
breakout were calculated and plotted with depth. The mud weight
used was superimposed on the diagram. In most cases the static
mud weight is less than the fracture initiation pressure (FIP), but
the equivalent circulating density (ECD) exceeds FIP for most of
the interval, resulting in the formation of DIFs during drilling. Bore-
hole breakout developed at several intervals where collapse pres-
sure exceeded mud weight.
The agreement in occurrence of DIF and breakout between pre-
well model and measurement is coincidental. In most cases, the
pre-well model normally requires substantial adjustment in order to
match well measurements. Borehole breakout can be used to ne
tune the model to match breakout width and the calibrated model
can then be used to optimize drilling parameters and performance.
Real-time images
Wellbore instability problems while drilling range from slight (vi-
bration, stick-slip, irregular weight transfer) to severe (stuck pipe,
lost circulation, wellbore collapse).
Determining a real time solution is a challenge as the symptoms
are often similar but the remedial action very different. Before the
advent of high resolution LWD images, insufcient information in
real time meant certain features (ledges, spiraling, chemical dis-
equilibrium and unconsolidated sandstone) may have been misin-
terpreted as borehole stress indicators.
This challenge has been met by the availability of high resolution
images while drilling, which can be used in three main ways to aid
interpretation:
Structural interpretation: Accurate dip picking in all wellbore ori-
entations can be used to examine the relationship of bedding to
the wellbore, with reference to the pre-well model and to check
that geometry-dependent mechanical assumptions are correct.
Dips can be used to conrm surface orientations in a seismic mod-
el, allowing prediction of approaching pressure and mechanical
changes. By adding the sub-seismic detail, pore pressure regime
and potential geomechanical settings can be predicted. In addi-
tion, smaller scale components such as sandbody geometry can
be delineated, allowing pore pressure centroid calculation
Sedimentary interpretation: Identication of lithology and fab-
rics allows comparison with analogous environments. These are
particularly useful where there is an offset core from which mea-
sured rock strength properties may be used to rene the pre-well
model. Successful identication of thin beds or inter-sandstone
mudrock layers will enhance the understanding of potential pres-
sure compartmentalization and differentiating them from bore-
hole problems (ledging and spalling)
Geomechanical features: The identication of breakout, DIFs, en-
hancement of natural fractures and shear plane failures indicate
how the formation (and the borehole) is reacting to the drilling
process and their magnitude can be compared to the pre-well
model. These features are the most critical for determining chang-
es to drilling parameters.
Real-time images
in wellbore integrity management
The pre-well model incorporates features which identify potential
drilling hazards, also including offset well logs, seismic models and
core data. Following this, a well logging program can be designed
to deliver sufcient real-time data, including images, to identify
wellbore integrity issues. These include at least gamma ray and re-
sistivity logs for correlation with offsets, a compressional acoustic
measurement and a high resolution image for identication of geo-
mechanical features. Formation pressure measurements are useful
for calibration of the pore pressure model.
The logging requirements then dictate the BHA design, drilling pa-
rameters, and contingency logging options which will include an assess-
ment of likely wellbore instability problems. The well program allows
drillers to make wellbore stability decisions up to a pre-dened limit.
Understanding of the differences between the application of while-
drilling and wireline imaging measurements allows us to use both ap-
propriately where we see good use for LWD images in the real-time
domain and wireline images in the pre-well modeling domain.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Jose Cabrera and Chris Wolf for their input to this paper. Ad-
ditionally we thank the operator for allowing data usage.
Editors Note: This is a summary of a paper presented at the 2007 SPE/IADC
Drilling Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Feb. 2022, 2007.
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Oil-based mud imaging
tool meets challenges
Overcoming a persistent limitation
W
ith advancements in drilling tech-
nology have come equivalent
advancements in the uids used
with this technology. Improved
oil and synthetic based drilling
uids (muds) have been developed and are
being used to drill wells in hostile environ-
ments where high pressures, high tempera-
tures, thick shales, and shale sloughing are
encountered. Both the risks and costs for
these wells are high.
While the improved uids have gained in-
dustry support for their efciency and useful-
ness, they have also complicated the logging
processes involved in collecting the data nec-
essary to evaluate difcult drilling prospects.
One of the challenges is from oil-based and
other non-conductive muds used in drilling
thin beds, shale, and low-resistive formations.
Evaluation challenges
The evaluation of thinly bedded forma-
tions poses unique challenges for the in-
dustry. Exactly what constitutes a thin bed
is argued by petrophysicists, but a general
denition might be any bed with a thickness
that is less than the vertical resolution of the
standard open hole log suite (e.g. a quad
combo), which in most cases is between 1
and 2 ft. As the bedding thickness decreas-
es, accurate reservoir characterization be-
comes increasingly difcult. In the limit of
centimeter-thick bedding, detection of the
reservoir is at risk.
A typical solution to the above problem is
to augment the standard log suite with high
vertical resolution electrical images. Some
logging tools can generate electrical im-
ages with vertical resolution on the order
of a tenth of an inch. When used in concert
with the standard log suite, the electrical
images facilitate a more complete charac-
terization and evaluation of a thinly-bedded
reservoir.
Common imaging applications include
high vertical resolution pay zone volumetrics
(both uids and minerals), pay zone detec-
tion (in extreme thin bed /low contrast
pay zones), structural and stratigraphic dips,
sedimentary features and textures, and net-
to-gross sand counts. Also, identication of
faults and unconformities, evaluation of sedi-
68 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Paul Elliott
Halliburton Wireline
and Perforating Services
DRI LLI NG & COMPLETI ON
Once on bottom, the six calipers arms are opened, the pads are energized, and the log is re-
corded in the up direction between 10 and 30 fpm, depending on borehole conditions.
Fiberglass
sleeve
5 in
12.70 cm
4.25 in
10.8 cm
Instrument
section
163.31 in
414.81 cm
Mandrel
330.5 in
839.47 cm
167.19 in
424.66 cm
5 in
12.70 cm
Max OD
5.5 in
at standoffs
with pad closed
61.68 in
156.67 cm
with arms
retracted
24.60 in
62.48 cm
with arms
retracted
The OMRI tool is 27.54 ft in length, 5.5-in. in
diameter, and can operate in a hole as small as
6.5-in. or as large as 16-in. diameter.
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mentary sequences and ow units, lithologic
unit thickness, secondary porosity evaluation,
sequence stratigraphy analysis and borehole
stresses analysis.
While electrical imaging technology has
been available for 20 years and has seen cer-
tain advances in performance (e.g. dynamic
range, borehole coverage), there has been
one persistent limitation--the drilling mud
must be electrically conductive. In virtually
all water-based mud systems, this condition
is satised. The electrical currents that com-
prise the images are able to easily pass be-
tween the imaging tool and the formation.
However, in oil-based mud (OBM) sys-
tems quite the opposite condition is pres-
ent. Oil muds and mud cakes are virtually
perfect insulators and current passage from
conventional imaging tools to the formation
is almost impossible. Clearly, a new type of
sensor technology is required to satisfy the
demand for electrical images in oil muds.
New imaging technology
After several years of research and develop-
ment into OBM imaging, Halliburton recently
introduced its Oil Mud Reservoir Imager
(OMRI) to the industry. The tool uses sensor
technology capable of electrical current gener-
ation in the formation without direct coupling
to generate high resolution electrical images.
The tool has no dependency on mud
conductivity, and the sensor performs in all
types of oil mud systems, whether synthetic
or natural. The tool retains the six-arm con-
guration of previous imaging tools to offer
the same degree of borehole coverage. Each
of the six arms is independent and each pad
is articulated in two axes. This design helps
the tools pads maintain positive contact with
the formation wall an important factor for all
wireline imaging technologies. Finally, a
signal acquisition scheme is employed that
electrically compensates for those cases
where good pad contact cannot be main-
tained due to washouts, borehole rugosity,
or other abnormalities.
Tool operation
Once on bottom, the six calipers arms
are opened, the pads are energized, and the
log is recorded in the up direction at be-
tween 10 and 30 fpm depending on borehole
conditions.
Directly in front of each pad, voltages
from about 3 in. into the formation are re-
corded by an array of receivers. These volt-
ages are sensitive to the varying resistivities
of the formation layers and have vertical res-
olution on the order of 1 in. Then they are
transformed into micro resistivity curves
which, in turn, are processed in real time to
produce oriented color images.
Physically, the tool is 27.54 ft in length
and 5.5 in. in diameter. It can operate in a
hole as small as 6.5-in. or as large as 16-in. It
weighs 760 lbs and is rated for operations at
up to 350F and 20,000 psi. Images are ob-
tainable in mudcakes up to 0.25 in. thick and
in formations with resistivities ranging from
0.5 to 10,000 ohm-m.
Since the industry is and will continue
to pursue shallow and deepwater basins
throughout the world using oil-based or non-
conductive muds in thin beds, shale and low
resistive formations, this technology elimi-
nates these challenges. As a result, geolo-
gists can now pinpoint structural details and
features such as faults and thin beds harbor-
ing hydrocarbons that otherwise would go
undetected and unproduced.
The industry today has the opportunity
to meet or exceed the demands of drilling
in extreme environments where high pres-
sures, high temperatures, shale sloughing,
or thick shale formations under extreme
stress are encountered.
For more information, circle number 42
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Shah Deniz in full flow following
complex platform set-down
First application for TPG 500 outside North Sea
P
roduction is building at Shah Deniz in the Azeri sector of the
Caspian. Under the rst phase of the BP-operated develop-
ment, nine wells will deliver up to 900 MMscf/d of gas and
58,000 b/d of condensate. All production is being exported
through parallel sea lines to a terminal in Sangachal, on the
shore of Azerbaijan.
The wells are being drilled from a three-legged TPG 500 jackup
platform, supplied and installed by the projects main engineering
contractor, Technip. Shah Deniz is the third application of this pro-
prietary design, the forerunners being BPs Harding and Totals El-
gin/Franklin in the North Sea.
BP rst engaged Technip for engineering studies in 1999, shortly after
discovering Shah Deniz, 100 km (62.14 mi) offshore Baku. The focus at
that stage was on the problematic seabed soil and seismic conditions, and
the impact these might have on the dynamics of the platform.
Two years later, BP awarded Technip front end engineering design
and detailed engineering studies. Following approval for the offshore
pipeline route and more controversial onward routing across south-
ern Georgia for the gas, the partners eventually sanctioned develop-
ment in June 2003.
BPs selection of a TPG 500 drilling, production and living quar-
ters facility was driven in part by favorable experiences at Harding in
the late 1990s here the platform was delivered on time, and began
drilling within a week of the installation, according to Technips Se-
nior Vice President, Offshore Technologies, Pierre-Armand Thom-
as. But the Shah Deniz partners were also mindful of fabrication
constraints in the Baku area, with the main yards virtually commit-
ted to the concurrent ACG Phase 2 development.
The TPG design, however, allows for fabrication in sections, which
can be brought together later on for nal assembly at one site.
This meant that the bulk of Shah Denizs platform construction work
could be managed initially by a yard outside the Caspian Sea, before be-
ing imported via the usual canal and overland transport routes. Another
benet of the concept in this land-locked region is that it does not entail
heavy lifts offshore, nor is there a need for large-scale logistics, beyond
the use of tugs to tow the platform to its offshore location.
BP contracted Keppel FELS in Singapore for the platforms 22,400
tonne (24,691 ton) hull, along with three wellhead modules and two
production manifolds. Nymo in Norway was awarded the 2,200
tonne (2,425 ton) drilling module and derrick, designed by KCA
Deutag in Aberdeen. In total, companies from 28 countries supplied
materials and equipment for this project.
Technip Maritime Overseas was responsible for transporting these
items in packages for subsequent assembly at Keppel FELS oating
dock in Baku, and at the Socar-owned Zykh yard outside Baku. It also
recruited and trained local personnel, which resulted in Zykh com-
pleting assembly of the three 135 m (442.91 ft) long jack-up legs (all
pre-fabricated by Technip and French company Industeel), the sup-
porting spud cans, the 120-man living quarters, and the are boom. At
peak, 3,600 people were employed on site for this project.
With a total weight of around 33,000 tonnes (36,376 tons), the
completed platform is lighter than the TPG 500 at Elgin/Franklin,
but heavier than Hardings. In terms of the topsides, says Thomas,
the main differences to what we did before are the rather sophis-
ticated, automated, 15,000 psi drilloor equipment, to manage ow
from the high pressure wells (7-800 bar). We have designed the pro-
duction facilities to withstand 850 bar, including the two production
manifolds, valves and separation equipment.
The overall jet re design extends to the living quarters module,
which is equipped with blast walls. It has been positioned well away
from the well bay, which is itself enclosed by a blast wall.
The pigging system is relatively sophisticated, Thomas adds,
but otherwise the process equipment is pretty light, with two 15 m
(49.21 ft) high separators providing one-stage separation.
The platform has been installed over a 15-slot drilling template.
Four of the wells were pre-drilled prior to the eld coming onstream
last December. After phase 1 is completed, the platform will have six
spare conductor slots, so this may allow the platform to serve as a
hub for future discoveries in the area.
Inward shipment
By October 2004, all main sections of the hull, drilling, and well-
head modules built outside Azerbaijan were in Baku. Following
transportation onboard the Mighty Servant III, the seven packages
built in Singapore had been transferred onto barges for onward
shipment through the Volga Don canal system from the Black Sea.
The drilling equipment came in from the northern entrance to the
Caspian Sea, via the Baltic-Volga waterways.
This was not a simple task, Thomas points out, in part because
of the need to maintain water-tightness of the pre-fabricated hull
strips while in transit. To do this, we had to install double bulkheads
in the hull design. Also, the weather was freezing for the journey
through the Caspian, although we had organized our logistics to
70 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
PRODUCTI ON
The three-legged TPG 500 jackup production platform is installed on the
BP-operated Shah Deniz feld in the Caspian.
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Contact us at market@fpsocean.com
or telephone +47 24 11 79 10, or visit our
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72 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
PRODUCTI ON
take that into account.
Following welding of the strips at the Keppel FELS-owned oating
dock in Baku, the assembled platform was towed to Zykh in March
2005 for hook-up, including pipework connections.
Technip had trained 20 welders to manage Zykhs Legs pre-fabrica-
tion work. Our main concern had been the jackup legs, which would
involve welding the highest grade of steel available with the highest
tolerances. Our training program turned out to be a good move, re-
sulting in a very low repair rate. But the design of the TPG 500 legs
was also favorable in that regard, calling for the same diameters for
the bracings, with the same nodes everywhere. This made for repeti-
tive welding procedures, which in turn made the training easier.
More major problems lay ahead, however, due to seabed condi-
tions at the set-down location. According to Thomas, although the
4-m [13.12 ft] deep sand layer on top provided reasonable resistance,
the burden was the 2 m [6.56 ft] of soft clay underneath, with below
that more sand. We would have to penetrate this third layer of sand
by up to 2 m [6.56 ft].
At the same time, we also had to contend with a 1% gradient slope,
and varying thickness of the clay. Our chief preoccupation concern
was resistance. We didnt know what we would encounter, so we had
to devise an installation procedure to cover all hypotheses.
Elgin Franklins jackup was xed to the seabed by means of fairly
small, temporary spud can piles at the base of each leg. Shah Den-
izs conditions dictated the need for much larger spud cans 12 m
(39.37 ft) high, and 30.48 m (100 ft) in diameter, 1,200 tonnes (1,322
tons) driven deep into the seabed to provide a stable foundation
for the platform.
Unfortunately, the shallow draft at Zykh ruled out mating of the
spud cans to the bottom of the legs at the quayside. This forced the
joint BP/Technip project team to devise an alternative connection
procedure at a designated offshore site prior to installing the plat-
form above the drilling template.
Each can comprised a 4-m (13.12 ft) high upper section housing
ballast tanks for controlling ascent or descent in water, and an 8-m
(26.24 ft) deep bottom section, with ballast pumps on top of the cans,
along with a locking mechanism providing attachment to the legs.
All the cans had also been reinforced by a concrete grout base. The
plan was to tow them 70 km (43.5 mi) to an offshore parking sta-
tion, ahead of their eventual mating with the TPG 500 jackup legs.
To prevent the cans capsizing en route, Technip designed a sup-
porting U-shaped cradle 30 m (98.42 ft) long and 45 m (147.63 ft)
wide, surrounded by three 15-m (49.21 ft) high otation tanks. This
600 tonne structure was built at the Bos Shelf SPS construction yard
near Baku.
As Zykh lacked the lifting capacity to place the cans within the
cradle, Technip decided to strengthen the quayside with 40-m long
piles and concrete coverings to support a temporary crane. The
2,500-tonne (2,755 ton) lift vessel Mammoet MSG 50 was brought
across for this purpose, via rail containers.
In March 2006, following re-assembly at Zykh, the crane lifted the
rst of the cans into the cradle. Once the can had been clamped
to the otation tanks, it was towed at a draft of 5.5 m (18 ft) to the
parking site. On arrival, the clamps were released, allowing the can
to oat free. Following deballasting, the cradle and its tanks were
towed back to Zykh to repeat the process for the remaining cans.
The fully commissioned platform left Zykh in mid-April 2006 for
mating with the cans at a pre-arranged mooring location. The team
had hoped for fair weather for the 19-day tow-out, but in fact they
were subjected to a 50-year return-period storm, followed by a less
severe storm. No damage resulted, although at one point there was
a 5.5-m (18 ft) signicant wave surge between two of the spud cans,
one of which was already connected to the sea oor.
After the platform had been moored in 70 m (229.65 ft) of water,
the cans were also brought to the site, and connected one by one to
the base of the jackup legs via three control lines. They were then
lowered into the water using a technique devised by Technip to pre-
vent damage to the lines on the way down.
This operation, controlled from the jackup, involved ballasting the
cans so that they descended through the water in a regulated, pen-
dulum motion before settling a short distance below the platform
leg. The latter was then itself lowered to achieve connection to the
can, before being retracted to the platform, ahead of the 15-km (9.32
mi) journey to its installation site.
For this nal operation, the platform was rst secured in position
above the drilling template by four anchored vessels. The legs were
then slowly deployed to the seabed, the penetration speed of the
spud cans being controlled to avoid punch-through while traversing
the soft clay strata. When the three legs had been secured, the hull
was jacked up to a position 5.5 m (18.04 ft) above the water line.
Once penetration had been completed, and further quantities of
concrete grout added to secure the foundations, the platform was
jacked up to its nal operating height of 13.5 m (44.29 ft) above the
sea surface.
According to Thomas, Shah Deniz employed the same basic jack-
ing system as in the previous two projects, although slightly more
powerful. However, this one features only 72 pinions, compared with
90 on Hardings system even though the topsides load is heavier.
We managed this by improving certain characteristics, such as
metallurgy, Thomas said.
For this project, Technip and BP had an integrated team. Some
parts of the contract had to be managed by BP alone, Thomas points
out, particularly when it came to liaising with local authorities in
Azerbaijan. Otherwise, we supervised the project initially from Paris,
before part of the team moved to Baku to manage the fabrication. We
also brought together a dedicated team for the mating operation.
In the end, the eld produced rst gas at the originally desig-
nated date of December 2006, so despite all the difculties we en-
countered along the way, we are very pleased with the outcome.
Our training program at Zykh also proved to be worthwhile. I was
reluctant at rst to have the legs assembled in Baku, but it went
very well.
Technip continues to promote the TPG 500 concept in the North
Sea and other parts of the world, including the Gulf of Mexico, Ven-
ezuela, West Africa, and the Asia-Pacic region. One option under
review is a reusable version that could switch between marginal
elds following relatively short periods of production.
The TPG 500 under tow to installation site.
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Prime Energy proudly presents the PNS 1250-offshore, the first 100% oil-free rental air
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$38 billion to go to floating
production during 2007-2011
FPSOs lead the pack
R
ecent years have seen a rapid expan-
sion of the worlds FPSO eet, prompt-
ed in part by an increased demand
for drilling units that has reduced
the number of semisubmersible rigs
available for conversion to production plat-
forms. International legislation (introduced
largely in response to the Exxon Valdez disas-
ter) that phases in requirements for tankers
to be tted with double hulls provides fur-
ther stimulus to demand since conversion of
otherwise obsolete single-hull tankers into
FPSOs enables the protable re-utilization of
depreciated assets.
FPSOs dominate the global oating produc-
tion scene. As of year-end 2006, there have
been over 175 FPSO deployments worldwide
50% more than all the other oating produc-
tion systems (FPSSs), TLPs, and spars put
together.
The reasons for the popularity of FPSOs
as host facilities are not difcult to fathom.
FPSOs offer large deck areas for processing
facilities and plenty of vertical load-bearing
capability to resist mooring and riser loads
at economical cost and with relatively short
lead times, since tankers are produced in
large numbers from shipyards worldwide.
FPSOs also have the advantages of allow-
ing more exible oil distribution and provid-
ing storage capacity for produced oil, which
can eliminate the need to install pipeline ex-
port networks.
This capability is particularly desirable off
West Africa, for example, where offshore pipe-
line infrastructure is very limited and is restrict-
ed to shallow waters. Off Brazil, the existing
offshore infrastructure is working close to ca-
pacity. The extreme water depths of new elds
mean that costs of shuttle tanker offtake from
FPSOs compares very favorably with the costs
of installing additional export pipelines.
Developing the FPS Sector
Initial FPS installations featured converted
semisubmersible drilling rigs and in the case of
FPSOs, converted tankers. These units tended
to be deployed on marginal elds where the
water depth and/or uncertainties as to the
volume of recoverable reserves meant that de-
velopment using a conventional xed platform
solution was too commercially risky. The FPS
concept has since proved to be a cost-effective
method of developing both marginal and world-
class offshore elds. Present FPS applications
cover a very wide range of offshore develop-
ments in all water depths and environments.
Expansion of the worlds oating produc-
tion eet has been particularly rapid over the
last decade and has been increasingly domi-
nated by FPSOs. Although FPSO numbers
continue to grow, future identied prospects
show that other vessel types, particularly
TLPs and FPSSs, may be increasingly com-
mon on new installations.
It is important to note, however, that these
are prospects, not forecasts. It is likely that
some of the identied prospects will either
be delayed or not come to fruition at all.
Future FPS prospects
by region
Turning to the prospects for individual re-
gions, the data indicate signicant growth is
in the cards for the majority of the regional
74 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Steve Robertson
Georgie MacFarlan
Douglas-Westwood Ltd.
PRODUCTI ON
Africa
26%
Western Europe
10%
North America
15%
Middle East
1%
Latin America
18%
Australasia
10% Asia
20%
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
$
b
i
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l
i
o
n
TLPs
Spars
FPSSs
FPSOs
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Global FPS capex by vessel type 2002-2011 ($ million)
Regional shares
of identifed FPS
prospects 2007-2011
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PRODUCTI ON
FPS eets. Western Europe has seen the
most FPS deployments to date, but many of
its producing areas are now considered ma-
ture, and signicant new nds are becoming
less frequent. Over the 2002-2006 period,
only three oating production systems were
installed in the region, compared to the
1997-2001 period, during which there were
30 installations.
Between 2007 and 2011, Western Europe
FPS installation activity is set to enjoy some-
thing of a resurgence, with 13 installations
in prospect. The identied prospects for
North America indicate potential for a slight
increase in installations, with 19 in prospect
compared to 17 completed during the 2002-
2006 period. Many projects in the US Gulf of
Mexico have relatively short lead times, and
levels of activity could well exceed the pros-
pects identied here.
There are 124 identied FPS prospects
planned and possible for the 2007-2011. Com-
bined, Africa and Latin America account for
almost 45% of these prospective installations,
with North America and Asia together ac-
counting for another 35%.
Capex forecast
It is important to note that these market
forecasts follow the convention whereby the
date associated with each oater project re-
lates to the platforms year of installation. In
practice, of course, the contractual payments
relating to the FPS units identied are often
made in installments, and in most cases are
spread over a number of years. For the sake
of clarity and transparency, these forecasts
do not attempt to reect this situation. In-
stead, they focus on indicating the value of
the FPS installations that have occurred or
will occur in any particular year.
FPSOs represent by far the largest seg-
ment of the market, accounting for 73% of
the prospective capex. FPSSs account for
a further 16%, while the remaining 10% of
expenditure is attributed to TLPs and spars,
giving a total FPS capex forecast for the pe-
riod of over $38 billion.
In terms of order value, there is currently
a high level of FPS orders, and this is ex-
pected to continue as a series of major devel-
opments require high-specication units for
delivery during the forecast period.
Within the FPSO segment, the exact mix
of newbuilds, conversions and upgrades/re-
deployments that will be required to meet
demand is impossible to determine precise-
ly, though this will obviously have a strong
effect on the capex levels within the seg-
ment. Of the prospective units, around half
are expected to be conversions, and another
third newbuilds, with the remaining units
likely to be redeployments or without a de-
ned development type as yet.
This analysis identies four main drivers
behind the continued demand growth within
the FPS sector:
Continuing expansion in the use of sub-
sea production technologies
The industrys move into deepwater
areas
Exploitation of marginal elds
Growing emphasis on fast-track and/
or phased developments.
On the supply side, the inuence of glo-
balization is already apparent, but is likely
to be somewhat offset by national insistence
on local content in the delivery of oating
production systems and other components
of offshore developments.
An active leasing market has emerged in
the FPSO segment in particular. Roughly
45% of the worlds FPSO eet and just over
half of the North Sea eet is owned by
leasing contractors. In recent years, contrac-
tors have picked up a number of signicant
project awards based on the deployment of
converted vessels, predominantly tankers
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78 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
PRODUCTI ON
and semisubmersible drilling rigs. The re-
deployment of modied/upgraded vessels,
especially in the leased FPSO segment, will
remain important in meeting the growth in
market demand.
The newbuild option gives vessel design-
ers a blank canvas in contrast to tanker
conversions, and new innovations in vessel
design are emerging. Three of the newbuild
units under construction have adopted Sevan
Marines SSP300 design based on a cylindri-
cal hull. These vessels will be installed on the
Chestnut and Pilot elds in the UK North Sea
and the Piranema eld offshore Brazil.
Regional markets
Africa and Latin America account for nearly
half of the 124 vessels forecast over the 2007-
2011 period (54). Asia is the next most impor-
tant region in numerical terms (25), followed
by North America (19), Western Europe (13),
Australasia (12), and the Middle East (1).
In terms of market value, the worlds three
major deepwater regions Africa, North
America, and Latin America account for
67% of forecast global capex. The relatively
benign environments and shallow waters in
which most of the FPS prospects in Asia are
located enable cheaper FPS solutions to be
adopted. Thus, although the region has 25
FPS units forecast for the period, its capex at
$6 billion is lower than that forecast for North
America, which has fewer installations, but
where newbuild solutions and/or higher
specication vessels tend to be required.
This market forecast is conservative. Ac-
tivity within the FPS sector over the period
to 2011 could well exceed the levels present-
ed here.
There are two main reasons for this. The
rst of these relates to the potential for new
oater projects to emerge as a result of on-
going exploration activities and the second
to the lack of a dened development strat-
egy for some known prospects.
Further information is available at www.dw-1.com.
The authors can be contacted via admin@dw-1.com
Authors
Heading DWLs oil & gas research, Steve Robertson
is a graduate in Economics and Computing and lead
author of DWLs current range of The World series
of market reports including The World Deepwater
Market Forecast, The World LNG & GTL Report,
and The World Floating Production Report. He is a
member of the Institute of Petroleum and the Society
for Underwater Technology.
Georgie MacFarlan leads DWLs publications unit and
manages the World Floating Production Database. She
is lead author of The World Marine Propulsion Report
and has been responsible for a wide range of activity
within DWL, including extensive work on a number of
marine sector global studies.
PRODUCTI ON
Africa
25%
Western
Europe
10%
North America
18%
Latin America
24%
Australasia
6%
Asia
17%
Regional shares of FPS capex 2007-2011
Flow, Thermal &Stress
Solutions for Oil & Gas
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For more information, circle number 49
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__________________________________________________
Developing the right concept
for offshore developments
80 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
S
electing the right concept for producing an offshore eld
can have a major impact on the success of the project. In light
of that fact, the conceptual phase needs to be scrutinized
thoroughly. It ultimately becomes the stepping stone for the
front end engineering design (FEED), detailed design, and
execution phases that follow and allow a concept to become reality.
A projects conceptual phase is, in itself, a series of phases that
eventually lead to the best possible solution to t the known proj-
ect parameters. The process of developing a concept can be short
or involved, depending on the nature and complexity of the project
and the clients requirements. It can be undertaken regardless of
water depth or location, although as the specics of those two facets
intervene, viable options might be reduced. The conceptual phase
is not just about numbers. There are many issues that need to be
addressed yet cant yield concrete information that can be strictly
quantied. Rather, the concept process also deals with those soft
issues such as government and regulatory mandates, company stan-
dards, and requirements or biases from past experiences that can
play a major role in the decision-making.
This article addresses the multiple steps in the conceptual design
process and suggests a logical, sequential method to initiate and
complete this phase of the project. As a caveat, however, it is recog-
nized that there are other approaches that might be taken to develop
a viable concept. Further, there are complexities that might pres-
ent unique considerations that can not all be addressed here. The
recommendations contained in this article are based on successful
projects and might provide some ideas to improve your concept de-
velopment process.
The conceptual phase involves capturing relevant information, se-
lecting the most appropriate concept team, communicating key driv-
ers, obtaining alignment of purpose, identifying concepts to study,
studying those options, and then selecting the best option(s) for the
project. We will address each one of these steps and provide a rudi-
mentary understanding of the factors that have the most impact.
Capture relevant information
Before an offshore project can be deemed viable, enough infor-
mation must be known about the eld, reservoir characteristics, ex-
isting infrastructure, and other data. At the concept phase, concrete
information is not always available. There will undoubtedly be un-
knowns that will have to be surmised or accounted for later. The col-
lection of relevant input is key to the success of the project. Where
sufcient information is not available, experienced personnel can
often make realistic assumptions that can guide the effort.
Reservoir data, derived from exploratory and appraisal wells will
give insights as to the size, pressures, temperatures, and other
pertinent information. Immediate or future water injection or gas
lift projections must be factored in
Drilling requirements, including timing, number of wells, antici-
pated depth of wells, type of trees dry or subsea, anticipated
workovers, location of rig (on a central structure or MODU), and
rig availability are all factors
Operational considerations, such as expected uptime, exibility
needed and requirements for discharge or disposal need to be ad-
dressed. Anticipated ow assurance issues need to be considered
Flowline information, including distances from subsea wellhead
via umbilicals and risers, is relevant. Similarly, export planning
must be considered to determine existing infrastructure, proxim-
ity to hubs and export line requirements for complying with trans-
port regulations and delivery standards
Location of the eld is important in factoring in the impact of gov-
ernmental and regulatory agencies. In US waters, responsibilities
fall under the jurisdiction of the US Coast Guard, the MMS, and
other governmental bodies. For non-US projects, the knowledge
of national regulatory policies and possible taxation issues must
be anticipated
Consideration of client preferences, mandates, and specications
are critical to the concept selection. Specic safety issues, toler-
ances for risk, and corporate guidelines have to be understood
and accounted for.
Concept team selection
There are multiple approaches to conducting conceptual engi-
neering. It can be done in-house by the clients project specialists.
It can be performed by contractors, or by an integrated team of pro-
fessionals. The key is to use the most experienced personnel avail-
able.
Because of project complexity, no one company has all the ex-
perts needed for selection, but needs to draw on an independent
team. In the current state of the industry, it may be difcult to locate
and engage the most knowledgeable team, but proper member se-
lection can circumvent future cost overruns. Conceptual engineer-
ing performed by the lowest bidder is not always the best bargain,
as proper conducting of this phase can make the biggest impact on
the entire projects cost and schedule.
Identifying contractors that have had experience with similar fa-
cilities or water depths can be important. They can provide the nec-
essary historical databases and benchmarking from prior projects to
validate results. It is also important to consider partners who have
Daryl B. Rapp, P.E., P.M.P
Mustang Engineering
PRODUCTI ON
Typical concept development project design.
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Take Advantage of Intergraphs
Marine Enterprise.
Gain project, schedule and cost benets
through your complete life cycle
Choose a solution that supports concept
design through operations. Intergraph offers
best-in-class, standalone applications for
materials management and project controls;
3D modeling and visualization; and infor-
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integrating these applications to gain even
greater benets.
Optimize and streamline your workows
Reach project completions more quickly and
more accurately at less cost. The seamless
integration between Intergraphs software
solutions helps you achieve data integrity
while improving work processes. Take advan-
tage of the newest technology in 30 years,
built in response to the needs of end users
like you.
Share your data with project stakeholders
Benefit from clear, concise and complete
data that you can communicate to managers,
vendors, suppliers and operators as part of an
integrated value system. Enhance data sharing
of the physical interface and promote change
management between contractors, especially
between hull and topsides contractors. Take
advantage of our integrated data model and
materials optimization to build bigger, better
offshore facilities more quickly and easily than
ever before.
For more information, please visit our booth,
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or call 1-800-260-0246 or 1-256-730-3040.
The New Wave in Offshore Design,
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Intergraph, the Intergraph logo, and IntelliShip are registered
trademarks of Intergraph Corporation. 2007 Intergraph
Corporation, Huntsville, AL 35824.
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82 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
PRODUCTI ON
not only done conceptual planning, but who are knowledgeable in
FEED, detail design, and project execution strategies to be able to
provide viable and current cost estimates.
During the selection of the concept team, an awareness of poten-
tial preferences or biases should be considered and evaluated. Cli-
ents often install the same type of xed or oating structure as past
projects, even if reservoir conditions might suggest the use of other
alternatives. Similarly, certain contractors can have a preference
for a specic hull design that might, or might not, be the optimum.
These biases can often provide the right solution for the eld devel-
opment, but it needs to be challenged. As a check, team members
that are solutions independent might be considered. They can
provide engineering with a sole focus on providing a t-for-purpose
concept.
Key driver communication
The clients statement of requirements or preliminary design
basis is important to incorporate in the concept phase, in order to
evaluate, validate, and communicate key information to all partici-
pants. Additionally, the clients project drivers, including its econom-
ic model of cash ow projections, safety, quality, schedule, and cost
need to be prioritized and provided to all stakeholders.
Early and complete alignment is critical. Participants need to be
aligned on the project objectives and drivers as early in the pro-
cess as possible. An initial meeting can assure that everyone is
operating with proper knowledge and compatibility. On the other
hand, misalignment of purpose and direction can cause confusion,
frustration, and inefciency, often leading to rework and cost es-
calation.
An example of alignment importance is a clients requirement
for the lowest possible topsides cost. Given this direction, the engi-
neering contractor would generally eliminate all unnecessary equip-
ment, reduce in-place spares, and minimize deck footprint to save
weight. This might not be exactly what the client intends, especially
if it means giving up exibility and future capacity expansions. Align-
ment at the concept phase can avoid many of these misconceptions
and information gaps.
Concepts for consideration
Based on a thorough understanding of the relevant information
and project drivers, the right concept might be readily determined
and quickly rise to the surface as the most logical. Even so, it is still
a prudent exercise to enumerate the possible options that are avail-
able for consideration. Both existing and new technologies should
be considered in this exercise. New technologies can be merely ex-
isting techniques extended to t a new purpose, though they should
be examined carefully as this is not the time for incurring research
and development costs. The prioritizing of concepts should be based
on high-level costs, schedule, execution plan, and risks, both techni-
cal and commercial. As previously mentioned, before nalizing on
the concepts to be further studied, a review of potential biases in the
selection process should be undertaken.
Determine optimum
Once the most viable concepts have been identied, they need fur-
ther evaluation. There are multiple criteria upon which this process
should be based. It must include capital and operating costs. It should
also include schedule considerations fast-track, phased-develop-
ment, or a combination. Additional evaluations should focus on risks
and the advantages or disadvantages of the selected concepts. There
will be tradeoffs to virtually every alternative selected. These have to
be weighed and prioritized. Benchmarking from prior projects helps
in this phase of the concept selection process as does an independent
review by peer groups.
At this point, there should usually be at most two concepts that
have emerged from previous deliberation. These remaining alterna-
tives should be further scrutinized by assuring that there is compe-
tition for their fabrication, transport, and installation. Without that
capability, a project can get locked in to one method and not allow
for exibility or change in market conditions.
Wrapping up
Performing a good conceptual engineering study should yield
an optimum result that is the best offshore project solution, tting
the clients requirements. In order to complete this phase satisfacto-
rily, the best available information needs to be accumulated and re-
viewed. The most experienced team should be assembled, equipped
with benchmarking tools and a solid technical database from prior
projects. It is critical that all stakeholders be aligned, with buy-in at
the earliest possible stage, in order to provide focus and momen-
tum going forward. All potential concepts need to be evaluated with
the completed project in mind, keeping competitive options open
for fabrication, transport, and installation. And, an independent ap-
proach needs to be taken, allowing biases to be considered as part
of the process, but not overriding the process. If these steps are
followed, the right concept should emerge, and chances for a suc-
cessful t-for-purpose project are greatly elevated.
Author
Daryl B. Rapp, P.E., P.M.P., has more than 30 years experience in the design and
project management of oil and gas facilities. His projects have included multiple
types of xed and oating of fshore facilities, as well as onshore plants. He has been
the lead on numerous conceptual studies for of fshore development projects and was
recently project manager for four truss spar topside facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.
Rapp is a graduate of Purdue University, a registered professional engineer in the
state of Texas and a project management professional.
Concept design workfow.
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A comp|ete range of we|ding equipment,
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______________
Providing answers for un-testable wells
Combination tool can give results
W
ell testing has been a critical
step in well evaluation since the
1920s. It has always been the
rst real measurement of res-
ervoir volumetrics and potential
performance.
Described as a temporary completion,
well testing gives the industry a chance to
ow a well under controlled conditions, al-
lowing it to clean up and stabilize. Total ow
rate, as well as the holdup of various phases
present, can be measured and representative
samples can be taken under PVT conditions
for laboratory analysis. Pressure transients
can be obtained whose character gives clues
about reservoir boundary conditions re-
mote from the well being tested. Reservoir
volumes can be calculated along with forma-
tion average permeability and near-wellbore
formation damage, or skin.
Test data
Most subsequent completion decisions
are based on information obtained during the
well testing phase. The critical inow perfor-
mance relationship (IPR) curve is derived
from test data, and is the foundation for deci-
sions involving perforating, formation treat-
ment and the sizing of completion hardware
and tubulars. Therefore, operators expect
well test results to be accurate and of highest
quality, because production decisions made
from these results can have implications for
the life of the well or reservoir.
Although well test data are of high value, op-
erators are constantly evaluating cost versus
value. To this end, operators around the world
have been working with their service partners
to perfect well testing operations and make
them as efcient as possible. Traditionally, rig
spread costs consume the highest percentage
of the well construction budget. Accordingly,
the most obvious solution to reducing well test
costs is to combine as many operations as pos-
sible, or practical, in a single trip.
Testing improvements
The earliest step to improve testing qual-
ity and efciency was the implementation
of downhole test tools. With downhole test
valves, gauges and sample chambers, well-
bore storage effects could be eliminated or
greatly reduced, and measurement quality was
enhanced. Without wellbore storage, quality
pressure data could be obtained in a fraction
of the time required using surface testing. At
the same time, accurate quartz gauges made
signicant improvement in test data accuracy.
The next step taken was to combine per-
forating and testing. Using a TCP work sting
brought several advantages. Primary among
these was the ability to shoot the well under-
balanced to take advantage of instant clean-
up of the perforation tunnels of any debris,
as well as to prevent an inux of completion
uid into the formation creating near-well-
bore formation damage.
When combined with DST, the well could
be perforated, cleaned up and immediately
tested in one trip. Clean up in this case in-
cludes owing the well long enough to clear
it of any residual drilling uid or ltrate so a
representative sample of produced formation
uid could be obtained. The TCP/DST com-
bination made the operation safer, because
the well was under control at all times and
the perforation cleanup test sequence was
performed seamlessly.
Additional challenges
Many wells do not ow naturally to the sur-
face, and despite underbalanced perforating
techniques, it may not be possible to get suf-
cient natural ow to achieve the dynamic ow
regime required for a valid well test. Some res-
ervoirs contain lots of crude oil, but lack the
pressure drive to ow naturally. Others contain
heavy oil (dened as crude oil between 22.3
API and 10.0 API), where viscosity impedes
ow to the wellbore. Approximately 15% of the
worlds 13 trillion bbl of oil reserves consists
of heavy oil, mostly in Venezuela and Russia,
but also signicantly in half a dozen other
countries. In this context, heavy oil is not the
bitumen found mainly in western Canada and
Russia of 10 API gravity or less.
84 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Antonio Prioletta
Jaime Cadena
Rafael Cachutt
Repsol YPF
Mateo Sercen
Carlos Ortega
Jos G. Flores
Manuel Loli
Juan Watanabe
Carlo Sanabria
Schlumberger
PRODUCTI ON
Triple combo test string schematic with TCP,
DST and ESP systems run simultaneously
produced greatly improved operating effciency
without jeopardizing quality or safety.
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www.slb.com/xlift
*Mark of Schlumberger 2007 Schlumberger. 07-AL-051
XLift
Were going to eXtremes
to improve production.
Is your gas lift systemout
of its depth in deep water?
The XLift* high-pressure gas lift system is specifically designed for deepwater
wells. Its 5,000-psi rated working pressure means that in deepwater wells the
first injection valve can be placed below the mudline instead of in the riser.
The increased gas injection depth enables you to maximize drawdown and
recovery with fewer valves and mandrels in the completion.
By stabilizing injection pressure, the XLift system can reduce maintenance
costs and increase your profit.
Schlumberger is going to extremes to improve your production in deep water.
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PRODUCTI ON
To test all wells efciently, not just those that
ow naturally to surface, Schlumberger com-
bined a tubing-conveyed perforating (TCP) and
a drillstem testing (DST) work string with an
electrical submersible pump (ESP) to supply
the energy to produce from pressure-depleted
or heavy oil wells.
ESP addition
By combining a TCP and DST work string
with an electrical submersible pump (ESP),
a method to supply the energy to produce
from pressure-depleted or heavy oil wells was
achieved. The tool string is long, but assembly
is straightforward. At the bottom and below
the packer are the TCP guns, along with their
redundant ring heads. Next comes a succes-
sion of crossover adaptors, debris subs and
tubing spacers whose purpose is to space out
the interval between the packer and the guns.
When the packer is set on-depth, the guns
will be positioned opposite the pay zone. Just
above the packer are the safety joint and hy-
draulic jars, followed by the DST tools. The
DST string varies according to the test objec-
tives, but usually consists of a downhole sam-
pler carrier and a downhole gauge adaptor,
a pressure operated reference tool (PORT),
and a pressure-controlled test valve (PCTV).
Next is a single shot reversing valve, ESP, and
a radioactive marker sub for depth control.
The ESP is contained in a pressure pod
that isolates the pump from the pressure
pulses used to actuate the TCP guns and
operate the DST tools. The ESP is equipped
with a variable speed drive (VSD) so differ-
ent drawdowns can be imposed to create the
required pressure transients. In addition, it
has its own gauge that contains pressure/
temperature sensors as well as pump and
motor performance monitoring sensors.
In the case of heavy oil, an optional capil-
lary tube can be run alongside the pump pow-
er cable so de-viscosiers can be pumped in
to improve crude mobility and the viscosity
effects on the pump. Near the top end of the
string, a BOP can is positioned opposite the
blowout preventer rams. This provides a cy-
lindrical surface for the rams to seal around
to safely contain the well without crushing
the power cable or capillary tube.
By assembling the three systems sequential-
ly as the string is run into the well, maximum
efciency is achieved. At the same time, accu-
racy and measurement quality is assured.
Gauges are positioned at the appropriate
place to accurately measure the data and avoid
wellbore storage effects such that precise
pressure transient analysis can be conducted
and produce critical information about the res-
ervoir characteristics. A new ESP design will
further improve efciency, using fully inte-
grated or pre-assembled plug-and-play compo-
nents that can be installed more quickly than
conventional ESPs.
Testing exploratory wells
Although several applications of tool testing
have been performed offshore and onshore
around the world, Repsol YPF has used the
technique successfully in a particularly chal-
lenging area. With an aggressive exploratory
program consisting of 37 blocks under con-
tract in the environmentally-sensitive Amazon
rainforests of northeastern Peru, the company
needed to test three exploratory wells.
Repsol YPF needed a solution for testing
problems due to heavy oil, low formation
pressure and an extremely remote location.
Crude gravity in the discovery wells is less
than 15 oAPI, and gas-oil ratio (GOR) is less
than 40scf/stb. Although the rock properties
are excellent, there is insufcient drive to
produce the wells naturally to surface. The
company feared the combination of low pres-
sure and viscous crude would prevent acqui-
sition of valid well tests because there would
be insufcient energy to create a stable dy-
namic ow regime. Because the wells were
exploratory, there was little local reservoir
knowledge on which to base correlations.
The remoteness of the area created lo-
gistical problems as well as environmental
concerns that added to the operational risk.
Planning and efcient use of resources along
with seamless integration between operating
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
h
o
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r
s
100
Buenavista
1X, 89.5
Delfin
2X, 88
Raya
3X, 63
Buenavista 1X
Delfin 2X
Raya 3X
A comparison of test
times for the three wells
in the order they were
run (from left to right)
shows dramatic im-
provement in effciency
when the triple combo
test string was run.
The cost-efficient
alternative to
traditional
produced-water-
treatment systems
2007 M-IL.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-IL.L.C.
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The cost-efficient
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Centrilift offers a complete suite
of pressure boosting technology for subsea projects.
Centrilifts full line of seabed multi-phase pressure boosting systems, in-well
electrical submersible pumping (ESP) systems, and riser deployed ESP systems
offer a range of options to increase production from subsea fields. These high
volume, efficient, cost effective production solutions provide operators
significant economic benefits, including:
Maximized recoverable reserves
Increased asset net present value
Increased step out range providing reduced infrastructure CAPEX
Centrilift: When maximum lift is the key to unlocking
additional reserves.
B e s t - i n - C l a s s F
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ESP Production Systems - Subsea
For more information, circle number 53
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The oil sands and heavy oil industries are dynamic markets for both the energy and
power business sectors. Quickly advancing development of oil sands and heavy
oil assets is creating a hugedemand for technology and services. Cogeneration of
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Upgrading (with panel discussion)
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Mark your calendars and plan to be with us as PennWell continues to bring major
conferences and exhibitions to the worlds most pertinent energy markets.
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PRODUCTI ON
and service company personnel is fundamen-
tal to success.
The TCP/DST combination was run in the
rst two wells followed by an ESP run that
included pressure/temperature sensors to
monitor the productivity index of the wells.
The objective of the test was to determine
the IPR and estimate the reservoir pressure.
Three successive ow tests were attempted,
and although clean build-up curves were
obtained, it was determined that very little
oil was owingthe ow was mostly mud
ltrate from the near-wellbore region.
The purpose of the ESP run was to pro-
vide enough energy to lift the produced
uids to the surface and to allow the well to
clean up. Various drawdowns of varying du-
rations were imposed by adjusting the pump
speed, and build-ups were obtained by shut-
ting in the well at the surface.
Triple combo third well
With reasonable success on the rst two
wells, the operator agreed to try the triple
combo test string on the third well. Two zones
were tested. The rst zone used the TCP/DST
combo technique similar to the second well.
The upper zone received the triple combo treat-
ment with ESP included in the test string.
Testing sequence varied from the previ-
ous wells. After ring the TCP guns under-
balanced, the well was allowed to ow natu-
rally for an hour. Then it was shut-in at the
PCTV for a 2.5 hr build-up period. After the
PCTV was opened, the ESP was started and
run at 40 Hz through a 32/64-in. adjustable
choke for 6.0 hrs. The pump frequency was
raised to 47 Hz and run for another 6.0 hrs.
Then the pump was stopped for 24 hrs to al-
low pressure build-up to occur.
The next day the PCTV was opened, and
the ESP was re-started at 40Hz and run for
1.2 hrs. Pump frequency was raised to 68Hz
and the choke was opened to 36/64 for 3.0
hrs. Then the pump speed was raised to 70
Hz and run for 3.5 hrs. After this run, the
PCTV was closed and the ESP was stopped
for a build up period of 16.25 hrs. The ESP
was restarted at 40 Hz with the choke ad-
justed back to 32/64, and then the speed
was raised gradually to 70Hz and held for
2.25 hrs. A nal step was to open the reverse
circulation valve to circulate from the an-
nulus up through the tubing. The ESP test
sequence lasted a total of 65.7 hrs.
The test data were used to generate both
a productivity index curve over time and
an IPR curve pressure transient analysis.
Compared to the other two wells the third
well test was about 25% more efcient sav-
ing time and money. The data obtained was
used to calculate average permeability, skin,
reservoir pressure and the ow regime for
the reservoir with condence.
For more information, circle number 54
H
2
0 toGo.
Water treatment systems
for any camp environment.
Anywhere.
Whether you need potable water at a remote site or
sewage treatment offshore, well provide a treatment
system thats right for the job. Because different water
environments require different system components, we
offer a variety of pre-engineered systems for a broad
spectrum of applications. And every system is skid
mounted so its functional on delivery. Since 1984,
ClearWater has furnished water treatment systems to
oilfield, construction and geophysical companies around
the world. Call us about your H20 needs at 281-399-1980.
For more information, circle number 55
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Full load test addresses concerns over
Kashagan H
2
S gas compression
90 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
E
nhanced oil recovery (EOR) meth-
odologies face increasingly extreme
challenges when handling gas streams
characterized by high levels of con-
tamination, as is the case with the gi-
ant Kashagan oileld development offshore
Kazakhstan.
To mitigate the inherent risks as
much as possible, the new engineering
designs and technologies to be applied
must be proven prior to eld start-up.
One example of how this is done is the
full load test that GE Oil & Gas con-
ducted successfully for this project on
the highest pressure re-injection train
ever built. The test was a critical part
of operator Agip KCOs risk abatement
process for Kashagan.
At the core of the projects EOR pro-
cess, GE is supplying two ultra-high-pres-
sure, barge-mounted, sour gas re-injection
trains. The barge contains a full compres-
sion island that includes a 32-MW com-
pression train capable of 820 bar delivery
pressure, designed to withstand the 33%
H
2
S found in the gas stream.
Each re-injection barge is 95 m long,
16 m wide and 25 m high. These dimen-
sions have been limited by the need to
navigate through Russian internal wa-
terways. Furthermore, the congura-
tion is also constrained by disassembly
requirements dictated by lifting opera-
tions, weight distribution, safety, oper-
ability and maintainability. For all of
these reasons, the layout of the topside
equipment has been one of the tough-
est challenges within this already difcult
project.
The barge weight is also a crucial factor
in the risk abatement process. In the actual
operating conditions, this can exceed 4,500
tons. For Kashagan, the need to limit the
height to 16 m during navigation and the
weight to 4,000 tons during lifting requires
disassembly of part of the topside. In addi-
tion, the weight needs to be carefully distrib-
uted in order to make the barge seaworthy
and to limit distortions during lifting and in
the nal operating conguration xed to the
supporting piles.
Safety considerations have also necessitat-
ed the allotment of adequate space for escape
routes. At the same time, all heavy equipment
had to be arranged within a limited space,
making it necessary to work on multiple lev-
els of the topsides. Furthermore, despite the
heavy use of remote control operation, physi-
cal accessibility has been provided for all in-
strumentation as well as for manual operation
of valves, vents, and drains.
The construction and maintenance of a
3D model was a key element in helping the
team achieve an acceptable compromise
for all these targets. 3D reviews were held
at different stages of the project to ensure
that the overall objectives of safety, operabil-
ity and maintainability were under control.
Material management also aided by the 3D
model was particularly important because
of the long delivery time and the cost associ-
ated with the heavy wall, low alloy steel pip-
ing components.
Testing requirements
GEs Oil & Gas business has extensive
experience in high-pressure re-injection. Its
Nuovo Pignone testing facility, located in
Massa, Italy, was the rst to conduct
full-power, full-pressure, and full-speed
testing of discharge pressures of up to
11,800 psi (820 bar). The testing facili-
ties were set up to replicate all the key
features of the plant site conditions.
The train used during testing consist-
ed of an MS5002/D DLN gas turbine
and gear box driving the BCL404/B
+ BCL304/C + BCL304/E centrifugal
compressors.
The test loop for Kashagan was very
carefully managed during its design,
erection and certication. Using a con-
tinuous monitoring system, the gas loop
was kept under pressure for the entire
test duration. Furthermore, all controls
were implemented for remote operation
in order to replicate the on-site condi-
tions where a very high degree of un-
manned operation is required.
Since the toxic nature of the process
gas is such an issue in this project, the
sealing of all equipment was monitored
and veried through dedicated proce-
dures. In fact, a patented zero leak-
age monitoring system was developed
to ensure detection of even ppm leak-
ages at the compressor casing and in-
ner casing interfaces. Finally, the equa-
tions of state used during the design stage
for this unique process gas were validated
by the test, thereby assuring compressor
performance control and robustness of the
dry gas seal design.
With the success of this full load test, GE
Oil & Gas has demonstrated its ability to pre-
dict the compression train performance and
to design full compression islands capable of
handling these latest industry requirements.
This test program allows our customers to
condently proceed with eld development
with the certainty that their main plant equip-
ment will deliver the required performance,
and that the plant design will perform as
required under these most challenging envi-
ronmental and process conditions.
Flavio Tosi
Giovanni Saccardi
Gianni Iannuzzi
Gabriele Turini
GE Oil & Gas
PRODUCTI ON
(Above) Testing under way in Massa, Italy. Photo provided by
GE Oil & Gas. (Below) 3D illustration of the Kashagan barge.
Photo provided by GE Oil & Gas.
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GE
Oil & Gas
The numbers tell the story
Sometimes a small improvement can make a big difference. GE has recorded an
average 3% operating efficiency increase in our centrifugal compressors for most
recent LNG and pipeline applications. This might not seem like much at first glance,
but it adds up to nearly 11 days of additional production every year a substantial
improvement in productivity and profits for our customers.
For more information, visit www.ge.com/oilandgas
3
% higher efficiency
For more information, circle number 56
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Worlds first subsea
processing system
headed for Norway
Slated for Tordis
in North Sea
T
he nal weld has been made on the
separation unit for the worlds rst
commercial subsea processing unit
bound for the North Seas Statoil-op-
erated Tordis eld. In mid-March the
improved oil recovery (IOR) project reached
a milestone when the construction of three
FMC Technologies subsea modules was
completed. Installation is scheduled for the
third quarter of this year.
Tordis is in the Norwegian section of the
North Sea in 200 m (656 ft) of water. The
subsea separation system will be installed
between the existing Tordis subsea eld
and the Gullfaks C platform. By installing
a full-scale subsea separation facility, Statoil
expects to improve the Tordis elds recov-
ery factor from 49% to 55%.
Along with other upgrades to the eld,
the separation system will allow Statoil to
extract an additional 35 MMbbl from Tor-
dis, with new technology accounting for
approximately 19 MMbbl of the improved
oil recovery. This is achieved by removing
water and sand from the well stream subsea
and re-injecting the water via a separate well
subsea, thereby reducing the back pressure
toward the Tordis eld and allowing more
hydrocarbons to be processed at Gullfaks
C. These reserves would remain unrecover-
able without the technology.
Tordis is a perfect application of subsea
separation, says Erlend Fjsna, Subsea
Processing Systems manager, FMC Tech-
nologies. The eld is maturing, so its wells
are producing more and more water. That is
restricting production because the owlines
and the surface facilities do not have the ca-
pacity to transport and handle all of the extra
water.
Its a common problem in mature elds.
Operators now have three choices: they can
continue to delay production and reduce
ultimate recovery, they can upgrade their
surface facilities and bring in additional pro-
cessing equipment, or they can do some of
the processing subsea. Subsea processing
made the most economic sense to Statoil.
Without subsea processing, Tordis would
have to be shut down and much of the oil left
in place, says Fjsna. This new separation
technology will increase recovery from Tor-
dis by 35 MMbbl over the life of the eld,
and we believe we will see similar results in
many elds over the coming years. Custom-
ers are no longer asking if it will happen, but
when.
FMC Technologies proposed a less ex-
pensive, smaller diameter vessel. By taking
the gas out in the inlet section of the separa-
tor, they reduced the size of the vessel by
almost 50%. FMC also performed testing to
demonstrate system reliability.
Tordis test
The rst major phase of testing lasted
three months and took place prior to assem-
bly of the station.
We connected the whole system together
and ran through all the auto-sequences, says
Ann Christin Gjerdseth, project manager,
FMC Technologies, Kongsberg. The goal
was to check that the controls, instrumenta-
tion, and pumps all worked collectively as an
integrated system. To make the testing more
realistic, a eld dynamic simulator was used
to provide feedback on the effects of control
operations. We used this to demonstrate, for
example, that if you speed up the injection
pump, the result is more injectivity.
Further testing will take place until June.
This primarily involves mechanical interface
testing, checking that all parts t mechani-
cally, and that intervention can be carried
out as planned. The system has been de-
signed in a modular fashion to allow indi-
vidual modules and components to be sepa-
rately retrieved. The desander module will
be set up in a full test loop and put through
its paces.
With an estimated 500 kg (1,543 lb) of
sand a day accumulating at the bottom of
the separator, sand disposal is an important
function, Gjerdseth says. By ushing the
sand into the desander module, and then
from there into the disposal well, mixed with
separated water, we save the injection pump
considerable wear and tear caused by the
abrasive effect of sand passing through it.
Personnel from Statoils operations team
on Gullfaks C will familiarize themselves with
the desanding function and other features of
92 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
SUBSEA
Lifting the template for the subsea separator.
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www.akerkvaerner.com
Copyright 2006. All rights reserved.
Using dependable technology
to deliver innovative subsea
solutions, Aker Kvaerner
provides subsea processing
and boosting systems and
services for a diverse
range of applications.
New or existing field developments can
benefit from the implementation of Aker
Kvaerner subsea processing and boosting
systemssystems based on proven
topside technology and innovative
thinking for subsea implementation.
Whether your aim is to improve oil recovery,
access challenging new reservoirs,
minimize topside infrastructure or enable
longer step-outs, our people and
technology can provide the answers.
Aker Kvaerner also provides aftermarket
support from system delivery through
life-of-field using a worldwide network
of service centers and personnel. Aker
Kvaerner has a vision of deploying technology
that provides more effective and efficient
field development solutions. We have
exhaustively researched, developed, tested,
qualified and proven our systems from the
beginningand continue to do so.
Aker Kvaerner subsea processing and
boostingdependable technology and
innovative solutions. Challenge us.
Take a deeper look visit the Subsea
portion of the Aker Kvaerner website.
Innovative from the start,
dependable to the last
part of the Aker group
SeaBooster
Multi-phase boosting
GasBooster
Produced-water separation
and reinjection
DeepBooster
Gas-Liquid separation
and liquid boosting
For more information, circle number 57
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94 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
the system. Desanding is semi-automated, so operators need only press a
button to initiate each set of operations.
Assembly at Tnsberg
Assembly took place in March at Tnsberg in southern Norway where
the 500-ton (453-metric ton) foundation base structure and some of the
modules were built. Because of the restricted craneage available, the base
structure was rolled onto a barge and the two heaviest modules the 230-
metric-ton (253-ton) manifold and 170-metric-ton (187-ton) separator vessel
were lifted onto it by a oating crane vessel. The partly assembled station
then was rolled back into the construction hall for installation of the de-
sander, multiphase and water ow modules, and the two 2.3 MW pumps.
Combining cultures
One of the biggest challenges faced during the project was to bring two
very different cultures together, says Gjerdseth. The subsea culture as
we know it today aims to achieve high reliability by keeping things simple.
But a next generation subsea system, like the separation station for Tor-
dis, is a complex processing system which must be capable of exible,
real-time control and ne-tuning, just like a topside system.
The teamwork has been excellent, both internally between FMC Tech-
nologies, its subsidiary CDS Engineering, and its partners Framo and
Grenland Group, and also with Statoil, says Gjerdseth. Weve been able
to draw heavily on Statoils expertise, and its personnel have been inte-
grated into our teams as necessary. After all, this system is not something
you build from a spec, but by bringing clever heads together.
Once the mechanical interface testing is completed, a nal leak test will
be performed in June, followed by a nal test of all instrumentation. The
subsea separation system then will be ready for sea-fastening. It will be in-
stalled in the eld by Saipems crane-barge S7000. With dimensions of 40
x 25 x 19 m (131 x 82 x 62 ft), and weighing 1,250 tons (1,134 metric tons),
it is believed the unit will become the heaviest subsea lift ever performed
by the barge.
SUBSEA
(Top of page) The worlds frst subsea separator is scheduled for
installation on the Statoil-operated Tordis feld in the North Sea in
the third quarter of this year. (Above) Lifting of the subsea separator
with template.
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For more information, circle number 59
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www.offshore-mag.com May 2007 Of fshore 97
CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
Helix to deploy first ship-shaped
DP FPU in Gulf of Mexico
To include disconnectable transfer system
O
perators in the Gulf of Mexico continue to evolve every possible
mechanism capable of extracting the regions rich resources to
adapt to challenging eld development and operational condi-
tions. Helix Energy Solutions is about to launch the rst ship-
shaped, disconnectable, dynamically positioned (DP), oating
production unit in the GoM. The vessel will be used to exploit marginal
deepwater oil and gas prospects.
The company also is managing a separate set of challenges at the
installation site, where it continues to clear wreckage of the Typhoon
TLP. Helixs oating production unit (FPU), Helix Producer I (HPI),
will be installed on the old Typhoon eld, renamed Phoenix, in
Green Canyon block 237 in 640 m (2,100 ft) of water.
In this Offshore exclusive report, Helix Executive Vice President
and COO Bart Heijermans discusses the decision behind the con-
cept selection and the investments upside potential.
Typhoon re-development
Helixs subsidiary ERT acquired the Typhoon mini-basin in Au-
gust 2006. The acquisition included a 100% working interest in the
Typhoon oil eld (Green Canyon blocks 236 and 237), the Boris oil
eld (Green Canyon block 282), and the Little Burn oil eld (Green
Canyon block 238) from Chevron, BHP Billiton, and Noble Energy.
What was intriguing about Typhoon was that is was a eld with
proven reserves that previously produced prior to Hurricane Rita
damaging the elds TLP, Heijermans explains. The eld produced
about 16,000 boe/d from two Typhoon wells and two Boris wells
before they were shutin.
The Typhoon TLP was destroyed during Hurricane Rita in Septem-
ber 2005. It was detached from its moorings and was ipped upside
down. When this happened, its exible risers and steel catenary risers
were severed and dropped to the seaoor. But, miraculously, all of the
active subsea wells remained intact and unharmed, Helix says.
The company still has some clean-up to do.
Some of the work left to be done on the old Typhoon eld is ush
and remove the owlines and risers still on site and remove some
debris on the seaoor from the TLP, Heijermans says. A portion
of the oating production unit was reefed 100 mi (161 km) north of
the eld.
In 2005, BHP Billiton had drilled a well on the Little Burn eld
just north of the Boris location. The well was ready for completion
with expected production similar to Boris. Chevron also had drilled
and completed an additional well on the Typhoon eld, which ow
tested at 7,800 b/d of oil.
So, with Little Burn and this Chevron well we saw the basins
potential, Heijermans says. Helix plans to bring online six previous-
ly drilled wells on Typhoon, Boris, and Little Burn at about 30,000
boe/d in 3Q 2008.
The company also acquired the following prospects from BHP
Billiton and Chevron: Balvenie (Green Canyon block 253), Tornado
(Green Canyon blocks 280 and 281), and Kissy Suzuki (Green Can-
yon blocks 325 and 326). Two of the prospects likely will be drilled
with the Helix-owned and operated Q4000.
When we bring the rst wells online, well have spare capacity
with our oater designed to handle 45,000 b/d of oil, so we can bring
on the acquired prospects and others gradually to keep production
stable for several years, Heijermans says.
This project ts in well with the companys strategic business
model, according to Helix, in that it serves as the operator of the
David Paganie
Managing Editor
Rendering of the disconnectable dynamically positioned foating produc-
tion unit, Helix Producer I. The vessel will be equipped with capacity to
handle 45,000 b/d of oil, 70 MMcf/d of gas, and 50,000 b/d of water.
Helix acquired the Typhoon mini-basin in August 2006. It comprises nine
blocks.
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98 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
eld and it can use its in-house eet of ves-
sels to perform the construction and instal-
lation work.
One of the good things about this proj-
ect is that we control everything ourselves,
Heijermans explains. We can install the
owlines, exible risers, and turret, also
called the Disconnectable Transfer System
(DTS), with our own deepwater vessels;
perform all the subsea construction work;
re-connect the new facility to the existing
export pipelines; re-complete and drill new
wells; basically we carry out the entire re-
development with our own equipment.
Depending on the success of the explo-
ration wells around Typhoon, the HPI could
remain on location for at least ve years,
he says. After the wells in the basin have
ceased producing, well look to relocate the
vessel to another eld that we own in the
GoM, or to an international location.
Concept selection,
investment upside
Helix looked at a number of oating pro-
duction solutions to develop Phoenix. At the
end of the day, the decision came down to
eld development economics and the invest-
ment upside potential, Heijermans explains.
Two years ago, the company was look-
ing at a small semi that it could redeploy, he
says. But, at the end of the day, the cost of
the semi made it difcult to justify for a mar-
ginal deepwater eld development like Phoe-
nix. The cost of redeploying the semi is less
that relocating a TLP or spar, but still its pret-
ty signicant. The nal concept we looked at
was converting an aframax-size tanker into
an FPSO, but the cost was also too high.
The cost to insure was a problem as well. Af-
ter hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the GoM, the
cost to insure most deepwater platforms went
through the roof; some companies couldnt
even get insurance, Heijermans says.
If you have to be self-insured and you
take the risk, its better to get out of the way
when a hurricane goes through the GoM,
he says. So, thats what we like about this
disconnectable DP FPU. When a hurricane
is approaching, we can disconnect, ush
the owlines, leave, and then return when
its safe. You dont need helicopters to take
people to shore because the crew stays on-
board. And, the downtime can be used for
maintenance work.
Helix plans to use this vessel as a oat-
ing production unit for at least 20 years. If,
for some reason, the vessel cannot be rede-
ployed, the company has the option to re-
move all production modules and are boom
from the deck, store them, and use the ves-
sel as a normal construction asset to support
reeled pipelay, deepwater trenching, or ROV
work.
From a downside risk mitigation point
of view, if we dont have a redeployment op-
portunity, we dont have an asset sitting cold-
stacked, Heijermans says. We like these DP
ship-shaped oating production units because
theyre easy to redeploy, the cost is relatively
low, it can disconnect for a hurricane, and it can
be used as a construction vessel, if it doesnt
have a redeployment production contract.
Helix also got some positive feedback
from the MMS on the use of this ship-shaped
oating production concept, especially with
the disconnectable feature to avoid hurri-
canes.
The HPI concept without storage, with ex-
port pipelines, is an easy transition into FPSOs,
a stepping-stone into the big deepwater FP-
SOs, Heijermans says.
FPU conversion
Helix is converting an old train ferry into
a modern, DP-oating production unit for
development of Phoenix. The ferry, M/F
Karl, was being converted into the construc-
tion vessel, Kommandor 5000, when it was
acquired.
This vessel was offered to us several times
as a construction vessel, Heijermans says. Be-
fore the ferry entered conversion, it was cold-
stacked in Nakskov, Denmark for six years.
Conversion of the ferry started in July
2006 at the Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Reije-
ka, Croatia under the direction of a company
named NTD. The conversion scope includes
adding full-length sponsons on each side
of the vessel for additional deck space and
payload capacity, thrusters and controls for
the DP-2 system, and upgrading the living
quarters. After conversion, the vessel will
measure 161 m (528 ft) long by 29 m (95 ft)
wide.
Helix and its partner, Danish company
Kommandor Rm A/S, formed a 50/50
joint venture company, Kommandor Llc.,
which will own the converted construction
vessel and lease it to Helix who will convert
it at a Gulf Coast fabrication yard into the
HPI FPU.
The vessel will be tted with 3,500 tons
(3,180 metric tons) of topside production
modules with capacity to handle 45,000 b/d
of oil, 70 MMcf/d of gas, and 50,000 b/d of
water. Engineering of the production equip-
ment is under way at Houston-based Oil
Field Development Engineering Llc.
Production will ow from subsea wells to
the FPU for processing via two new 6-in. (152-
mm) exible risers connected to a side-mount-
ed DTS, which consists of ve risers, umbili-
cals, swivel stack and buoy system. Processed
production will transfer through the DTS and
two new 6-in. (152 mm) exible risers con-
nected to the existing export pipelines owned
by Enterprise Products Partners LP.
The DTS comprises a Multi-bore Quick
(Left) The train ferry Karl is being converted into a ship-shaped foating production unit. After conversion, the vessel will measure 161 m (528 ft) long
by 29 m (95 ft) wide. (Right) Helix Producer I is under construction at the Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia. Construction of the hull is expected
to be completed by the end of 2007.
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Gettlng down to buslnessl
Heerema Narine Contractors
1el.. +i o]i o oo
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We provlde over half a century of expertlse to the offshore
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contlnues to stand tall, our servlce over the past i years has
gone deeper and deeper. Creatlng solutlons for deepwater
productlon, lnstalllng flxed or floatlng facllltles, complex
subsea lnfrastructures or marglnal fleld lnstallatlons.
Prom conceptual englneerlng, to transportatlon, lnstallatlon
and commlsslonlng, we get to the bottom of thlngs, no matter
how deep. Check our track record at www.heerema.com
www.heerema.com
For more information, circle number 60
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CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
Disconnect Connector (QCDC) for suspend-
ing the buoy and risers while connected, a
production swivel stack for transferring u-
ids from the risers to the onboard process-
ing plant, and a buoy to support the risers
after disconnection.
When the vessel disconnects, the DTS sub-
merges 150 ft (46 m) deep. For re-connection,
the riser/buoy is retrieved by a winch and
pulled into the QCDC. Using its DP system, the
FPU can freely weathervane around the DTS.
Based on an independent thruster capability
study, according to Helix, the FPU can main-
tain station during 95% or better of combined
weather events, including the loop current.
The DTS is being supplied by Flexible Engi-
neered Solution (FES) out of Newcastle, UK. The
company has designed and built similar DTSs
(Left) Sponsons are being installed on the upper and lower sections of the hull to increase its overall width. (Right) The aft deck is undergoing
structural stiffening to prepare it for the addition of production modules when it arrives at the Gulf Coast fabrication yard. View is from the rear of the
accommodations toward the stern of the vessel.
For more information, circle number 62
For more information, circle number 61
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including the ones used on the Crystal Ocean and Woolybutt FPSOs.
Heijermans says a controlled disconnect for hurricanes could take
around 12-24 hours, after ushing the owlines and lowering the buoy.
An emergency disconnect could happen in as little as 1 minute.
Conversion of the FPU hull is expected to be completed by the end
of this year. The vessel then will transit to the UK where it will have its
DTS system installed. The FPU will arrive at the Gulf Coast fabrication
yard in early 2008 for integration with its production modules.
Total cost to Helix for the ferry acquisition and conversion, in-
cluding the addition of the DTS and production modules is about
$140 million.
It would not have been cost-effective to build a new spar, TLP, or
semi for this eld, Heijermans explains. It would have cost around
$250-300 million, and the cost to relocate such a platform would be
much higher than the HPI.
First production from Phoenix is expected in the second half of 2008.
After were done with Phoenix, and if no modications to the ves-
sel are required, we could have the vessel disconnected, redeployed
and producing in 3 months time, with pre-laid pipelines, Heijermans
says.
Helix worked with the MMS and the US Coast Guard to get ap-
proval for the concept, and Lloyds Register is classing the vessel.
Future
Helix doesnt plan to stop here. The company envisions adding
to its redeployable production eet in the future.
I would expect that in around ve years time we will have three
or more of these redeployable-type facilities; one might be based
in Southeast Asia, one in the GoM; and the other in a different lo-
cation, Heijermans says. There are a lot of 10-30 MMbbl elds
around that need these types of facilities.
The company already has bought a tanker from the Australian
Navy that had worked in the rst Gulf War as a refueling tanker,
to be converted into their second redeployable oating production
unit, likely for use in the Southeast Asia region.
Rendering of Helix Producer Is side-mounted Disconnectable Transfer
System (DTS). It comprises a Multi-bore Quick Disconnect Connector
(QCDC) for suspending the buoy and risers while connected, a produc-
tion swivel stack for transferring fuids from the risers to the onboard
processing plant, and a buoy to support the risers after disconnection.
For more information, circle number 63
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Jumbo Shipping flexes
muscles with
all-in-one concept
2 J-class vessels
operational,
2 on order
T
he Netherlands-based Jumbo Shipping
has completed a full years work with
its J1800-class Jumbo Javelin and Fair-
partner DP-2, heavy-lift, transportation,
and installation vessels, the rst two of
four vessels planned for the class.
Jumbo is building a eet of J-class vessels
specically for three niche market applica-
tions:
Installation of subsea manifolds, spool
pieces, jumpers, riser columns, and buoy-
ancy cans in shallow and deepwater
Mooring installation for FPSOs and
ofoading buoys in deepwater
Jacket and topsides installation with
weights of less than 1,000 metric tons
(1,102 tons).
The vessels measure 143 m long x 26.5 m
wide x 16 m deep (469 x 87 x 52 ft), with 9,500-
metric ton (10,472-ton) carrying capacity and
1,800-metric ton (1,994-ton) lift capacity.
The vessels are designed to carry out the
companys all-in-one business model for its off-
shore customers lift, ship, and install. Jumbo
launched this concept in 2002 and performed
its rst offshore job, off Australia, in 2003.
In 2006, Jumbo carried out three lift/trans-
port/installation projects; one in the North
Sea, one offshore Malaysia, and one offshore
Gabon.
Britannia satellites
Jumbo carried out its rst job with a J-
class vessel in May 2006. The company was
contracted by Acergy to transport and install
the Callanish and Brodgar subsea manifolds,
which are part of the ConocoPhillips-operat-
ed Britannia Satellites Development project
in UK North Sea block 16/26 in 150 m (492
ft) of water.
Jumbo nominated its J-class vessel Jumbo
Javelin for the work. The vessel is equipped
with two 900-metric ton (992-ton) Huisman
cranes, two 37.5-metric ton (41-ton) travel-
ing trolleys for general cargo lifts, two 10-
metric ton (11-ton) auxiliary hooks for sling
handling, and a Kongsberg DP-2 system.
The two main cranes, set 48 m (157 ft)
apart, can handle joint lifts of up to 1,800
metric tons (1,984 tons). Each is tted with
a 35-m (115-ft) jib. The vessel has 3,100 sq
m (33,368 sq ft) of free deck space and can
travel up to 17 knots (20 mph).
Jumbo Javelin began its transit from Rotter-
dam where its main cranes were congured
to handle 230-metric ton (254-ton) lifts in 150
m (492 ft) of water. The vessel departed in
late April 2006 for Rosyth, Scotland, where
the subsea manifolds were being fabricated.
Once the vessel reached quayside, with the
main cranes working in tandem, the 208-
metric ton (229-ton) Brodgar manifold and
250-metric ton (276-ton) Callanish manifold
were lifted and set onboard.
Also lifted, while quayside, were eight piles
weighing 20 metric tons (22 tons) each.
Shortly thereafter, the vessel began a
one-day journey to the installation site. On
arrival, Jumbo Javelins DP system synced up
with pre-installed transponders on the sea-
bed for positioning. Then, the manifolds and
piles were lowered.
After installation was completed, the ves-
sel sailed to Newcastle to prepare for its next
commitment, offshore Malaysia.
Kikeh
Jumbos second offshore contract in 2006
was for Technip on the Murphy Oil/Petro-
102 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
David Paganie
Managing Editor
CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
(Above) Fairpartner transporting Acergys new
J-lay tower in one piece for installation on Sea-
way Polaris offshore Gabon.
Jumbo Javelin lifting Acergys 1,800-metric ton
(1,994-ton) J-lay tower with its main cranes
working in tandem. The lift was carried out
quayside at the Huisman yard in Schiedam, The
Netherlands.
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2007 Louisiana Economic Development
The switch is on. Companies ready to take advantage of a business environment designed specically for
the energy industry are connecting with Louisiana. Our Gulf Opportunity Zone incentives, which include
50% bonus depreciation or tax-exempt bonds, and a number of additional tax credits are just the fuel
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A powerhouse of energy.
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For more information, circle number 64
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CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
nas Carigali-operated Kikeh eld offshore
Malaysia in about 1,330 m (4,364 ft) of water.
The contractors workscope called for load-
ing, transport, and installation of 14 mooring
piles for the elds 16,400-metric ton (18,078-
ton) spar equipped with a tender assisted
drilling rig. The largest pile was 55 m (180
ft) long and weighed 140 metric tons (154
tons).
Again, Jumbo opted to use Jumbo Javelin
for the job. The vessels cranes were re-ad-
justed for the required lowing depth of 100
m (328 ft).
After loading and sea-fastening all 14 piles
onboard, Jumbo Javelin sailed to the installa-
tion site. Before lifting, an IHC ILT (Internal
Lifting Tool) was mounted into the top of the
rst pile and lower rigging was installed to
help control the lifts. Each pile was upended
and lowered by both cranes working in tan-
dem.
The piles were lowered to 100 m (328 ft)
deep, where they were transferred from
Jumbo Javelins hook to Solstad Shipping
ASs anchor handling tug Norman Ivans
lift rigging for nal installation to 1,300 m
(4,265 ft) deep.
First oil from Kikeh is expected in the sec-
ond half of this year.
Jumbo Javelin transported and lowered 14 mooring piles 100 m (328 ft) deep for the Kikeh spar and
drilling platform offshore Malaysia.
Bahrain International Exhibition Centre
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9-13 December 2007
Held under the Patronage of
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EVENT DIRECTOR
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Email: francesw@pennwell.com
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THE GULFS OIL & GAS MAINTENANCE
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION
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www.oilandgasmaintenance.com
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J-lay tower
Jumbos third all-in-one job called for the lift, transport, and installation of
a new J-lay tower for Acergy. Jumbos J-class Fairpartner was called in for the
work.
Acergys new 1,800-metric ton (1,984-ton), 80-m (262-ft) high J-lay tower was to
be moved in one piece from the construction site to the Seaway Polaris, which was
working offshore Gabon. The J-lay tower would be installed directly onto Polaris
while onsite. This presented some sophisticated challenges, according to Jumbo.
One year prior to shipment, Jumbo started engineering a special method of sea-
fastening and load-spreading for the towers transit. On Sept. 12, 2006, Fairpartner
began its journey at the Huisman yard in Schiedam, The Netherlands. Here, the
vessel lifted the tower quayside in one piece with its two main cranes working in
tandem. The tower was secured, and the vessel departed.
Fairpartner arrived at the installation site in 12 days, and positioned alongside
Seaway Polaris for the exchange. The vessels mast cranes were rigged and con-
nected to the tower. It was lifted and installed on Polaris as planned.
Tenders in the works
At print, Jumbo was working on lling up its J-class order book for 2007 and
beyond. The company signed contracts for transportation and installation of three
STL buoys. On two of the buoy installations, Jumbo Javelin will install 16 suction
piles and 6-in. (152-mm) anchor chain on the project.
Tenders in the works include, installation of mooring systems for six FPSOs in
water depths up to 2,000 m (6,562 ft), and installation of 400-metric ton (441-ton)
structures in 800 m (2,625 ft) of water and 600-metric ton (661-ton) structures in
1,300 m (4,265 ft) of water.
To accommodate all this work, Jumbo has ordered two additional J-class ves-
sels. The Fairplayer and Jumbo Jubilee are schedule to enter the companys active
eet of 12 heavy-lift vessels in mid- and late-2008.
Jumbo Javelin transported and lowered two subsea mani-
folds and eight mooring piles on the ConocoPhillips-oper-
ated Britannia feld in the North Sea.
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Hull strength, fatigue analysis critical
during design/conversion phase
Plans call for 15-20 years on location
F
PSOs are generally designed to remain
at their offshore location for 15-20
years, without the need for dry-dock-
ing. Over the past few years, orders
for newbuild FPSOs have risen signi-
cantly, in particular for use in harsh environ-
ment zones or for deepwater developments.
However, with most of the newbuilding
shipyards lacking spare slots, tanker conver-
sions are becoming increasingly attractive
for fast-track projects. Conversions remain
a popular solution for milder environments
such as West Africa, Southeast Asia, Austra-
lia, and Brazil.
Structural issues reported on both pur-
pose-built FPSOs and conversions after
entering service reveal the importance of
hull strength and fatigue verication during
the design/conversion stage. In particular,
more feedback is becoming available con-
cerning the corrosion pattern of single and
double-hull tankers, and the typical failure of
structural components.
Below we report some lessons learned
regarding newbuilds and conversions, the
methodology Bureau Veritas is employing
to assess structural strength. Bureau Veri-
tas also has examples of situations where we
have acted as a consultant to assist our client
with solving problems on units in service.
Corrosion build-up
Fatigue and coating are two interrelated
phenomena. The higher stresses con-
centrated in certain parts of the hull
can lead to coating break-up and the
early onset of corrosion. It is essential
to keep the coating efcient as long as
possible because the fatigue life of un-
coated areas is normally around half
that of coated areas.
In double hulls, the cargo temper-
ature can be up to 20 C higher than
in single hulls. Higher temperatures,
and temperature uctuations both
inuence the corrosion process. Hu-
midity water vapor in the air space
above the ballast or cargo also cre-
ates a need for careful protection
against creeping corrosion.
However, there are often conict-
ing interests between the owners priorities of
a well-built, long-lasting vessel with minimal
operating costs, and those of the shipyard.
The standard guarantee for a ship only ap-
plies within one year of delivery, so the yard
will rarely face a claim for coating failure if
the coating is reasonably well applied. For
this reason, IACS has devised harmonized
Common Ship Rules for double-hulled tank-
ers and bulk-carriers where the IMO perfor-
mance standard for protective coating applies
as a condition of class. The offshore industry
should benet from these developments.
Construction trends
Thirty years ago, designs for conversions
were still based mainly on the use of mild
steel. The traditionally applied classication
rules were based on empirical experience
without the imposition of explicit and con-
sistent safety goals. A fatigue check was not
compulsory from the outset.
Later designs were based on the use of
high tensile steels with optimization tech-
niques that involved checking mainly yield-
ing and buckling criteria, leading to elastic
structures with increased stresses. Con-
verted vessels of these designs have to be
checked carefully for fatigue performance,
since part of their life has already been con-
sumed during service as a tanker. Plate re-
newals and fatigue enhancements may be
requested following structural analysis.
As for newbuild FPSOs, the major oil com-
pany operators also have vast experience as
large tanker owners. Based on their service
experience with both types of vessels, they
are imposing new design specications:
For hull construction, high tensile steel
is normally requested for the deck and
bottom, with mild steel for the remain-
der of the hull
A preference for certain structural de-
tails validated through previous experi-
ence
Provision of access openings and means
of access for inspection and rescue pur-
poses
Fatigue verication to provide results
that can be used to plan quality assur-
ance and inspection priorities during
construction and operation
Scantling requirements specied accord-
ing to the owners experience and strategy
(i.e. striving for higher corrosion margins
to minimize maintenance costs).
Methodology of analysis
Bureau Veritas hull analysis starts with a
direct hydrodynamic calculation, taking into
account metocean data and moor-
ing conditions at the offshore loca-
tion, the purpose being to dene sea
loads on the structure. The study is
also aimed at determining the values
of wave-induced loads and motions.
A unit operating in the North Sea
needs to be reviewed with increased
wave loads compared with standard
ship rules for unrestricted ser-
vice notation. The environmental
conditions off, say, West Africa, are
clearly less severe than the rule val-
ues corresponding to conditions in
the North Atlantic.
The analysis inputs environmen-
tal site parameters such as wave
direction, the wave spectrum with
106 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
Cristian Bran
RodolpheVeyer
Bureau Veritas
CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
Sea pressures
on complete
model of FPSO.
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Designed to Perform
in Critical Applications
Solutions for the Oil & Gas Industry
Remote operations, adverse environments, limited space. These are but a
few of the characteristics typical of oil & gas exploration and production.
From compression and pumping, power generation and distribution to
water management, automation and control, industrial IT and life-cycle
services, Siemens upstream solutions are designed to ensure ultimate
performance in all mission-critical applications.
www.siemens.com/oil-gas
BOOTH NO. 1073
For more information, circle number 67
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all its various parameters, the relative headings between all compo-
nents, and the water depth. Wind force and direction and current
data are also factored in.
A calculation is conducted for a minimum of three draughts: full
load, ballast, and intermediate. We also analyse the loading condi-
tion giving rise to maximum shear force in still water, as experience
shows there is a correlation between still water shear force and
wave-induced shear force.
Two types of results are transferred to the structural models: fa-
tigue loads, and extreme/operational loads for strength verication.
For the strength verication, the hydrodynamic analysis provides
the following parameters which are valid both for the vessel at the
intended offshore location, and over the hulls full length:
Wave-induced bending moment
Wave-induced shear force
Total accelerations in all directions, at the center of gravity of
each compartment, and at relevant positions in topsides areas
Relative wave elevation.
For the fatigue verication, the hydrodynamic calculation provides
loads to be applied on the structural model in order to determine the
RAOs of stress ranges.
Strength calculation
Structural assessment takes into account the results of the hydro-
dynamic analysis and includes:
Global strength assessment (yielding and ultimate)
Structural assessment of primary and secondary members
Impacts (bow impact, at bottom reinforcements, sloshing)
Spectral and deterministic fatigue assessment
Collisions, explosions, dropped objects.
Extreme wave loads corresponding to 100-year return period are
included in the calculation.
Structural analysis starts with a 2D analysis and scantling verica-
tion. The rst step is to verify the global hull girder strength. A yield-
ing check is then performed. Rules require also a check that the
bending moment applied to the structure is lower than the ultimate
0.80 10
7
kN.m
0.57 x 10
-3
m
-1
Hogging
Sagging
0.60
0.40
0.20
-0.20
1.0 0.5
-0.5 -1.0
-0.40
-0.60
-0.80
Vertical
Horizontal
Resultant
Applied
Midship ultimate bending moment plot.
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CONSTRUCTI ON & I NSTALLATI ON
bending moment capacity of the hull girder,
bearing in mind suitable safety factors.
The second step is to verify the scantlings
of the plating and the ordinary stiffeners,
with yielding and buckling checks for the
stiffeners and plates. Even at this stage, a
fatigue check can be conducted for the end
connections of longitudinal stiffeners.
For the primary supporting members,
structural analysis normally involves use of
the 3D nite element method that is manda-
tory according to BV rules. In general, the
entire ship is modeled. Each hold is analyzed
via a three-hold length nite element model.
Calculations are also performed on the inte-
grated model (completed hull and topsides).
This allows evaluation of interaction between
the hull and topsides when both are subject to
deforming. Various loading patterns are also
considered, representing the different load-
ing conditions the vessel will be subjected to,
namely normal operation, accidental, repair,
inspection, and towing. Each of these condi-
tions is prepared with appropriate sea loads
determined via the hydrodynamic analysis.
Normal operating conditions are evalu-
ated with loads corresponding to a return
period of 100 years. Some load reductions
may also be allowed for inspection or repair
conditions. The nite element model serves
also to assess both the hull and other areas
of the FPSO such as topside supports, turret
structure, hull connection, all represented
in ne mesh models. Calculations are per-
formed in net scantlings, i.e. the scantlings
that according to the rules criteria are need-
ed to sustain the loads acting upon them,
without any implicit margin for corrosion.
For conversions, a recent thickness mea-
surement report is mandatory. Present thick-
ness is the base for future corrosion, and may
also be used for corrosion pattern trends.
Stresses are evaluated via the top-down
technique on coarse models, where the mesh
size is typically equal to the spacing of the
stiffeners. Buckling is veried taking into ac-
count the panel dimensions. In stress concen-
tration areas, the mesh size will be adapted
to the stress gradient down to a mesh size of
50 x 50 mm. Allowable stresses on such ne
mesh models are higher and may be taken
according to the new IACS Common ship
rules for double hull oil tankers.
For newbuild FPSOs, there are two dis-
tinctive periods transit and service on site.
With conversions, the tanker phase must
be analyzed also for damage build-up and to
determine whether detail renewals or modi-
cations are needed.
Two main causes of fatigue must be
considered when analyzing fatigue perfor-
mance on site: wave-induced loads and load-
ing/unloading sequences. With the spectral
approach, the wave-induced loads calculated
in the hydrodynamic analysis are applied to
the structures nite element model.
The structural model provides the RAOs
of the stresses. Fatigue damage is then cal-
culated, based on statistics of stress ranges.
At least three draughts and associated load-
ing conditions, ve headings, and 25 frequen-
cies, must all be taken into account. However,
these can be adapted, depending on the type
of mooring.
Stress ranges on structural details are as-
sessed through the 3D nite element mod-
els with very ne meshes, the mesh size
typically being equal to the plate thickness.
The acceptable level of damage depends
on the location, the accessibility for inspec-
tion, maintenance and repair, and on the
consequences of failure.
This is an edited version of a paper prepared for the
Of fshore Meditteranean Conference in Ravenna, Italy,
March 2007.
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High-pressure flexible pipe,
the next frontier
110 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
T
he arrival of high-pressure applica-
tions above API 10,000 psi represents
a challenge for large diameter exible
pipes. The rst API 15,000 psi (103
MPa) exible line for kill and choke
applications was produced in 1976 with a
2.5-in (63.5-mm) ID. The design has been
improved since to the present 3-in. (76-mm),
15,000 psi, 100C (212F) Rilsan and 130C
(266F) Coon products.
Flexible pipe technology
Unbonded exible pipes commonly are
used for dynamic risers connecting seabed
owlines to oating production facilities, as
wellhead jumpers on oating dry tree units,
for uid transfer lines connecting two pro-
duction facilities, and for static seabed ow-
lines and jumpers.
The tensile armor layers are high-strength
carbon steel rectangular wires, wound in
opposed directions to provide torque bal-
ance. These layers provide the mechanical
resistance performances of the pipe; that
is, resistance to hoop stress, tension, and
hydrostatic pressure. The plastic layers
are pressure barriers against internal and
external uids. Combined design pressure
and temperature are critical for the selection
of the polymer used as the leak-proof bar-
rier (pressure sheath). Polymers commonly
used are polyethylene, polyamide 11, and
PVDF. PVDF has the best chemical compat-
ibility and highest continuously sustainable
temperature of 130C (266F). For high-
pressure applications, an additional layer of
helical reinforcement over the pressure ar-
mor, or a second set of tensile armor layers,
can be applied. For deepwater designs, ad-
ditional reinforcements are applied over the
tensile armor layers to avoid buckling under
the external compression load.
For applications requiring high thermal
performance, insulation layers such as syn-
tactic foam strips can be wound on the pipe.
Flexible pipes have excellent fatigue be-
havior for oating platforms. They follow
wave-induced vessel motions and resist en-
vironmental loadings thanks to their ability
to bend to small radii.
High-pressure fatigue
Fatigue is a driving parameter for dynamic-
exible risers design. The fatigue life of the
tensile and pressure armor layers dictates the
life of the exible pipe. Therefore, an important
step is predicting expected life of the primary
structural layers using valid fatigue-life models.
When exible pipe is bent, the layers and
the wires in the each layer slide, adopting the
new shape. When the pipe is not pressurized,
there is little resistance to sliding. In this case,
sliding of the wires occurs for very small cur-
vature variations. However, when the pipe is
pressurized, a contact pressure pushes the
layers and the wires against each other. When
a moment is applied, a friction force prevents
the wires from moving until the moment is
large enough to overcome the friction. The
higher the operating pressure, the higher the
forces in the wires before sliding, and thus the
higher the stresses and the larger the fatigue
damage. In high-pressure and ultra deepwater
designs, the tensile armors as well as the pres-
sure armors are challenged.
With new developments requiring HT/
HP exible pipes, the high temperature be-
came an issue. A North Sea reservoir with
the highest pressure and highest tempera-
ture on the Norwegian continental shelf so
far at 910 bar (91 MPa) and 170C (338F)
was a challenge for exible risers.
At the exible riser connection, the tem-
perature is lower due to cooling in the ow-
lines resulting is a design specication of
132C (270F). These challenges for the 10-
in. (254-mm) exible production risers were
increased by H
2
S and CO
2
in the production
uid requiring sour service steel for the
riser armor layers.
Qualication testing included not only
small-scale tests, but also a full-scale fatigue
test under combined tension, pressure, and
temperature loads. Fluid temperatures up to
130C (266F) were applied, and the exible
pipe passed the test.
These exible risers hold the design tem-
perature record at 132C (270F) with the
ability to withstand short periods with the
internal uid at 150C (302F).
To exceed 130C (266F), several stud-
ies were performed. The MERL/MCS JIP
(Evaluation of Polymers for High Tempera-
ture Flexible Pipes) explored how to qualify
a high-temperature resistant polymer. The
conclusions were compiled into API 17TR1. It
describes the processes by which the critical
material properties, both static and dynamic,
can be measured and evaluated against rel-
evant performance criteria.
The HP/HT JIP with BP, ExxonMobil, and
Technip pursued research and development
in the HT area. Several options were studied
to allow exible pipes to carry HT uid, i.e.
more than 130C (266F). This JIP led to de-
velopment of a thermal screen that enables
exible pipes to carry uid with tempera-
tures up to 150/170C (302/388F).
Two PVDF grades already qualied up
to 130C and API 15,000 psi operating con-
ditions. Using an internal thermal screen,
a bore temperature of over 150C (302F)
can be sustained while not exceeding 130C
(266F) at the pressure sheath level. The
screen is laid onto the internal carcass and
thermally insulates between the uid in the
bore and the polymer pressure sheath. This
is a Technip patented technology.
HP, ultra deepwater
Flexible pipe was chosen for the water injec-
tion system at a BP deepwater Gulf of Mexico
eld developed through subsea completions
tied back to a large semisubmersible produc-
tion platform. The exible pipe was chosen for
several reasons: it was cost effective, it had a
good corrosion resistance to the inner uid
thanks to the inner plastic liner, and it allowed
a steeper riser conguration and therefore a
shorter length of pipe since some of the injec-
tion wells are below the platform.
The qualied lines have a 7.5-in. (190.5-
mm) internal diameter and a design pressure
of API 10,000 psi (69 MPa). Combined with
the water depth of 1,900 m (6,234 ft), this is
a major step out from previously eld proven
technology as the design breaks world re-
cords for exible dynamic risers with respect
to both water depth and design pressure for
this diameter.
The exible pipe designed for this applica-
tion is a smooth bore pipe. From the inner-
Henri Morand
Antoine Felix-Henry
Jeroen Remery
Technip
Steve Groves
Dick Percy
Jon Day
BP
TRANSPORTATI ON & LOGI STI CS
Flexible riser ready for dynamic test.
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TECHNICAL CAREERS
IDEAS PEOPLE WANTED
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www.shell.com/careers/technical
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TRANSPORTATI ON & LOGI STI CS
most to the outermost layer, the pipe is composed of the following:
Polyethylene inner tube to make the pipe leakproof, allowing
transport of corrosive uids, such as injection water
Carbon steel zeta wire for hoop stress, collapse, and crushing
resistance.
Flat carbon steel spiral to help the zeta wire function
Polyethylene anti-collapse sheath to ensure if the external sheath
is damaged, the water pressure transfers to the underlying zeta
and spiral layers which have sufcient collapse resistance
Two pairs of carbon steel armor wires for axial resistance to
compressive and tensile loads
High strength tape to ensure stability of the armor wires under
the compressive loads induced by the reverse end cap effect of
the external pressure when the pipe is empty
Polyamide external sheath to prevent seawater ingress.
Once the detailed design was set, a series of laboratory tests on the
materials and six full-scale tests were put together. The objective was to
verify that the design could handle the pressure change. Full-scale tests
were performed on a dedicated prototype pipe.
Once the design was completed, a length of riser was made us-
ing the same methods and with the same equipment as to be used
for the actual risers. This ensured that the test product would be
as similar as possible to the nal riser pipe. The samples also con-
tained welds in the different steel layers to have a representative
sample. End-ttings were designed, constructed, and mounted as
they would be for in eld lines.
A hydrostatic collapse test conrmed the pipe could resist the ex-
ternal pressure of 192 bar (19.2 MPa) without attening. The test was
performed on a 2-m (5.5-ft) sample including welds in the pressure ar-
mor layers. Collapse occurred at 571 bar (57.1 MPa) and was detected
through a sudden pressure drop in the external pressure chamber.
This test result showed the ability of the exible pipe to resist the
hydrostatic pressure in the eld, with a comfortable safety margin.
Internal pressure and burst test
A pressure and burst test demonstrated the pipes ability to resist the
project design and test pressures. A 5-m (16-ft) sample was used with
welds in all steel layers and end ttings.
The line was pressurized three times up to the API 10,000 psi
design pressure (69 MPa). During these pressure cycles, the elon-
gation and increase in diameter were monitored and conrmed as
normal behavior. Then, the line was pressurized up to burst, which
TRANSPORTATI ON & LOGI STI CS
Technical gap that has been bridged.
Water injection risers delivered
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40,000
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20,000
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New qualied
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Existing WI lines
For decades we have offered our
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The 24-hour lighted facility also has in place additional
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832-252-7100
sales@delmarus.com www.delmarus.com
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For more information, circle number 73
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__________________
114 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
TRANSPORTATI ON & LOGI STI CS
occurred at 1,617 bar (i.e. 2.3 times the de-
sign pressure). Bursting was in the pipe sec-
tion of the line; no failure or pull out of the
end-ttings was observed.
Dynamic fatigue test
A dynamic fatigue test was performed to
validate the concept of the riser and the bend-
ing stiffener in this kind of dynamic applica-
tion. The test bench was upgraded to a tension
capacity of 700 metric tons (772 tons) and the
capability of applying angle variations of up to
+/- 20 deg. The test sample was 16 m (52.5 ft)
long with a two-part stiffener more than 4 m
(13 ft) long.
Two million load cycles were applied. Ver-
ication that these conditions represented
the eld conditions was done with compara-
tive fatigue calculations. It was shown that
the test conditions represented loadings that
would cause fatigue damage approximately
three times larger than predicted for the
eld conditions. The test was determined to
be conservative.
The planned cycles did not result in any
loss of pressure or other problems. The
pressure test that was performed at the end
of the cycling also was successful.
The other full-scale tests performed were:
A crushing test, performed to verify
the ability of the pipe to resist the radial
loads applied by the Deep Blue tension-
ers during offshore installation
An ageing test of the sealing of the PE
pressure sheath in the end-tting was per-
formed to demonstrate the suitability of
the chosen sheath material and the sealing
mechanism for 25 years at 65 C (149 F)
and API 10,000 psi (69 MPa) rating
A collapse test of the inner tube, per-
formed to verify the collapse resistance
of the inner.
Next frontier
A new initiative started in 2004, the ultra
high-pressure (XHP) JIP. Its aim is to qualify a
5- to 6-in. (127- to 152-mm) production dynamic
exible pipe with design temperature of 150C
(302F) and design pressure of API 20,000 psi
(138 MPa). Testing will concentrate on the HP
side, as HT already has been qualied.
To withstand such pressure, a new pressure
vault had to be designed. This vault is able to
dynamically support the pressure and fatigue
loads. It has been optimized not only for fatigue,
but also to control pressure sheath creeping,
which can be an important issue in HP/HT ap-
plications while allowing a low bend radius.
For material qualications, one major is-
sue is rapid gas decompression. Gas from
oil production uid can be trapped inside
the pressure sheath material and, should a
too rapid decompression happen, the pres-
sure sheath could be irredeemably dam-
aged. Therefore, plastic materials need to
be qualied for that event. API17J and API
17TR1 provide the testing protocol.
Rapid gas decompression tests on PVDF
grades have been performed successfully up
to maximum pressure of 1,240 bar (124 MPa)
at rates of 70 bar/min. Qualication for oper-
ating pressures above 1,240 bar depends on
nding adequate testing equipment.
A prototype manufacture is ongoing with
6-in. (152-mm) pipe rated at 20,000 psi (138
MPa) design pressure. A full set of static and
dynamic tests is planned.
Acknowledgements
The thermal screen was developed and qualied
through a Joint Industry Project with BP, ExxonMobil,
and Technip Flexi France as participants. The XHP
JIP is a common development program between BP
and Technip Flexi France.
The authors thank all the personnel in Flexi France
R&D center involved in these projects, especially Jean
Hardy for his contribution to the high-temperature
polymers studies.
TRANSPORTATI ON & LOGI STI CS
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Cryogenic floating flexibles
widen options for LNG transfer
A
group of oil and gas majors is support-
ing the development of cryogenic oat-
ing exible pipelines for LNG transfer
operations.
The venture is a direct follow-on from the qualication of
such exibles in aerial architectures through the Amplitude-LNG
Loading System joint industry project (JIP).
The possibility of a marine terminal for LNG transfer, similar to those
existing for crude oil, opens new scenarios for the industry at both the
liquefaction and re-gasication ends of the chain. The marine transfer
facilities can be located outside the usual port or river facilities and
linked to the coast using long-length, cryogenic pipe-in-pipes, devel-
oped and qualied recently by Technip.
Alternatively, for isolated gas elds with on-site liquefaction facili-
ties (LNG-FPSO), the oating exibles could be used to connect the
FPSO to the mid-ship manifolds of the LNG carriers.
The oating exibles are being developed on a step-by-step basis,
which started with the IFP/Principia DeepLines program extension
to analyze the behavior of exibles when oating on the sea surface.
Modeling of oating pipes must take into account the change of buoy-
ancy for surface-piercing elements. To do so, the immersed volume
must be derived at all times from the interrelat-
ing impact of the sea surface taking into account
wave elevation and the actual pipe geometry.
The initial results from the program were
positive, and within the framework of the Float-
ing Flexible JIP again supported by various
majors. A second phase started in 2005 that included model basin
trials (at 1/10th scale) in the Oceanide basin in La Seyne, southern
France.
To date, 150 tests have been performed covering a wide range
of congurations. Initially, the focus was on current-only tests to
calibrate the drag Cd and inertial Cm coefcients to be incorporated
into the models. Then, comparisons were made with irregular wave
tests to validate the numerical results for both extreme and fatigue
conditions. The tests revealed a good correlation between statistics
for forces and vertical motions for both extreme and fatigue condi-
tions.
The nal step of the JIP involves building and testing in open-sea
conditions a oating exible prototype (8-in. or 16-in. I., 50 m long). The
prototype will be fully instrumented to record motions, bending radius,
tension and number of cycles, and a data recording buoy will be an-
chored alongside to record actual oceano-meteo data. The latter will be
input into the DeepLines program and the results compared with the
actual results from the monitoring system in the exible.
The objective is to derive a model that can predict the lifetime of such
exibles in a set of given marine conditions. Micro leaks through the
inner stainless steel bellows will be the determining factor. The use of
multi-layer bellows gives an extended fatigue life for exibles in con-
stant motion on the sea-surface.
For more information contact Philippe.lebuhan@principia.fr.
Philippe Le Buhan
Principia
FRANCE
In brief...
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Institut de Soudure, Frances national welding institute, has estab-
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headquarters for oil and gas research in the country.
Data communications connec-
tors from SEDI Fibers Optique.
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_________
For on and off-shore rigs,
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_
Construction specialists seeking
further alliance opportunities
154 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
O
ffshore mechanical groups Ponticelli
and Eiffel are planning joint bids for
several new West Africa projects.
This follows their recent collabora-
tion on Totals Rosa development in
Angolan block 17.
Ponticelli was awarded the construction
contract at the end of 2004. The contract
included fabrication of six modules, weigh-
ing 5,000 metric tons (5,511 tons) in total,
and their subsequent hookup on the Girassol
FPSO to receive production from the Rosa
subsea tiebacks. The hookup itself required
the fabrication and installation of 1,000 ad-
ditional tonnes of structures to reinforce the
FPSO deck and piping for interconnection
of the modules within the existing topsides
network.
Eiffel was subcontracted for
four of the modules (total weight
4,000 metric tons 4,409 tons) at
its yard in Fos sur Mer (south-
ern France), and Sonamet was
subcontracted for the other two
(total weight 1,000 metric tons
1,110 tons) at its yard in Lo-
bito, Angola. Ponticellis Angolan subsidiary
Pontumo handled fabrication of the hook-up
components in Luanda. All consignments
were delivered by the end of 2006.
For Ponticelli, the offshore works in prep-
aration for the installation of the modules,
followed by hookup, was by far the most
demanding aspect of the project. With pro-
duction from Girassol continuing during the
construction program, all activities on board
the vessel were conducted under simops
(simultaneous operations i.e. construction
works and production) conditions.
These conditions required a high level
of preparation and scheduling, maximiza-
tion of the off-site works, implementation of
strict work permit procedures, and the use
of specic tools and equipment to operate
in classied areas. The experience gained
by Ponticelli from numerous refurbishment
campaigns at reneries and petrochemical
plants in Europe proved benecial in this
campaign, which is due to be completed
mid- 2007 offshore Angola.
Rosa is by far Ponticellis largest project
to date, with the offshore part occupying
a workforce of 650 at peak, and a total of
nearly 2 million man-hours. The companys
previous high-prole references include six
months of hookup and platform re-vamp-
ing for Chevron Angolas Sanha condensate
project; and eight and a half months hook-up
work relating to six modules for the NKossa
development offshore Congo.
According to Jean-Christophe Garapin of
Ponticellis Commercial Department, the
companys experience in the offshore sector
dates back to the 1970s, when it was more a
construction specialist. Its rst project was
Elfs Ashtart offshore Tunisia. Until the mid-
1990s, its yard in Bordeaux (no longer in use
for offshore purposes today) produced nu-
merous topsides modules, mainly for elds
in the North Sea, Mediterranean, and West
Africa. Laterly, the companys oil and gas
focus has been almost exclusively on Libya,
Venezuela, and West Africa, served increas-
ingly by local operations.
In 1997, it established Ponticelli Nigeria in
Port Harcourt, which today employs nearly
200 staff. Its main specialties are mechanical
works, including structural steel and pipe-
work fabrication, equipment maintenance,
and hookup.
Recently, this subsidiary performed a se-
ries of offshore work programs for Totals
Amenam Interim Water Injection project.
This included fabrication/erection of piping
spools; fabrication/installation of structural
extension for the AMP1 platform; fabrication
of hang-off structure with boat landing to
AMP2; ange change of 18-in. riser on AMP2
jacket; and fabrication of subsea clamps.
In 2005 Portumo Sucursal Angola was
established as a similar service center in
response to Sonangols demands for indig-
enous operations.
Ofon partnership
Prior to Rosa, Ponticelli worked with Ei-
ffel on the Cobo and Bruce projects. Recent-
ly, the two companies submitted a joint bid
for the main deck of phase 2 of Totals Ofon
FRANCE
(Right) Integration of the
methanol injection module
on the Girassol FPSO deck.
(Below) Rosa module: fabrication
in progress at Fos sur Mer.
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development off Nigeria, which calls for a
new 12,500-metric-ton (13,778-ton) produc-
tion platform, three wellhead installations,
and one living quarter module.
The partners are pitching for the pro-
duction platform in association with Doris
Engineering also in a rival bid with Hyun-
dai. According to Eiffels Offshore Division
Director Arnaud de Villepin, We intend to
carry out the engineering in France, but fab-
rication would be handled by Sembawang
in Singapore and in Nigeria because of the
need to maximize local content. We plan to
use the South African-owned Grinaker yard
in Port Harcourt for steel structure fabrica-
tion.
Eiffels facility in Fos is not part of this bid.
We must propose the most competitive price,
de Villepin explains, and Fos is more expensive
than Far East yards. But that gap is decreasing
year on year prices, for example, are rising,
because of wage increases.
With us and Ponticelli, we are two compa-
nies from the same culture, and we are also
complimentary in construction and manage-
ment of big projects. Also, we are not as big
as the major offshore contractors, so when
we work together, we do so as a team, split-
ting the risks as well as the prot.
Another point is that because of our
two companies respective sizes, we are not
working on 10 oil and gas projects at the
same time, but on one or two. So if we are
successful on Ofon Phase 2 or other bids,
we can commit all our forces to the project,
which means our relationship with the client
is closer. We can therefore react better to
the clients needs, with greater exibility.
Eiffel and Ponticelli are also bidding jointly
for a single compression platform in Angolan
waters, again operated by Total. On its own,
Eiffel is targeting various upcoming projects
in Nigeria, some operated by Chevron and
ExxonMobil.
We particularly want to develop our liv-
ing quarter fabrication capability in Nigeria,
says de Villepin. This could be via our joint
venture with local company OOP Engineer-
ing. Prospective projects include the quar-
ters module for Ofon Phase 2, and Shells
Block H development.
In our bids for Ofon 2, we have proposed
training our partner engineering companies
to handle this type of fabrication, hookup,
and so on: this capability does not exist pres-
ently.
The yard at Fos is currently undergoing an
extension to handle masts for offshore wind
farms. Depending on the outcome of Eiffels
other bids, it could be available for topsides
or living quarters construction in 2008.
We have been doing one or two offshore
projects or less per year in recent times,
but all of them have been successful, both
for ourselves and our clients. It is not easy,
because in France, man-hour rates are very
high compared with those in the Middle East
or Far East yards, and the portion of man-
hours is very important. Also steel prices re-
main very high. But we are still competitive
in terms of quality, time schedule, exibility
and, most important, nal prices.
In the past, Fos built drilling modules for
projects in the North Sea and Azerbaijan,
and more recently a fast moving workover
rig for Eni offshore Libya. Now we are
thinking about jackups also, says de Ville-
pin, because this is a very dynamic market
at present. But the specialist yards in the Far
East are overloaded, and they are proposing
timed deliveries for 2011 and beyond.
We have already been contacted by drilling
contractors who are looking for available slots
in some yards. If we return to this market, we
will focus on heavy-duty jackups. For this, a
joint venture is not necessary, nor would we
subcontract the work elsewhere.
DORIS Engineering
58A, rue du Dessous des Berges - 75013 Paris FRANCE
Tl. + 33 1 44 06 10 00 - Fax + 33 1 45 70 87 38
www.doris-engineering.com
DORIS INC.
820 Gessner, Suite 1200 - Houston TX77024
Tel. + 1 (713) 973 2520 - Fax + 1 (713) 973 2578
Since 1965, the name DORIS has been attached to the most
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Worldwide Network of Partners
Design Engineering to Turnkey Contracts
Complete Development of Offshore Oil & Gas Fields
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Test loop assesses feasibility
of deepwater subsea separation
I
n deepwater Angolan block 17, Total has brought onstream two
FPSO-based production hubs and plans two more. According to
an article in the companys latest house magazine Energies, it
also plans to extend this model to ultra-deep block 32, where it
has at least ve commercial nds.
However, each combination brings its own technical problems.
In the case of the next project on the line-up, Pazor, embracing the
Perpetua, Zinia, Acacia and Hortensia elds, the tieback distances
are greater, at up to 60-km. Additionally, Perpetua and Zinias Mio-
cene crudes are even heavier than Dalias and are also non-erup-
tive. So, the planned subsea wells will all have to be in service from
startup.
The preferred solution involves subsea separation of gas and
liquids, at a depth of around 1,000 m, which would also be reliable
enough to function for long periods without intervention. The pro-
posed technique is intended to eliminate the risk of hydrate formation
and also to limit the energy needed to lift the uids to the FPSO.
The Institut Francais du Petrole has formed a joint venture with
Total to test the proposed technique at IFPs research center in So-
laize, outside Lyon. According to IFPs Claude Mabile, work on this
study started early in 2006, leading to construction of a Gas-Oil Wa-
ter Separation Platform (GOWSP). This is a closed loop facility that
can operate with gas, crude oil or water.
The GOWSP has overall dimensions of 35 x 25 x 5 m, and can test
ow rates of up to 1,000 cu m/hr for gas, and 15 cu m/hr for both oil
and water, at pressure of up to 55 bar, and with over a temperature
range of 40-80C. The facility incorporates the following main com-
ponents:
A 6 m long, 1.5 m dia. storage tank holding maximum volumes
of 10.8 MMcm; oil/water dosing pumps, each driven by 25 kW
of electrical power, provide ow rates of up to 12 cu m/hr
Liquid heat exchangers occupying an area of 7.7 sq km, provid-
ing heat capacity of up to 47 kW
A compressor for gas circulation, with gas ow rates varying
from 300-1,100 cu m/hr
A gas-cooling exchanger providing 19 kW of cooling capacity
One 2 m long, 70 cm ID, horizontal three-phase separator, again
operating at 55 bar over a 40-80C temperature range, capable of
handling volumes of 1.15 cu m
One 3 m high, 50 cm ID vertical separator, with the same pres-
sure and temperature values, but handling volumes up to 0.40
cu m.
Inside each separator are pressure and temperature sensors,
multiple-level sampling devices, an oil level sampling instrument,
and two inter-phase gauges. There are also owlines up- and down-
stream of the separators which are instrumented with further trans-
ducers, mass owmeters, an oil viscometer and an oil gammameter,
and various other ow sampling devices.
The dual aim of the trials to date has been to test both the perfor-
mance of the proposed separators and the various system internals.
Conventional three-phase separators can cause problems, Ma-
bile explains, and if they dont perform as they should, that can
affect resultant oil quality. And if that is the case, you must perform
post-treatment.
Some of the subsea separator designs put forward to date have
maybe been bigger, heavier, and more expensive than they should
be. Recently, we have been testing a prototype vertical separator. If
this equipment could be placed directly in the well subsea, it would be
much easier to install and operate than a multiphase pump system.
IFP has also been working with Total to improve ow assurance
modelling, Mabile says. We are engaged in a four-year study with
Total to examine an alternative, open-software platform, based on
the CAPE-OPEN standard developed by the process industry.
The aim is to promote easier interaction, allowing the operator
to simulate and optimize a full eld development system by simul-
taneously tying together modules such as near-wellbore modeling,
multiphase ow, hydrate formation, uid dynamics, gas lift and so
on, right up to the surface installation.
Still on the subject of hydrates, IFP is working a lot now on transpor-
tation issues. We have launched proposals for two joint industry proj-
ects to study the risk of pipeline blockages for companies planning to
transport oil and gas as hydrate slurries over long distances. The pres-
sure drop of the proposed mixture also needs investigating. We will be
doing a combination of experimental work on the Lyre loop at Solaize.
We need four or ve companies to sponsor this research.
156 Of fshore May 2007 www.offshore-mag.com
FRANCE
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you can show them?
Article reprints are a low-cost,
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at 918.832.9379 or sherryh@pennwell.com
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A tailor-made service for professionals
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Our energy is your energy
THE BIGGER YOUR NEEDS
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As the worlds fourth largest oil and gas major and a world-class chemicals
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www.offshore-mag.com May 2007 Of fshore 159
DENMARK
D
enmarks offshore industry does not
often hit the international headlines,
but it is no laggard in terms of offshore
expertise. Despite the comparatively
small size of the countrys service and
supply sector, it has leading technology to of-
fer in a number of key areas.
So says Mogens Tofte Koch, general man-
ager and director of the Danish Marine and
Offshore Group (DMOG), which he founded
in 2001. Many of the 85 member companies
have strong links with the shipping and ship-
building sectors, from which they have made
a natural progression to the offshore sector.
Tofte Koch is also the managing direc-
tor of Offshore Denmark, which organizes
Danish pavilions at international oil and gas
exhibitions such as OTC, Offshore Europe,
and ONS, as well as events in the Middle East
and Far East.
A growing number of companies take ad-
vantage of these opportunities.
Several dozen companies now come along,
says Tofte Koch. I think Danish companies are
getting more eager to present themselves at
exhibitions.
Several smaller suppliers have received
the encouraging feedback that they have
good products at fair prices.
One of the areas in which Danish compa-
nies have a special expertise is FPSO conver-
sion and outtting, including activities such
as design and engineering services, turret
fabrication, and riser design and supply.
Denmark is home to leading FPSO opera-
tor Maersk Contractors, which owns seven
units and operates others. Its current proj-
ects include Marathons Alvheim FPSO in
the Norwegian sector. Maersk managed the
vessel conversion and will operate the unit
following startup this summer. It is also han-
dling conversion of an FPSO for Woodsides
Vincent eld off western Australia.
DMOG has organized two meetings for
its members aimed at expanding the net of
suppliers to main FPSO contractors. At the
most recent, last November, presentations
were given by:
FORCE Technology, which provides
integrity management services
Ramboll Oil & Gas, which in February
was awarded a contract by Samsung
Heavy Industries for the detailed engi-
neering and design of a generic FPSO
for Nexus Floating Production
F A Mggler Service, a construction com-
pany specializing in FPSO turrets
NKT Flexibles, a leading supplier of
exible pipelines and risers.
Another area in which the Danish supply
sector is particularly strong is platform mod-
ication. Tofte Koch cites Esbjerg Oileld
Services, which recently supplied a new pro-
duction platform to Maersk Oil and Gas and
is busy with manufacturing, rig repair and
maintenance assignments on several Dan-
ish oil and gas elds. The company recently
merged with Semco Maritime.
Strengthening platform legs is one of Den-
sits specialties. Using Ducorit high-strength
grout, the company increased the load-bear-
ing capacity of Dongs Siri platform in the
Danish sector by almost 50%.
HSE services are another area of Danish
expertise. One of the leading companies
is standby specialist Esvagt, part of the A
P Mller-Maersk group. Esvagt recently
signed letters of intent with Statoil to pro-
vide two newbuild emergency response ves-
sels for the Norwegian sector.
Denmark also wants to promote itself as
a center for environmentally sustainable de-
commissioning technology, Tofte Koch says.
A two-day conference on this theme will be
held in Esbjerg on October 11-12. Eventually
there will be a substantial domestic market,
comprising some 50 platforms that will need
to be removed. An interesting assignment
for the Frigg decommissioning project in
Norway has been won by fabrication com-
pany Bladt Industries, which under contract
to Aker Kvaerner Offshore Partner is to
build four buoyancy tanks with total weight
of 4,000 tonnes (4,409 tons), to be used for
jacket reoating.
Danish suppliers are becoming increas-
ingly active on the world market, not least
thanks to the helping hand they receive
from the larger companies such as Maersk
Contractors and oil company Maersk Oil.
These two companies, both part of the A P
Mller-Maersk group, have developed ex-
tensive international portfolios.
Maersk Oil recently contracted Ramboll to
provide design and engineering support for the
$5-billion Al Shaheen offshore development in
Qatar. Several DMOG member companies ex-
hibited in a Danish pavilion at the Doha IPTC
show in Qatar in November 2005. A lot of com-
panies reported making good contacts, says
Tofte Koch. Maersk helped to lift us up.
Good relations with Denmarks neighbor
Norway also help. Over the years many Dan-
ish suppliers have regularly delivered goods
and services to leading Norwegian contrac-
tors such as Aker Kvaerner, FMC Kongsberg
Subsea and Aibel and Vetco Gray, the succes-
sors of the former Vetco International group.
Along with the supplier community in
general, Danish suppliers are thriving on
the strong level of demand in offshore mar-
kets around the world. The same is true
of the domestic market, where Tofte Koch
says he has never seen the level of activity
so high. Various development projects are
underway and exploration has been given
a boost by the award of 14 new licenses in
2006, and a further three so far this year.
As elsewhere, the sector is having dif-
culty recruiting enough engineers and oth-
er qualied staff. Industry bodies now ac-
tively promote careers in oil and gas among
students, and hold promotional workshops
to which potential employees from abroad,
and especially Germany, are invited.
Mogens Tofte Koch,
general manager
and director of the
Danish Marine and
Offshore Group (DMOG).
Denmark promoting its skills in
floating production, decommissioning
Nick Terdre
Contributing Editor
One of two newbuild emergency
response vessels that Esvagt will
operate on Statoils behalf.
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Flexible riser passes tensile, fatigue tests
N
KT Flexibles has qualied its rst
deepwater exible riser and is well
advanced with qualication of a sec-
ond.
The work is being done under its
Deep Water Development Program (DWD2000),
which aims to produce a suite of risers to meet a
variety of conditions and oil company require-
ments. The program has stimulated widespread
interest, according to CEO Michael C Hjorth.
The rst riser to be qualied is a 6-in. pro-
duction riser, PR-06, for use in waters to 2,000
m (6,561 ft). The qualication program includ-
ed an in-plane fatigue test, simulating a free-
hanging catenary at 2,000 m (6,561 ft), which
was performed with 345 bar operating pres-
sure and dynamic tension varying in phase
with the bending.
A tensile test combined with representa-
tive installation crushing loads was also per-
formed. A comparison of the ultimate tensile
strength with the predicted value showed little
difference, conrming the robustness and
accuracy of NKTs design methodology, says
Hjorth.
NKT is currently performing full-scale
in-plane fatigue testing of an 8-in. (203 mm)
production riser designed for depths down to
1,750 m (5,741 ft). The prototype has been de-
signed with high-temperature capability using
NKTs proprietary single-layer unplasticized
polyvinylidene uoride (PVDF) inner liner.
NKTs deepwater risers are also intended
for high-pressure service. The operating
pressure of 345 bar used in testing is equiv-
alent to 5,000 psi, well above the 3,000 psi
standard.
One of the points about our program is
the focus we have on different regions, says
Hjorth. We aim to meet the different require-
ments of different oil companies in the major
deepwater provinces, Brazil, West Africa, Gulf
of Mexico, Far East Asia, and so on.
NKT is also carrying out extensive R&D
to enhance the performance characteristics
of polymeric and metallic materials. In a sec-
ond phase of the program, it plans to make
further use of its expertise in exotic and high-
performance materials, such as XLPE, cross-
linked polyethylene does not degrade when
exposed to water over time.
This is another respect in which we dif-
fer from our competitors, by using not only
standard materials, but also more exotic ma-
terials in order to achieve a broader perfor-
mance range, Hjorth says.
DENMARK
NKT 6-in. fexible production riser undergoing a
tensile test as part of its qualifcation for use in
water depths to 2,000 m (6,561 ft).
Oshore Surveys & Directories
Oshore oil and gas industry surveys
and directories are now available in Excel
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MWD/LWD Services Directory
Environmental Drilling & Completion
Fluids Directory
Global Field Development Survey
Annual Rotary Steerable Tool Directory
Downloadable at
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_____________
DEEP OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY
International Conference & Exhibition
DEEPWATER & ARCTIC
-
OCEANS OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES
October 10 - 12, 2007
Stavanger Forum, Stavanger, Norway
www.deepoffshoretechnology.com
Conference
Management Contacts:
Conference Director
ELDON BALL
P: +1 713 963 6252
F: +1 713 963 6296
dotconference@pennwell.com
Exhibit & Sponsorship
Sales Managers:
JANE BAILEY
P: +44 (0) 1992 656 651
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
janeb@pennwell.com
SUE NEIGHBORS
P: +1 713 963 6256
F: +1 713 963 6212
dotsales@pennwell.com
The Deep Offshore Technology International Conference & Exhibition (DOT) will
be held in Stavanger, Norway this year with over 2500 people and 100 exhibitors
expected from the energy centers of Norway, United States, Asia, Europe, Russia,
Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, and Australia.
As technology rapidly changes in our industry this years conference theme
Deepwater & Arctic Oceans of New Opportunities addresses all the
capabilities of our industry and will attract a broad collection of papers on topical
subjects related to both deepwater exploration and the complexities of arctic
exploration. At this years DOT, a special session on arctic technology will refect
the growing importance of arctic exploration frontiers.
PennWell is committed to bringing DOT to the worlds most pertinent deepwater
markets. Norway is central to Arctic worldwide offshore E&P market and many
prominent players in the oilfeld will gather for this most prestigious conference
and exhibition.
Plan on exhibiting, sponsoring and attending this event as DOT travels to Norway
for the latest in deep offshore technology.
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Produced by:
Flagship Media Sponsors: Hosted by: Supported by: Sponsored by:
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Ramboll assessing
Russian pipeline impact
S
teady progress is being made in implementing the Nord
Stream pipeline project, taking gas from Russia to Western
Europe via an onshore/offshore route.
The projects partners will seek construction permission
this summer. The aim is to have all permits in place by 2008,
according to Ramboll Oil & Gas, which is assisting with the overall
planning and permitting procedures.
Nord Stream involves the installation of two 48-in. pipelines running
1,200 km (745 mi) from Vyborg in Russia to Germanys northeast coast.
The rst line is due onstream in 2010 and the second in 2012.
In diameter, this will be the worlds biggest subsea pipeline sys-
tem, while in length it will be only a few kilometers shorter than the
Norway/UK Langeled system, the worlds longest subsea pipeline.
It will also be the rst pipeline installed in the Baltic Sea.
There are concerns about the impact the pipelines will have, says
Neel Strbk, Rambolls project manager. This applies not only in the
ve host countries in whose waters the line will be laid Russia, Finland,
Sweden, Germany, and Denmark but also neighboring countries that
might be affected Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Consultation with these countries is being conducted in accor-
dance with the Espoo Convention, part of the UN Law of the Sea
legislation, which regulates the study of environmental impacts in a
transboundary context.
Rambolls environmental studies are based on surveys of a 2-km-
wide corridor along the pipeline route and a more detailed investigation
of the 200-m-wide (218 yd) strip within which the lines will be laid.
When the deadline for comments fell in February, several hun-
dred had been received from interested parties. Three main areas
of concern can be identied, says Strbk:
Effects of seabed intervention on the marine environment
Effects of the pipelines on shing
Proximity of the pipeline route to dumping grounds for chemi-
cal munitions from World War II.
A new survey of the chemical munitions dumping grounds will
be carried out shortly. The main dumping area lies off the Danish
island of Bornholm.
Ramboll has done similar work for other proposed Baltic Sea pipe-
lines, including the BalticPipe between Denmark and Poland and the
Baltic Gas Interconnector linking Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
But none of the previous projects has been on such a large scale nor,
have any, as yet, secured a commitment to construction, as Nord
Stream has done.
DENMARK
Danish Offshore Solutions
- meet us at OTC 2007
booth 5175
www.geoteknisk.dk
Industrial Encoders
Offshore Denmark is a unique net-
work of more than 250 Danish com-
panies joined to give customers the
ultimate product, covering all aspects
within the marine/offshore industry.
The exibility of Danish offshore and
energy industries and its innovative
ability explains why Danish equip-
ment, products and know-how are
well-known and has been respected
in the market for several years.
The members of
Offshore Denmark represent:
Great expertise in the manufacture
of innovative and competetitive
products.
The power to offer complete turn
key solutions with a strong support-
ing service industry.
A competent, technologically skilled
industry with highly motivated
employees.
Sustainable production and unique
concepts.
OFFSHORE DENMARK
Offshore Denmark ApS Norremarksvej 27 DK 9270 Klarup Denmark Phone +45 98 31 77 11 Fax +45 98 31 77 55 info@offshore-denmark.dk
www.offshore-denmark.dk - Your key to Danish offshore suppliers!
Visit www.offshore-denmark.dk
Innovative Suppliers
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Swedish technology
www.offshore-mag.com May 2007 Of fshore 163
Passenger & goods elevators
The Alimak Hek Group specializes in
rack and pinion-driven elevators for indus-
trial locations and has more than 30 years
experience working for the oil and gas
industry. Its product range includes Alimak
and Champion elevators. The modular-built
systems are adaptable in size and capac-
ity, and do not need a machine room or
elevator shaft. Elevators are available in
explosion-protected designs, providing reli-
able and convenient access in hull columns,
derricks and platform modules, and in
reneries.
www.alimakhek.com
Accommodation modules
Emtunga, a leading supplier of offshore
living quarters and technical modules, is
working presently on projects in Thailand,
the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea,
West Africa, the North Sea, Newfoundland,
and the Gulf of Mexico. During the past 12
months, the company has had more than
1,200 beds under construction, all designed
and built at its facilities in Sweden.
www.emtunga.com
Hydraulic drives
Hagglunds Drives is a leader in hydraulic
drive systems, specializing in heavy duty
applications that demand high torque, low
speed, and variable rpm. Production is
based in Mellansel, Sweden and the compa-
ny also has a global sales organization with
wholly owned sales and service companies
in 16 countries. The group is itself owned
by the listed private equity company Ratos.
www.hagglunds.com
Steel castings
Kohlswa Gjuteri manufactures high
grade and stainless cast steel products.
The company has facilities for machining,
non-destructive testing, chemical analy-
sis, heat treatment, and pattern making.
Casting weights range from 100-8,000 kg.
The companys processes are approved by
ABS, LRS, BV, DNV, and RMS. Specialties
include shackles, swivels, tri-plates, ram
plates, and towing pins.
www.kohswagjuteri.se
Humidiers
Munters has long experience in the
design and manufacture of humidiers for
the offshore and marine sectors. Its current
specialties include a wide range of mist
eliminators and droplet separators, provid-
ing protection levels from moderate to very
high. The company can also provide testing
facilities.
www.munters.com
Stainless steel components
Outokumpu is a supplier of international
stainless steel products and solutions. The
company serves companies in a wide range
of sectors, and is represented in over 30
countries worldwide. Its main manufactur-
ing centers are in Sweden and Finland,
with others in North America. Outokumpu
Stainless Tubular Products makes and sells
welded stainless steel process tubes, pipes,
ttings, and anges.
www.outokumpu.com
High strength chains
Ramnas Bruk provides high strength an-
chor chain for demanding offshore mooring
systems, with 40 years experience in this
sector. Its steelworks, which manufacture
high grade steel, have also developed alloys
and characteristics for the companys R4+
chain and its forthcoming grade 5 chain.
www.ramnas.com
Hot isostatic processing
Sandvik Powdermet manufactures near
net shape products via the PM/HIP process
and has been making deliveries in this
fashion since 1983. Offshore application
products are made from high-strength
stainless steel with a high level of corro-
sion resistance maximum 15 tons, 1.2 m
outside diameter, 2.85 m long. Isotropic
features and mechanical properties of the
process are equal in all directions. The
company also employs nite element analy-
sis to achieve weight savings of up to 40%.
Welding can be cut by up to 30% compared
with conventional methods.
www.smt.sandvik.com/powdermet
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