The Internal-Corrosion-Integrity Strategy on the Development of New Offshore-Production Areas in Brazil

Abstract

SummaryThis paper illustrates the importance of internal-corrosion-management and -integrity strategy in the development of new offshore-production areas in shallow and ultradeep waters in Brazil, where there is no other production facility nearby. Starting production activities in these areas without any facility—especially pipelines—is a challenge because the investment necessary is high, particularly when the first area to be produced is a gas block. The financial feasibility of a small- or medium-sized gas field with very low condensate production is extremely delicate because this kind of project usually demands high initial investments, particularly with topside facilities, platform structures, and pipelines.The financial scenario worsens as the first investment must consider not only the area to be put into production, but also other potential areas nearby with exploration still under way. To foresee fluid composition and all flow-parameter scenarios is a complex but necessary exercise to reduce risk and keep the operating expenditure (OPEX) as low as possible.One of the aims of this paper is to show one experience in the design of offshore gas fields in the shallow waters of Espirito Santo, Brazil, where pipeline-corrosion management and integrity strongly affected the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and OPEX factors because the flow-rate capacity was overdesigned to transport future production from adjacent fields.This paper discusses some of the newer issues related to the CO2-corrosion-risk-assessment and -integrity strategies. The paper also briefly discusses some current key issues regarding the ultradeepwater fields related to areas of uncertainties caused by internal corrosion, such as pipelines operating under supercritical flow and steel catenary risers operating within a corrosion-fatigue environment.