Deepwater Developments Driving Technip's Technology

Abstract

Deepwater Developments Today’s deepwater projects are not just larger and more expensive than in years past. They are the most technically demanding projects the oil and gas industry has endeavored to undertake since stepping out from the continental shelf, and will require more new technology than ever to successfully execute. The extreme environments of deepwater fields are driving the complexity of these megaprojects to new heights, with shorter deadlines to help offset production declines. Among the companies capable of carrying out these record-setting field development projects is installation and subsea construction firm, Technip. The price tags of these projects have “exploded,” Pilenko said, because offshore oil and gas reservoirs are getting harder to find. So too is the challenge of safely producing those hydrocarbons and bringing them to the surface. “Today, we know how to drill at 3000-m depths,” he said. “But we are just learning how to produce it with qualified production systems.” Pilenko explained that the industry is not just pushing the frontiers of technology, but also geography. Offshore Africa, oil companies are proving how subsea fields can be developed with little to no onshore support infrastructure. One of the latest examples is the Moho Nord field, offshore Congo, where Technip will deploy some of its pipelaying and construction vessel fleet to install the entire subsea production system for operator Total. In terms of the scope of work, the project will be the largest subsea development that Technip has ever been awarded. The company will put into use many of its key assets to make and install the components of the subsea field that include 142 miles (230 km) of rigid pipeline, 14 miles (23 km) of flexible flowlines, and 31 miles (50 km) of umbilicals to deliver chemicals and power to the more than 50 subsea structures to be installed. Deepwater Facilities Under Construction Already the uncontested leader in spar development, having delivered 14 of the world’s 17 in operation, Technip is building three new spars simultaneously, including the world’s largest. Spars are deepwater floating facilities that rely on a cylindrical single-column design to achieve optimal stability for drilling and production in an offshore environment. The Technip-engineered Aasta Hansteen spar will be the biggest platform of its kind built, a distinction driven by the harsh environment of the North Sea and the fact that it is engineered for gas processing and storage. The hull will be 640 ft (195 m) from top to bottom and 167 ft (51 m) in diameter. The spar’s topside facilities will have a processing capacity of 812 MMcf/D of natural gas and a storage capacity of 160,000 bbl of gas condensate. The first spar to be installed offshore Norway, the Aasta Hansteen spar will operate at a water depth of 4,250 ft (1300 m) and is under construction in South Korea, with first production planned for the end of 2016.