Hydrocarbon production concepts for dynamic annual sea ice regions

Abstract

Petroleum production from Russian seas such as the northern Timan-Pechora Basin (Pechora Sea) and the northeastern Sakhalin Island Shelf (Sea of Okhotsk) is likely to occur in the near future. Several different types of offshore structures may be needed in the Russian arctic offshore to support development activities. These structures may include: a number of production structures for offshore fields, subsea pipelines, a regional tanker terminal, and ice-breaking tankers. Dynamic first-year sea ice will be a major design consideration for offshore structures considered for use in these areas. Exxon previously performed engineering studies for petroleum development in Norton Sound off the west coast of Alaska. Norton Sound is also an area of dynamic first-year sea ice, so many of the lessons learned and much of the technology developed for that region are considered to be applicable to the Pechora Sea and the Sakhalin Shelf. Several of the concepts for production structures, pipelines, terminals, and tankers are presented along with a discussion of the related ice technology. Field and laboratory studies undertaken to collect environmental data are described along with a probabilistic load calculation procedure for structure design. More recent work by Exxon to enhance technology since the Norton Sound studies is also presented along with a discussion of recommended future work activities.