Fpso Design and Technology

IBC FPSO Training Course
Perth ~ November 2005
Introduction to FPSO Design and

Technology
Duncan Peace – Crondall Energy
Crondall Energy Consultants Ltd
28, City Business Centre, Hyde Street, Winchester, SO23 7TA Tel +44 (0)1962 842233
www.crondall-energy.com
Duncan Peace 1
Introduction to FPSO Design and Technology
Crondall Energy
Agenda
1. General Introduction
 Definitions
 Strengths and weaknesses
 Regional aspects
 Market situation
2. Building blocks
 Key components
 Hull selection and design
 Interface with topsides
 Station keeping
 Interface with sub-sea
3. Key technologies
 Turrets and swivels
 Different turret types
 What is going on inside a swivel?
 New developments
Duncan Peace 2
Crondall Energy
Part 1
General Introduction
Duncan Peace 3
Crondall Energy
Definitions
 FPU -Floating production unit – a general expression for all floating production units, but
sometimes also used to describe units without storage such as semi-submersible units
 FPSS – floating production semi-submersible
 FSU or FSO – Floating storage unit OR floating storage and offloading unit
 FPSO – floating production storage and offloading units
 MOPU – general term for mobile offshore production units, but may include jack-up units as
well as floating units
Duncan Peace 4
Crondall Energy
FPSS and TLP
Tension leg production facility.
Marco Polo
Semi submersible production facility.

Images courtesy of Modec/Sofec
Duncan Peace 5
Crondall Energy
FPSOs and FSUs
Floating production storage &

offloading facility
Floating storage facility
Duncan Peace 6
Crondall Energy
FPSO – Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses
 Economics – low hull and conversion cost can  Additional marine equipment and crew (relates
provide best development solution partly to storage) makes operating costs
relatively higher
 Mobility – Easy to move from construction site to
field – easy to relocate from field to field  Lack of drilling capability – Turret moored
solutions with drilling not yet operating –
 Insensitive to water depth – concept is relatively although concepts exist
insensitive to water depth - can operate from
~30m – 3,000 metres  Turret systems can act as a constraint on riser
numbers and sizes
 Large deck area and load capacity – mono-hull
configuration provides large deck payload  Need to use sub-sea trees and flexible risers
capacity and is relatively insensitive to additional (relatively expensive)
payload
 Storage capacity – allows export of product by

shuttle tanker – not pipeline dependent
Duncan Peace 7
Crondall Energy
Regional issues
 North Sea
 Challenging met ocean environment – drives technology innovation
 Heavily regulated
 Mature infrastructure
 Units tend to have smaller storage than in benign areas
 W. Africa
 Benign met ocean environment – benign regulatory environment
 Significant distance to market – drives higher storage capacity
 Stranded gas is a challenge – little infrastructure
 Brazil
 Moderate environment – moderately regulated
 Pioneering deepwater technology
 Established infrastructure
 SE Asia/Australasia
 Cost & schedule driven
 Benign environment; some regional climatic factors – cyclones & typhoons
Duncan Peace 8
Crondall Energy
Market position of FPSOs
 Current worldwide fleet of
TLP's
GLOBAL FORECAST 2004-2008 FPSOs numbers are
SPARS
estimated at around 110+
units working or idle units as
FPS's
at the end of 2004, plus
around 30+ under
FPSO's SOUTH EAST
development.
20
ASIA
19 10 FPSO's AUSTRALASIA  Forecasts show a further
36 100+ planned for the next 5
102
9 FPSO's AFRICA years – which may or may
22 not be realised. However,
14 1 FPSO's AMERICA 20+ units per year will be a
challenge for the industry
13 FPSO's MIDDLE EAST
 History and forecast both
FPSO's EUROPE suggests that of these
prospects; around 2/3rds will
Source: Infield Systems Ltd., Offshore Magazine (May 2004) be FPSOs;
Duncan Peace 9
Crondall Energy
Market Forecast @ November 2005
 Under Construction or with firm plans

 23 FPSOs
 7 FPSSs
 3 SPARs
 3 TLPs
 Probable or possible developments

 78 FPSOs
 5 FPSSs
 2 SPARs
 7 TLPs
The FPSO remains the numerically dominant technology for floater developments
Numbers will continue to challenge industry supply of resources
Source: OGPOD Database/CEC Analysis
Duncan Peace 10
Crondall Energy
Why are FPSOs so important?
 FPSOs have become the technology of choice for new developments in deepwater;
 Outside the GOM they are the dominant technology;
 Significant growth forecast – global fleet expected to almost double over the next 5+ years;
THE FPSO HAS GONE FROM A PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY IN BENIGN AREAS – TO

THE MAIN SOLUTION FOR MODERATE/DEEP OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENTS
WORLDWIDE
CHALLENGE FOR THE INDUSTRY IS HOW TO MEET THE SCALE OF THE FORECAST
INVESTMENTS.
Duncan Peace 11
Crondall Energy
Part 2
Building Blocks
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Crondall Energy
Key components and design features
 Hull and hull (marine) systems
 Station keeping and fluid transfer

facilities
 Topsides process equipment
 Internal interfaces
 Interface with sub-sea equipment & wells
 Interface with offloading arrangements

Image IHC Caland Annual Report
In this presentation we will deal with

the first two ~ and leave the remainder
to subsequent presentations
Image Courtesy of Bluewater
Duncan Peace 13
Crondall Energy
Hulls and Hull Systems
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Crondall Energy
Hull selection – New build or conversion
 New Build
 More flexibility in selecting key design criteria

 Schedule (design and build longer duration than conversion)
 High costs
 Often selected in robust met-ocean environments
 May become more prevalent as numbers of suitable conversion candidates decrease OR hull prices
increase
 My be preferred if conversion scope would be extensive because
• No suitable conversion candidates
• Remedial work for structure &/or marine systems extensive or high risk
• Major compliance issues
 Conversion
 Dominates the global supply of FPSOs
 Quicker and cheaper solution
 Key decisions will be around scope of conversion/upgrade/replacement
Duncan Peace 15
Crondall Energy
Hull selection -New build and conversion challenges
 New build challenges

 Schedule impact
 Yard availability
 Competition
 Design choices
 Conversion challenges
 Conversion candidate vessel (age - double v single hull)
 Scope definition
• Structural integrity
• Utilities & hull systems integrity
• Interfaces & integration of systems
• Technical standards & compliance
• Material selection and corrosion protection
 Contractor skills, experience & capacity
 Scope growth
Duncan Peace 16
Crondall Energy
Hull design - Design Features
Key Issues
 Deadweight
 Cargo (storage) capacity
 Equipment (payload) capacity
 Hull structure - Global and local strength
 Main vessel lay-out - Deck space - Location of accommodation (NB)
 Location of turret % LBP NB = Issues where scope

for choice exists with new-
Need to be considered
builds
 Hull form, fineness and sea-keeping considerations (NB)
 Bow shape, free board (forecastle & ship side) (NB)
 Green water protection
Duncan Peace 17
Crondall Energy
Hull structure
 Tank arrangements - Double sides v full double hull
 Arrangement of tank spaces (NB)
 Longitudinal bulkheads (NB)
 Integration with topsides and other interface structures

NB = Issues where scope
 Layout of other hull spaces for utilities etc. (NB) for choice exists with new-
builds
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Crondall Energy
Hull structure - cargo tank arrangements
Double side – single Double side – double

bottom bottom
Three cargo tank

arrangement
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Crondall Energy
Hull layout-aft accommodation
Blast wall Utilities Fwd
Helideck Accommodation Process Turret
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Crondall Energy
Hull layout -fwd accommodation
Fwd
Utilities Process Turret Blast wall Helideck
Accommodation
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Crondall Energy
Hull design - Hull systems and utilities
 Layout of major features (NB)

 Accommodation & TR
 Main marine systems & utilities
• Cargo & ballast & Pump room
• Main Power, emergency power,
• Fire pumps.
• HVAC,
• IG
 Other spaces and services required for auxiliary equipment and shared systems
 Vessel upper deck piping arrangements (pipe rack integration)
 Integration of hull marine and topsides systems

 Power/fuel NB = Issues where scope
 Control and safety systems for choice exists with new-
 Emergency power builds
Duncan Peace 22
Crondall Energy
Interface with Topsides equipment and systems
 Design and layout of topsides will be covered later by Simon Lowe of Maersk Contractors
 Interface issues will be covered by Gary Doyle of Crondall Energy Consultants
 However, there are a number of key issues that need to be considered by the hull design
process
 Structural integration of topsides support stools & module support structure into hull structure layout
 Consideration of required maximum topsides weight and CoG
 Layout and space considerations in the area of the vessel upper deck
 Extent of integration of hull and topsides systems
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Crondall Energy
Station keeping
Duncan Peace 24
Crondall Energy
Station keeping - Key design Issues
 Station keeping options are:
 Mooring with a turret mooring system – allows weathervaning to prevailing met-ocean conditions
 Spread mooring – fixed – or mostly fixed orientation (some partially compliant systems)
 Dynamic positioning (rare – only two units currently operating in this mode)
 Permanent or disconnectable
 Key decision inputs will be the prevailing met-ocean conditions:
 Severity of conditions
 Nature of severe events – cyclones etc.
 Directionality of conditions (dominant direction)
 Extent to which prevailing conditions are co-linear (sea wave and swell OR sea wave and
wind/current)
 Economics (capital cost versus operating uptime)
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Crondall Energy
Turret or Spread Mooring?
 Weather conditions, directionality & persistence
 Riser requirements (number, size and configuration)
 Permanent v disconnectable
 Offloading some spread moored systems now have separate offloading facilities
 Other factors
 Process performance and uptime
 Hull fatigue
Duncan Peace 26
Crondall Energy
Turret Moored - the Alvheim FPSO
 Vessel is based on the

Statoil/Navion multi
purpose shuttle tanker
(MST) concept
 85,300 Dwt tanker
 Double hull
 dp3 class
 120,000 bbl/day oil
production
 125,000 mmscf gas
handling
Images courtesy of APL
Duncan Peace 27
Crondall Energy
Spread mooring –the Sendje Berge
 Vessel is based on a
VLCC
 2 million bbls storage
 60,000 bpd production
 Spread mooring
Images courtesy of Bergesen
Duncan Peace 28
Crondall Energy
DP Position Keeping – FPSO Munin
 The Bluewater owned

and operated Munin has
operated in both turret
moored mode (this
image) at the Lufeng field
in China and the Xijiang
field also in China
 Vessel is based on the

Statoil/Navion multi
purpose shuttle tanker
(MST) concept
 95,500 Dwt
 Double hull
 dp2 class
 60,000 bbl/day
production
Images courtesy of Bluewater
Duncan Peace 29
Crondall Energy
Interface with sub-sea equipment
 Turret and swivel provide the main interface between the FPSO and the sub-sea system
 Swivel systems allow the transfer of:
 Production fluids from the sub-sea equipment to the vessel

 Export fluids from the vessel to the sub-sea infrastructure
 Well/sub-sea management/control fluids e.g. methanol
 Electrical signals for control and monitoring
 Electrical power for driving sub-sea/down hole equipment e.g. ESPs
 Turret provides connection to mooring lines and mechanical support for the risers and
umbilicals
Duncan Peace 30
Crondall Energy
Interface with sub-sea equipment
Images courtesy of Modec Inc. Images courtesy of Bluewater
Duncan Peace 31
Crondall Energy
Sub-sea interface
Duncan Peace 32
Crondall Energy
Part 3
Key Technologies
Duncan Peace 33
Crondall Energy
Key Technologies
 Development of turret and swivel systems which allow n x 360 degrees rotation have been
the key technologies which have allowed FPSOs to be used in all met-ocean environments
 Turret allows vessel to weathervane – that is, to take up a position which aligns it with the
dominant forces of wave, wind and current.
 Weathervaning has the effect of minimising environmental loads on the station keeping
system, and minimises the most sensitive vessel motions – generally for a mono-hull – roll.
 This has the effect of minimising disturbance to process equipment and personnel and
maximising the facility uptime.
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Crondall Energy
Different Turret Types
 Internal turrets
 External turrets (forward of bow - normally)
 Permanent or disconnectable
 Yoke moored
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Crondall Energy
Internal Turrets
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Crondall Energy
Internal Turrets
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Crondall Energy
Internal Turrets
Turntable Access Structure
(alternative: Deckhouse)
Swivel Stack
Turntable
(upper deck)
Turret
Casing / Moonpool
(bottom ship)
Spider
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Crondall Energy
Internal Turrets
Casing/Moonpool
Main Roller Bearing
Turret (with riser pipes)
Lower Radial Bearing

Spider
Mooring Legs
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Crondall Energy
Turntable- Typical Lay-out
Includes for example:
 Subsea Control Skids

 Pipe headers
 Control valves
 Pig receivers
 Pig launchers
 Installation Winch

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Crondall Energy
External turrets - Baobab Ivoirien FPSO
 970 m water depth

 8-leg polyester
mooring
 357,000 dwt tanker
conversion
 2.0 million bbls storage
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Crondall Energy
External turrets- FPSO Fluminense Brazil
 800 m water depth

 357,000 dwt tanker conversion
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Crondall Energy
External turrets - Cuulong MV9 FPSO
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Crondall Energy
Yoke Mooring
CNOOC Bohai Bay QHD32-6 FPSO (China)
Kome Kribi FSO

w/ Tower Yoke Mooring System
 66 ft water depth
 New-build vessel
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Crondall Energy
Disconnectable systems
SBM’s External and Internal solutions
External or Riser Turret Mooring Internal turret with disconnectable buoy
Images courtesy of SBM
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Crondall Energy
The Riser Turret Mooring (RTM)
 Cossack Pioneer
 Location NW Shelf
Australia
 Vessel size: 152,000 Dwt
 Topsides
 115,000 bopd
Images courtesy of SBM
Duncan Peace 46
Crondall Energy
Disconnectable internal turret system
APL’s STP system
Duncan Peace 47
Crondall Energy
Disconnectable systems –Terra Nova
Fluid Swivel
Turret Access Manifold System

Structure
Upper Bearing
Upper Turret
Lower Turret
Connector System
Spider Buoy QC/DC Connectors
Lower Bearing
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Crondall Energy
Swivel systems
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Crondall Energy
Swivel systems
 Swivel systems allow the transfer of:
 Production fluids from the sub-sea equipment to the vessel

 Export fluids from the vessel to the sub-sea infrastructure
 Well/sub-sea management/control fluids e.g. methanol
 Electrical signals for control and monitoring
 Electrical power for driving sub-sea/down hole equipment e.g. ESPs
 Swivel systems allow n x 360 degrees rotation
 Swivel manufacturers are pushing back the boundaries of pressure and temperature to limit
of around:
 ~400+ barg
 ~120c
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Crondall Energy
What is going on inside a swivel?
Duncan Peace 51
Crondall Energy
What is going on inside a swivel?
Images courtesy of Framo
Duncan Peace 52
Crondall Energy
Leadon FPSO stack
Utilities
Fluid paths
Leadon power slip ring to be

installed later when required
(4 x 1 MW)
Images courtesy of Framo
Duncan Peace 54
Crondall Energy
Swivel stack modules
Duncan Peace 56
Crondall Energy
P37 Swivel stack
Duncan Peace 57
Crondall Energy
New developments – the Sevan SSP
Concept
 Scaleable oil storage capacity (0.3-2

MMbbl)
 High deck load capacity
 No requirement for weathervaning,
avoiding complicated/ costly turret swivel
system
 Standard riser connections, umbilical and
power cable terminations
 Accommodates large number of risers
 Low investment for future risers
Images courtesy of Sevan Marine
Duncan Peace 58
Crondall Energy
New developments – the Sevan SSP
Piranema SSP300
construction
at Yantai Raffels
Picture Sep 23, 2005
Images courtesy of Sevan Marine
Duncan Peace 59
Crondall Energy

Fpso Design and Technology

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Fpso Design and Technology

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IBC FPSO Training Course

Perth ~ November 2005

Introduction to FPSO Design and

 FPSS – floating production semi-submersible

 FPSO – floating production storage and offloading units

Tension leg production facility.

Semi submersible production facility.

Floating production storage &

Floating storage facility

Images courtesy of Modec/Sofec

 Storage capacity – allows export of product by

 Under Construction or with firm plans

 Probable or possible developments

Source: OGPOD Database/CEC Analysis

 Outside the GOM they are the dominant technology;

THE FPSO HAS GONE FROM A PERIPHERAL TECHNOLOGY IN BENIGN AREAS – TO

 Hull and hull (marine) systems

 Station keeping and fluid transfer

 Topsides process equipment

 Interface with sub-sea equipment & wells

 Interface with offloading arrangements

In this presentation we will deal with

Image Courtesy of Bluewater

 More flexibility in selecting key design criteria

 New build challenges

 Hull structure - Global and local strength

 Main vessel lay-out - Deck space - Location of accommodation (NB)

 Location of turret % LBP NB = Issues where scope

 Bow shape, free board (forecastle & ship side) (NB)

 Green water protection

 Tank arrangements - Double sides v full double hull

 Arrangement of tank spaces (NB)

 Longitudinal bulkheads (NB)

 Integration with topsides and other interface structures

Double side – single Double side – double

Three cargo tank

Blast wall Utilities Fwd

Helideck Accommodation Process Turret

Utilities Process Turret Blast wall Helideck

 Layout of major features (NB)

 Integration of hull marine and topsides systems

 Interface issues will be covered by Gary Doyle of Crondall Energy Consultants

 Consideration of required maximum topsides weight and CoG

 Extent of integration of hull and topsides systems

 Station keeping options are:

 Key decision inputs will be the prevailing met-ocean conditions:

 Weather conditions, directionality & persistence

 Riser requirements (number, size and configuration)

 Vessel is based on the

Images courtesy of APL

 2 million bbls storage

 60,000 bpd production

Images courtesy of Bergesen

 The Bluewater owned

 Vessel is based on the

Images courtesy of Bluewater

 Swivel systems allow the transfer of:

 Production fluids from the sub-sea equipment to the vessel

Images courtesy of Modec Inc. Images courtesy of Bluewater

Images courtesy of APL

 External turrets (forward of bow - normally)

Images courtesy of APL

Images courtesy of APL