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OIL & GAS

Introduction to Subsea Production

Systems
08 Production Control Systems

August 2015

DNV GL 2015
2013

SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER

August 2015

Module structure
Section 1 Introduction to control
systems

Introduction
Basic instrumentation
Advanced instrumentation

Scope of control systems engineering

Basic control systems

Section 2 Subsea control systems

Section 5 Instrumentation

Introduction
Commonly used terms
Methods of control
Choice of system

Section 6 Topside Control Systems

Offshore control systems
Where does it all fit in?

Section 3 Control system

components
Surface components
Subsurface components

Section 4 Connection systems

Communication systems
Umbilicals
Infield connections
Multi-bore connectors
Jumpers
Connectors and Penetrators

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Learning objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to understand.
What a subsea control system comprises
What factors influence control system design
How a subsea control system relates to other systems

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Section 1 Introduction to control systems

Scope of control systems engineering
Basic control systems

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Scope of control systems engineering

Communications
Software

Mechanical

Electrical

Subsea production
control system

Instrumentation

Interfaces

Fibre optics

Hydraulic
To name a few.

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Open loop control

Initiator

Logic

Actuator

Automatic
Manual

Automatic
Pneumatic
Hydraulic
Manual

Hydraulic
Electrical
Pneumatic

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Process

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Closed loop control Actuator feedback

Initiator

Logic

Actuator

Process

Sensor

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Closed loop control Process feedback

Initiator

Logic

Actuator

Process

Sensor

Sensor

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Power

Power

Power

Powering the system

Initiator

Logic

Actuator

The power supply can

be:
Hydraulic
Electrical
Pneumatic

Sensor

Process

Power

Sensor

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Section 2 Subsea control systems

Introduction
Commonly used terms
Methods of control
Choice of system

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Introduction
What is the definition of a subsea control system?
ISO 13628-6 says..
control system operating a subsea production system during operation
More useful.
To safely maintain the flow of hydrocarbons from a subsea facility
What are the main challenges for a subsea control system?
What are a subsea control systems two primary requirements?

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Subsea control systems

Does a control system fulfil its primary requirements?
Safe operation
2003 HSE Report into valve failures that resulted in a hydrocarbon release
showed:
43% of failures were from inadequate design, materials, etc
0% from control systems
Availability
2003 HSE Report into valve failures that resulted in downtime showed:
43% of failures were from inadequate design, materials, etc
24% of failures were from the control system
The cost per failure?
Average of 100 hours downtime

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Commonly used terms

Closed hydraulic circuit
Hydraulic fluid is returned to its point
of supply
Function

Supply

Open hydraulic circuit

Hydraulic fluid is vented to sea or a
recoverable subsea storage vessel

Return to
tank

Directional control valve or valve

Controls the flow of hydraulic fluid

Solenoid

Function

Supply

Electrical coil that controls the position

of a control valve
Vent to
sea

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Commonly used terms

Fail safe

- Fail closed

Returns to a safe condition in a fault

condition, can be fail open, fail close
or fail as is.

Fail open

- Fail as is

Usually controlled by a mechanical

spring

Hydraulic accumulator
Pressure vessel used to store
hydraulic fluid under pressure

Latched function
A function where the control signal
does not need to be continuously
applied.

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Methods of control
Direct Hydraulic

Platform

Umbilical

Low tech solution

Valve
- Best suited to shallow
water
- Slow to respond
- Large umbilical

High level of reliability

Easy to understand
Easy to fault find
Easy to service
Cheap
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Methods of control
Piloted Hydraulic

Platform

Tree

Umbilical

- Subsea accumulation
- Mechanical or electrical pilot
valve operation
- Valve sequencing can be used

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Valve

- Not suited for ultra-deep

water or long step outs
- Slow to respond
- Large umbilical

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Methods of control
Direct Electro Hydraulic

Platform

Tree

Umbilical

- Smaller umbilical
- Faster response
- Simplified control pod

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Valve

- Not suited for ultra-deep

water or long step outs
- Increased number of subsea
electrical connections
- Requires separate electrical
umbilical or multicore
umbilical

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Methods of control
Electro Hydraulic Multiplexed
SCM

MCS

SCU

Platform
-

Umbilical

Long step out and deep water

Faster response
Simplified umbilical
Capable of complex control
Improved surveillance

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Tree

Valve

- Increased number of subsea

electrical connections
- Higher voltage connections
- More complex subsea
components
- More difficult to support

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Methods of control
All Electric
MCS

SCM

SCU

Platform

- Ultra deep water and extremely long

step outs
- Zero emissions
- Suitable for harsh environments
- Subsea processing
- Easily expandable
- More autonomous?
- Lower operating and maintenance
costs?
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Tree

Umbilical

Valve

- Complex electro-mechanical
devices
- Power electronic devices subsea
- High voltage distribution systems
- Harder to control failure modes
- Greater level of technical support
- Higher Intervention costs?
- Installation costs?

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Choice of system
System
Type

Cost

Maintenance /reliability

Flexibility

Step
out

Depth

Direct
Hydraulic

Low

Low technical threshold.

Most components topside.

Limited

Short

Shallow

Piloted
Hydraulic

Low

Low technical threshold.

Most components topside.

Limited

Short

Shallow

Direct
Electric

Low

Increased complexity.

Limited

Short

Shallow

Electro
Hydraulic
Multiplex

High

More complex, subsea

equipment.

Expandable

Long

Deep

All Electric

High

More complex, subsea

equipment.

Expandable

Very
Long

Ultra Deep

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Section 3 Control system components

Surface components
Subsurface components

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Control system components

Surface
components

Umbilicals (Hydraulic,
Electrical Power and Fibre
Optic)

Distribution

Subsurface
component
s

Instrumentat
ion

Connection systems
(Hydraulic, Electrical Power
and Fibre Optic)

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Background courtesy of STATOILHYDRO AS

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Surface equipment
Typical surface components can include:
-

Topside Umbilical Termination Unit (TUTU)

Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)
Electrical Power Unit (EPU)
Subsea Control Unit (SCU)
Master Control Station (MCS)

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Subsea control unit

AKS SCU

Can act as a stand-alone control

station or integrated in to the PCS
Interfaces to subsea equipment,
HPU, EPU
Provides operator and engineer
access to the system
Acts as a gateway for third party
equipment
Expandable

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Electrical power unit

Semi-conductor based power supply system
Variable voltage output

Can house the communication on power

modem
Provides monitoring of the umbilical system.
Under and over voltage protection
Over current protection
Line insulation monitoring

Communicates to the SCU

For Subsea to Shore developments this can
be replaced by a high voltage transmission
system comprising a high voltage step-up
surface transformer connected by subsea
distribution umbilicals to subsea high voltage
stepdown transformers.

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AKS EPU

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Hydraulic power unit

FMC HPU
Self contained unit provides high
and low pressure hydraulic
supplies for the subsea controls
(sometimes HP hydraulics is
derived from LP supply subsea)
Provides surface accumulation
Redundant motor pump sets
PLC monitoring and control
Interfaced to the SCU

AKS HPU
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Topside umbilical termination unit

Hydraulic, electrical and fibre optic
termination
Electrical terminations in internal
junction boxes
Individual block and bleed valves
for each hydraulic line
Individual pressure gauge per
hydraulic line

Bennex umbilical
terminations
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Master control station

Operator and Engineering access
to the system

FMC MCS

HMI graphical interface to the

system
Stand-alone system or
Integrated into the distributed
control system (DCS)

Remote repeater stations

Can be local or remote

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Subsurface equipment
Typical systems components can include:
- Umbilical Termination Assembly (UTA)
- Subsea Distribution Assembly (SDA)
- Subsea Distribution Unit (SDU)
- Communications Interface Unit (CIU)
- Subsea Electrical Junction Box
- Subsea Control Module (SCM)
- Subsea Electronics Module (SEM)

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Subsea termination assembly

Terminates and distributes the
umbilical
Electrical, hydraulic and chemical
distribution
Multi-bore connectors
ROV mateable jumpers
Configurable arrangement using
crossover caps and or jumpers

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Subsea distribution assembly /unit

Similar to UTA
In-field distribution of hydraulic
and electrical supplies and
communication signals
Subsea electrical junction box
Local transformation of power
supplies (step down
transformers)
Fibre to copper converters (CIU)

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Subsea control module

AKS SCM
Can be installed on SDUs, SDAs,
PLEM and XTs
Controls and monitors subsea
instrumentation and actuators
(valves, etc)
The SCM normally consist of:
Hydraulic and electric operated valves
Subsea Electronic Module
Couplers for electrical cables and
hydraulic lines.
Valves contained in an oil filled pressure
compensated housing
SEM in a one atmosphere pressure
vessel

FMC MKIV SCM

Retrievable
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Subsea electronics module

One atmosphere pressure vessel
Cards for control signal handling
and communications
Supports various communication
protocols
Power supplies for instrumentation
and actuators
Intelligent, able to perform local
control

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AKS SEM

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Section 4 Connection systems

Copper or fibre
Umbilicals
Infield connections
Multi-bore connectors
Jumpers
Connectors and Penetrators

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Copper or fibre
Pros

Fibre

Copper
Pros

High speed
Gigabits of information
Video and audio
Noise immune
Light weight
Sophisticated diagnostic tools

Cheaper modems
Easier terminations
Simpler connectors

Cons

Cons
More fragile
Harder to terminate
More elaborate connectors, especially
subsea
Expensive transmit and receive
equipment

Heavier umbilical
More expensive umbilical
Susceptible to noise
Lower data rates
Shorter distance

Ideally fibre optics should be used for all systems, however for simple shallow
water applications it may be harder to justify.
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Direct hydraulic umbilicals

Older design
Large cross section
Lots of hydraulic lines (one per
function)
Limited electrical connections
Difficult to handle and terminate

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Multiplexed electro-hydraulic umbilicals

Smaller cross section
Steel tubes
Common hydraulic supply
Chemical injection lines
Fibre optic and copper signal
conductors
Power conductors

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Infield connections
Multi-bore connectors
Jumpers
Hydraulic

FMC MKIV SCM

with connections

Optical fibre
Electrical
Couplers
Connectors
Penetrators

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Multi-bore connectors
Used to make the in field
connections from the UTA to the
SDAs and SDUs
Electrical connections
Fluid connections
Hydraulic control
Chemical

Fibre optics
Production flowlines

FMC multi-bore connectors (collet type)

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Jumpers
Used to distribute electrical, optical and
hydraulic signals and supplies
Oil filled pressure compensated hose
Terminated with either a wet mateable
connector, coupler or penetrator
ROV installable
Can be used to reconfigure the system

ODI electrical jumpers

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Couplers
ROV or diver operable, quick
release style connector
Wet mateable poppet
mechanism seals on release

Ifokus Engineering quick

release couplers

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Electrical connectors
Wet and dry mate subsea

ODI electrical connectors

Low voltage for signal

High voltage for power supplies
12KV Tyrihans
36KV Ormen Lange

Can be very problematic

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Fibre optic connectors

ODI electro optical
hybrid connector

Wet mateable
ROV or diver operable
Limited number of mates and demates
Fine tolerance

ODI optical connector

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Penetrators
Fibre optic or power (very high
voltages)
More reliable than connectors
Made up dry and they are not
serviceable subsea
Usually used to terminate one end
of a power cable
Bennex penetrator assembly

Can be used as a barrier between

oil and water, gas and oil and gas
and water

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Section 5 Instrumentation
Introduction
Basic instrumentation
Advanced instrumentation

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Instrumentation
The subsea control system will generally include the following:
Subsea and downhole transducers measuring temperature, pressure, valve
position, sand production, multiphase flow, well parameters and the condition of
the subsea control system equipment
Control system variables and housekeeping parameters such as hydraulic fluid
pressures, communications status and system voltages are also recorded for
analysis at the surface
Other parameters which can be monitored include :
Corrosion
Vibration
Strain
Movement (riser monitoring)
Ocean Current (riser monitoring)
In a modern system almost any variable in the control system can be made
available to the Process Control System
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Instrumentation - basic
Temperature (TT)
Pressure (PT)
The pressure and temperature transmitters can be
combined into a single instrument called a PTT
Both temperature transmitters (TT) and Pressure
transmitters (PT) can be used to monitor either the
process or the control system.
Sand
Intrusive type measures the erosion on a probe
inserted into the process flow

Read Matre WEPS PT

Non-intrusive are based on acoustic devices

Valve position
Continuous measurement by LVDT or similar
Discrete measurement by proximity switch
Inferred from other measurements
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Cormon intrusive erosion sensor

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Instrumentation - advanced
Corrosion
Intrusive sensors penetrating the process
flow, usually at the well head
Non-intrusive, normally fabricated as a
section of pipeline

Hydrocarbon

Cormon corrosion
sensors

Capacitive sensor

Flow meters
Normally mounted in-line

Multiphase flow meters

In-line ROV retrievable devices
Measuring the fractions of gas, oil and
water in the process stream.
Older subsea systems were not very
accurate (~20%), newer systems more
complex promise better results
Also measure, density, salinity, mass and
volumetric flow rate, pressure and
temperature
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Solartron ISA flow meter

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Section 6 Topside control systems

Offshore control systems
Where does it all fit in?

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Offshore control system

Platform /Process Control System
DCS System
Safety Systems
Fire and Gas System
Process Shutdown System (PSD)
Emergency Shutdown System (ESD)
Subsea Production Control System

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Where does it all fit in?

Process Control
System

Electrical
Power Unit

Master Control
Station

Hydraulic
Power Unit

Chemical
Injection Unit

TUTU

Subsea Umbilical (Hydraulic,

Electrical Power and Fibre
Optic)

Umbilical
Termination

In-field Umbilical
(Hydraulic,
Electrical Power
and Fibre Optic)

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Subsea
Distribution

Subsea Control
Module

Electrical and
hydraulic
jumpers

Christmas Tree

Electrical
Downhole
jumpers
hydraulic hard
piping
Background courtesy of STATOILHYDRO AS

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Future developments
All electric field
Sub-ice operations
Increased sophistication of subsea processing units
Faster, more complex control loops
Increased instrumentation (process and condition monitoring)
Remote and integrated operations
Greater use of information
E-field systems
Increased Complexity
Harder to test
Increased attention to software quality systems, security and systems integration
TickIT, CMMI
Requirements engineering

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Production Control System

Key takeaways:
Safe operation
Availability
Simple and robust
Electro-hydraulic
All electric
Increased amount of information
Obsolescence

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