Kepiting Field Production/Storage Barge - Design, Installation, and Operation

Abstract

Summary The Kepiting field is located in 295 ft [90 m] of water in the Natuna Sea, Indonesia. Development of this two-well field required innovative planning andinvolved unique designs of producing systems. The plan includes seafloor wellstied back to a spread-anchored, purpose-built, oil-process and -storage barge. The barge is designed to handle four producing wells and to process 10,000 B/D[1590 m3/d] well fluid and 10 million scf/D [283 × 100 std m3/d] gas. Excessgas beyond barge-fuel needs and artificial-lift requirements is flared on thebarge. Heated oil storage for 53,000 bbl [8430 m3] is available. Processedcrude is transported from the barge to a floating export terminal by a shuttletanker. Kepiting field was operated profitably from Oct. 27, 1986, to Aug. 8,1989, at which time the wells were plugged and the tieback risers disconnected. The production barge currently is operating at the Ikan Pari field, 50 nauticalmiles [80 km] northeast. This paper discusses the design and construction ofthe barge and the operating philosophy and experience. Discussion Project Implementation. The Kepiting field development work-its oil wells, riser system, and the FPSO-was awarded on a basic concept. Bids includeddetailed engineering, from which the final design requirements would evolve. Front-end engineering showed that the proposed systems or their alternativeswould work. As the engineering work progressed and new information (oftenproprietary) became available, changes, alternatives, and details wereselectively included that improved cost-effectiveness or safety aspects(personnel, environmental, and use of resources). The project flow chart isshown in Fig. 3. Major work areas defined were (1) well completion, (2) trees, (3) flexible risers, (4) an FPSO with a shuttle tanker, and (5) a wirelinere-entry system. This complex project required close coordination to bring thesystems together at the right time. This paper focuses on one aspect of theproject, the design and implementation of the FPSO. Contracting and Construction. When we decided to adopt a spread-moored FPSO, we knew that a new build would be required. We chose to lease the FPSO (on abare-boat type of charter) and its companion shuttle tanker (on a timecharter). Therefore, a request for tender was issued for a single-source leasecontract that included detailed design and supply of the FPSO, supply of asuitably equipped shuttle tanker, installing and anchoring the FPSO, startupand 45-day acceptance testing, and identification and procurement of a 2-yearsupply of spare parts. The bid package contained barge hull drawings, processflowsheets, process and instrument drawings (P and ID's), electrical one-linedrawings, specification sheets for equipment identified on the P and ID's, andan instrument index. JPT P. 480⁁