Deepwater Oil Research Articles

Lithofacies and Depositional Models of the Fine-Grained Sedimentary Rocks of the Albian–Turonian Stage in the Rio Muni Basin, West Africa

The Rio Muni Basin is a hotspot for deep-water oil exploration in West Africa. The discovery of thirteen oil and gas fields, including Ceiba, Akom 1, and Oveng, proves the basin’s excellent exploration prospects, but only limited research has thus far been carried out there. The recent new drilling indicates that there are organic matter-rich fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the Albian and Cenomanian–Turonian stages of the Cretaceous strata. However, the depositional models of organic-rich, fine-grained sedimentary rocks are not clear. The main objectives of this study are as follows: (1) to identify the lithofacies characteristics of fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the Albian–Turonian stages of the Rio Muni Basin; and (2) to establish a depositional model for organic-rich fine-grained sediments. In this study, the mineralogical characteristics of Albian–Turonian fine-grained were determined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thin section analysis. In addition, the integration of mineralogical features with the total organic carbon (TOC) content allows for the recognition of three distinct lithofacies: (1) siliceous-clayey rock, (2) terrigenous clastic mixed fine-grained rock, and (3) lime-mixed fine-grained rock. Based on the evolutionary history of the passive continental margin basins in West Africa and the lithofacies characteristics, the deposition mode of organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the Albian–Turonian stages was reconstructed by combining geochemical features with the characteristics of framboidal pyrite. The depositional models for the Albian stage are “continental margin–restricted sea–marine algae–source rocks” with the development of organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rocks. The depositional models for the Cenomanian–Turonian stage are “continental margin–semiopen sea–mixed-source rocks”. The Albian and Cenomanian–Turonian organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rocks represent two different deposition modes with restricted sea and semiopen sea conditions. The sedimentary characteristics in the study area during the two periods were both inherited and notably different.

Analysis of the world deepwater oil and gas exploration situation

The global trends in deepwater oil and gas exploration, characteristics of deepwater oil and gas discovery, and layout of deepwater oil and gas exploration business by seven major international oil companies are systematically analyzed using commercial databases (e.g. S&P Global and Rystad) and public information of oil companies. The deepwater area is currently the most important domain for global oil and gas exploration and discovery, with the most discoveries and reserves in passive continental margin basins. The deepwater discoveries have the greatest contribution to the total newly discovered oil and gas reserves in the sea areas, with an increasing number of lithological reservoirs discovered, and oil and gas discoveries mainly distributed in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic. The seven major international oil companies are widely active in various aspects of deepwater oil and gas exploration and development, and play a leading role. Based on years of theoretical understanding of global oil and gas geology and resource evaluation, it is proposed that favorable deepwater exploration areas in the future will mainly focus on three major areas: the Atlantic coast, the Indian Ocean periphery, and the Arctic Ocean periphery. Six suggestions are put forward for expanding overseas deepwater oil and gas exploration business: first, expand the sources for obtaining multi-user seismic data and improve the scientific selection of deepwater exploration areas; second, increase efforts to obtain deepwater exploration projects in key areas; third, adopt various methods to access into/exit from resource licenses flexibly; fourth, acquire licenses with large equity and operate in “dual-exploration” model; fifth, strengthen cooperation with leading international oil companies in deepwater technology; and sixth, improve business operation capabilities and gradually transform from “non-operators” to “operators”.

Types and sedimentary genesis of barriers and interlayers in the composite turbidite sand bodies of a deep-water canyon: A case study of the Central Canyon in the Qiongdongnan Basin

Deep-water oil and gas is currently the hot spot and difficulty of global oil and gas exploration, and the complex flow process inside the turbidite channels of deep-water canyons makes it difficult to characterize reservoir structures, identify barriers and interlayers and clarify the spatial distribution laws of reservoirs, which restricts the development of deep-water oil and gas. Taking the Central Canyon of the Qiongdongnan Basin as an example, this paper identifies and characterizes the barriers and interlayers of composite channel scale by means of seismic sedimentology, based on three-dimensional seismic and core data. Then, based on the turbidite filling process, barriers and interlayers are classified, and their genesis and control factors are analyzed. Finally, a development model of deep-water barriers and interlayers is established based on the quantitative analysis of sediment transportation system parameters. And the following research results are obtained. First, based on sedimentary genesis, barriers and interlayers are classified into four types, namely mudstone interlayers of lateral (aggradational) turbidite channel genesis (type A), mudstone interlayers of fine-grained turbidite channel genesis (type B), barriers of hemipelagic deep-water sediment genesis (type C), and calcareous petrophysical interlayers (type D). Second, based on the filling stage, barriers and interlayers are divided into four combination sequences, i.e., the initial canyon formation stage with strong sediment supply conditions (type A + type C and type B+ type C), the initial canyon formation stage with weak sediment supply conditions (type B + type C), the stable canyon development/late reworking stage with strong sediment supply conditions (types A + type D), and the stable canyon development/late reworking stage with weak sediment supply conditions (type D). Third, the development types and combination sequences of barriers and interlayers are controlled by the change of sediment transportation volume and terrain slope in the canyon. In the initial canyon formation stage, there is sufficient space for the development of turbidite, and the development of thin barriers and interlayers is controlled by sediment dischage volume, while the development of thick barriers and interlayers is controlled by terrain slope change. In the stable canyon development/late reworking stage, turbidite undergoes superimposed development and overbank. The sediment supply is the primary control factor of barrier and interlayer thickness, and the terrain slope change is the secondary factor. In conclusion, the development model of barriers and interlayers can be used to describe and predict the reservoir structure models under the same sedimentary background and provides a technical support for the exploration and development of deep-water oil and gas.

Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Effect of Shear during Extrusion on the Permeation Behavior of CH4 in High-Density Polyethylene

Deep-water flexible composite pipes have been widely employed in the domain of deep-water oil and gas transportation, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used to seal the inner sheath of internal oil and gas media containing H2S and CH4, due to its favorable barrier properties and mechanical properties. The morphological evolution of HDPE during the extrusion process exerts a direct impact on the material’s barrier properties. The grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) approach and the molecular dynamics (MD) method were coupled in this study to examine the morphological evolution of HDPE under various shear rates as well as the penetration of methane (CH4) in HDPE under various shear rates. The results indicate that with an increase in shear rate, the HDPE undergoes decoupling, leading to the formation of a densely arranged, rigidly oriented structure. Gas solubility and diffusion coefficients exhibit an initial increase followed by a subsequent reduction as the shear rate increases, which corresponds to the evolution of microscopic morphology. The current simulation can effectively forecast the microscopic morphology and material permeability coefficient and provide valuable insights for enhancing the barrier effectiveness of the inner sheath.

Making Sense of the Deepwater Oil Spill Disaster

Making Sense of the Deepwater Oil Spill Disaster

Double-layer pipe dual-gradient drilling wellbore pressure calculation model and parameters optimization

Deepwater oil and gas extraction face the problem of narrow safety density window, and double-layer pipe dual-gradient drilling is one of the effective ways to solve the problem of narrow safety density window, but the calculation model of borehole pressure and optimization method of drilling parameters for double-layer pipe dual-gradient drilling has not been thoroughly investigated. Based on the fluid dynamics theory, a dual-gradient drilling wellbore pressure calculation model was established, considering the influence of lift pump head size and installation location on the bottom hole pressure and the dynamic changes of wellbore pressure during drilling. Based on the wellbore pressure model and step-out strategy, the optimization model and algorithm of double-layer pipe dual-gradient drilling parameters were established with the minimum bottom hole pressure difference as the objective function and drilling fluid density, displacement, lift pump to bit distance and back pressure as the optimization parameters. Simulation analysis of the optimized drilling parameters (drilling fluid displacement and wellhead return pressure) was carried out using the optimization algorithm. It was found that the optimized drilling parameters could increase the drilling depth, reduce the bottom hole pressure differential and improve the mechanical drilling speed. The above optimization model and method can be used to optimize the drilling parameters for double-layer tubular dual-gradient drilling, which is beneficial to increase the drilling depth and reduce the bottom hole differential pressure.

Numerical simulation study on multiphase flow pattern of hydrate slurry

The research on the multiphase flow characteristics of hydrate slurry is the key to implementing the risk prevention and control technology of hydrate slurry in deep-water oil and gas mixed transportation system. This paper established a geometric model based on the high-pressure hydrate slurry experimental loop. The model was used to carry out simulation research on the flow characteristics of gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow. The specific research is as follows: Firstly, the effects of factors such as slurry flow velocity, hydrate particle density, hydrate particle size, and hydrate volume fraction on the stratified smooth flow were specifically studied. Orthogonal test obtained particle size has the most influence on the particle concentration distribution. The slurry flow velocity is gradually increased based on stratified smooth flow. Various flow patterns were observed and their characteristics were analyzed. Secondly, increasing the slurry velocity to 2 m/s could achieve the slurry flow pattern of partial hydrate in the pipeline transition from stratified smooth flow to wavy flow. When the flow rate increases to 3 m/s, a violent wave forms throughout the entire loop. Based on wave flow, as the velocity increased to 4 m/s, and the flow pattern changed to slug flow. When the particle concentration was below 10%, the increase of the concentration would aggravate the slug flow trend; if the particle concentration was above 10%, the increase of the concentration would weaken the slug flow trend, the increase of particle density and liquid viscosity would weaken the tendency of slug flow. The relationship between the pressure drop gradients of several different flow patterns is: slug flow > wave flow > stratified smooth flow.

Multi-year seabed environmental baseline in deep-sea offshore oil prospective areas established using microbial biodiversity

Microorganisms are the ocean's first responders to marine pollution events, yet baseline studies rarely focus on microbial communities. Temporal and spatial microbial biodiversity baselines were established using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of seafloor sediments in a deep-water oil prospective area along the Scotian Slope off Canada's east coast sampled during 2015–2018. Bacterial diversity was generally similar in space and time, with members of the family Woeseiaceae detected consistently in >1 % relative abundance, similar to seabed sediments in other parts of the world. Anomalous biodiversity results at one site featured lower Woeseiaceae as well as higher levels of bacterial groups specifically associated with cold seeps such as Aminicenantes. This was unexpected given that site selection was based on sediment geochemistry not revealing any petroleum hydrocarbons in these locations. This finding highlights the sensitivity and specificity of microbial DNA sequencing in environmental monitoring. Microbiome assessments like this one represent an important strategy for incorporating microbial biodiversity as a new and useful metric for establishing robust environmental baselines that are necessary for understanding ecosystem responses to marine pollution.

Effects of shear strength variability on the peak and residual horizontal resistance of on-bottom subsea pipelines in clay

Subsea production pipelines in deep water oil and gas fields are susceptible to a phenomenon called lateral buckling which is a major pipeline design concern. Accurate estimation of lateral buckle formation and the additional stresses generated are of particular importance for High-Temperature High-Pressure (HTHP) pipelines resting on soft clay and is the subject of pipe-soil interaction studies (PSI). Variability in pipe embedment and soil resistances constitute the largest uncertainty in PSI analyses. Best practice methods for PSI studies constitute multi-step strategies that involve finding solutions to nonlinear and implicit equations. In the present study, the impact of soil strength variability on embedment and subsequently peak (Hpeak/V) and residual (Hres/V) lateral friction factors are evaluated. An R code, PSI-Lateral, is developed and verified against published case studies. It is used to calculate the pipeline embedment and horizontal resistances mobilized in a parametric study on three pipe diameters (0.6, 0.8 m and 1.0 m) with three different wall thicknesses. For each pipe diameter-weight combination, embedment and lateral friction factors (peak and residual) are calculated for a series of mean shear strengths ranging from 2 kPa to 8 kPa and COV ranging from 5% to 37.5%. The high estimate and low estimate shear strengths, suHE and suLE, correspond to values that are +/- two standard deviations from the mean. Hence, the range of strengths encompassed between these two extremes represents approximately 95% of the shear strength distribution. The results of the parametric runs conducted are presented in the form of graphical charts where high and low embedment and lateral friction factors can be read-off for any selected pair of mean shear strength and COV. Similar trends are observed in the charts for all pipelines evaluated. It is found that the range of normalized embedment, z/D, increases with increasing COV and decreases with increasing mean shear strength for all pipelines tested. A similar trend is observed for the residual horizontal resistance. The expected range of peak horizontal resistance Hpeak/V shows the same trend but only for soils with mean strengths less than 4 kPa. For soils with higher mean strengths, the range of Hpeak/V is found to be mostly insensitive to variations in COV and further increases in the mean strength.

A coupling prediction model of annular pressure build-up for deepwater oil and gas wells during transient-state testing

To accurately predict annular pressure build-up of deepwater high pressure-high temperature oil and gas wells during the transient-state testing, a coupling prediction model of trapped & untrapped annular pressure build-up is proposed. For the short-term process of gas well transient testing, a wellbore transient heat transfer model has been established. Then the improved coupling model of trapped & untrapped annular pressure build-up is established, which is not only novelly considering fluid thermodynamic properties (isobaric expansion coefficient and isothermal compression coefficient) under high pressure-high temperature conditions and annulus fluid mass changes of untrapped annulus, but also considering annulus volume changes. For precise coupling calculating the annular pressure build-up, the annulus is divided into infinitesimal grid cells along well depth. The impact of different considering factors, testing times, testing production rates, formation permeability and cement sheath sealing positions on the annular pressure build-up in the model is investigated. The results show that conventional models (high pressure-high temperature properties and mass changes of the fluid are not considered) will greatly overestimate the annular pressure build-up; as the testing time increases, the impact of untrapped annulus fluid mass changes on the annular pressure build-up will gradually take the dominant role; reasonably optimizing the setting of untrapped annulus open hole section in high permeability formations and increasing the distance between cement sheath and the upper casing shoe can effectively relieve the increasing annular pressure build-up. These findings can achieve accurate prediction of trapped and untrapped annular pressure build-up, and play an important role in guaranteeing the wellbore integrity and safety of deepwater oil and gas wells during transient-state testing.

Sedimentary characteristics and controlling factors of a Pliocene shelf-edge delta in the Papuan Basin

The Pliocene shelf-edge delta (SED) in the Papuan Basin was formed by deposition of the Pliocene Orubadi Formation. On the basis of a comprehensive analysis of seismic, wireline and mud logging, and paleontological data, the stratigraphic framework, depositional system and controlling factors on the SED development were established. The Orubadi Formation includes a parallel unconformity. Internally, two third-order sequences (SQ1/SQ2) are identified, and system tracts within the sequence layers are determined by the onlaps. By tracing changes in the shoreline trajectories within the sequence, the SED was divided into six phases in the study area, with seaward advances of ∼1543–5400 m during a single phase. The thickness of the foreset is ∼309–887 m, exhibiting sigmoid or sigmoid-tangential seismic reflections. The stratigraphic patterns and sedimentary system evolution of the Orubadi Formation are determined by the interplay between sea-level changes, sediment supply, tectonic evolution and paleogeomorphology. The Coral Sea spreading provided accommodation for the SED. The Miocene–Pliocene uplift and the middle Miocene arc–continent collision in northern PNG, which caused uplift and erosion of mountains in the late Miocene to Pliocene, is the major source of sediments. The large sediment supply and sea-level changes from SQ1–SQ2 indicate an overall relative sea-level fall resulted in rapid shelf margin advancement into the basin, with the Miocene carbonate platform edge providing the necessary slope conditions for material transport. This abundant sediment supply led to the significant development of the SED. This study provides robust insights for deep-water oil and gas exploration in the Papuan Basin. KEY POINTS The Pliocene shelf-edge delta (SED) in the Papuan Basin was formed in a compression setting with arc–continent collision. In the Orubadi Formation, the overall trend of sea-level change is decreasing, and the delta is divided into six stages. The Pliocene SED is controlled by the interplay between sea-level changes, sediment supply, tectonic evolution and paleogeomorphological.

Double-plume Lagrangian particle tracking model and its application in deep water oil spill

Double-plume Lagrangian particle tracking model and its application in deep water oil spill

Study and Validation of a Novel Grouting Clamp Type Deepwater Oilfield Pipeline Repair Method Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics

In order to handle the corrosion of underwater production pipe sinks in deepwater oil fields, a non-solid phase silicone plugging agent, an external clamp, and an underwater injection tool are combined in this paper’s innovative pipeline repair technique proposal. The optimal main agent to curing the agent ratio for non-solid phase silicone plugging agents was found to be 100:25, which was achieved through an experimental examination of the curing process. The compressive and cementing strength changes in the curd plugging agent were disclosed by testing and evaluating the mechanical behavior of the plugging agent. In addition, the limits of the compressive and cementing strength were found to be 143 MPa and 11.6 MPa, respectively. Based on this, a computational-fluid-dynamics(CFD)-based analytical approach of the complicated flow field in a deep sea environment on the eroding impact of a plugging agent was developed. Through numerical simulation testing, the mathematical relationship between the plugging agent’s maximum pressure and the flow field’s velocity was established. The limits of saltwater and petroleum oil on the erosion of the plugging agent were found to be 4.19 MPa and 3.29 MPa, respectively, which are values that are far below their strength limits. In this way, the viability and efficacy of this novel pipeline repair technique were confirmed. The study presented in this paper sets the groundwork for an in-depth analysis and optimization of novel corrosion control solutions for deepwater oil field subsea process pipes.

A MINLP model for the layout design of subsea oil gathering - transportation system in deep water oil field considering avoidance of subsea obstacles and pipe intersections

This paper focuses on the layout design of subsea oil gathering-transportation system in deep water oil field. In such a system, subsea manifolds are applied to gather and transport the produced fluids from subsea wells to floating processing terminals. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model is proposed, constrained by a series of operation and production requirements, aiming to minimize the total layout cost. Through the model, the pipe line network topology structure which reflects the allocations among the subsea wells, manifolds and processing terminals, the routes of pipes, as well as the size of the facilities could all be figured out. Two key contributions are made through this work. First, avoiding pipe intersections and subsea obstacles are integrated simultaneously, making the proposed model closer to practical situations. Second, a decomposition strategy based on Delaunay triangulation and gradient descent is constructed, achieving high quality initial solution and stable iteration process. The results of case studies indicate the validity, feasibility and stability of the proposed model and the solution method. Besides, the effect of manifold numbers on the layout optimization result is analyzed through the model, indicating its flexibility in the layout design analysis.

Microstructural characterisation and micromechanical investigation of the heat-affected zone in multi-pass welding of 9Ni steel pipes

9Ni steels have been recently adopted in supercritical CO2 injection systems in deepwater oil fields. The manufacture of these reinjection systems involves multi-pass welding procedures, which produce an Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) with a high heterogeneity level regarding the microstructural features and the local mechanical properties. An extensive microstructural and micromechanical characterisation was performed over the HAZ of three welded joints with different heat-input conditions to evaluate the effects of the reheating cycles and the welding parameters on the microconstituents. Light Optical Microscopy (LOM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analyses were performed to identify microstructural features that correlate to the local mechanical responses evaluated through an extensive microhardness mapping. Regarding the Coarse Grained HAZ (CGHAZ), the highest microhardness values for all welding conditions are found at the Supercritically Reheated CGHAZ (SCR-CGHAZ), characterised by its refined microstructure and a quite low area fraction of coarse martensite laths. The Subcritically Reheated CGHAZ (SC-CGHAZ) and the Intercritically Reheated CGHAZ (IC-CGHAZ) – regions where wider martensite blocks and higher coarse martensite lath area fractions were observed – composed the softer zones of the microhardness map. It was also found that reheating at intercritical temperatures induces the formation of supersaturated fresh martensite and may contribute to retained/reversed austenite particles’ C-enrichment, which may degrade the mechanical properties at the IC-CGHAZ.

Alloy design for microstructural-tailored boron-modified ferritic stainless steel to ensure corrosion and wear resistance

Ferritic stainless steels armored with borides had their endurance tested in demanding both abrasive and corrosive environment. The degradation was investigated through a very aggressive plate-on-cylinder wear test in water-based drilling mud containing chlorides, which was designed to simulate, in laboratorial scale, the corrosive tribosystem found in the wear of risers and casings used in deep water oil exploitation. A commercially-grade 430 ferritic stainless steel containing boron content far beyond its solubility limity, namely 1.2 and 3.5 wt.%, was processed by spray-forming to induce a ferritic stainless steel matrix protected by a boride skeleton. Additional corrosion assessment was performed by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 0.27 M KCl solution, since KCl is a common clay swelling inhibitor. For comparison, API 5L X80 steel was also included since this material is used in risers and casings manufacture. The addition of boron (1.2 and 3.5 wt.%) led to the formation of microstructures composed of an α-ferrite matrix with homogeneously distributed M2B-type borides of different morphologies. Electrochemical tests revealed high corrosion resistance of the alloy with 1.2 wt.% B. However, the alloy with 3.5 wt.% B showed a considerable decrease in corrosion resistance due to Cr-depletion of the ferritic matrix given the M2B formation richer in Cr. Therefore, the alloy with 1.2 wt.% B offered the best tribocorrosion resistance.

Research on Wellbore Integrity Assurance Technology for Deepwater High-Pressure Oil and Gas Wells

Annulus pressure control is critical to well safety in deepwater oil and gas wells, and it is crucial for deepwater high-pressure oil and gas wells, which are related to production safety. At present, the deepwater annular pressure analysis model is mainly based on the trapped annulus principle. For the high annular pressure of deepwater high-pressure oil and gas wells, it brings great management and control challenges. This paper proposes a deepwater high-pressure oil and gas well annular pressure analysis method considering formation connectivity. According to the existing measures of annular pressure management and control, the differences between various types of annular pressure management and control technology are systematically analyzed and expounded, and the annular pressure management and control technology of deepwater high-pressure oil and gas wells is proposed accordingly. At the same time, combined with the actual case of a deepwater high-pressure well in the South China Sea, the annular pressure considering different influencing factors is analyzed, and the appropriate management and control methods of annular pressure are recommended. This paper systematically summarizes and studies the analysis and control technology of annular pressure in deepwater high-pressure oil and gas wells, which provides a technical basis for China’s deep water to move from conventional deepwater to deepwater high-pressure, and can provide a reference for the management and control of annular pressure in oil and gas wells in subsequent deepwater projects.

Numerical Study on Flexible Pipe End Fitting Progressive Failure Behavior Based on Cohesive Zone Model

Flexible pipes are extensively used to connect seabed and floating production systems for the development of deep-water oil and gas. In the top connection area, end fitting (EF) is the connector between the flexible pipe and floating platform, as a critical component for structural failure. To address this issue, a combined numerical and experimental prediction method is proposed in this paper to investigate the failure behavior of flexible pipes EF considering tensile armor and epoxy resin debonding. In order to analyze the stress distribution of the tensile armor and the damage state of the bonding interface as the tensile load increases, a finite element model of the EF anchorage system is established based on the cohesive zone model (CZM). Additionally, the effects of the epoxy resin shear strength (ss) and the steel wire yield strength (ys) on the structural load-bearing capacity are discussed in detail. The results indicate that wire strength and interface bonding have a substantial effect on the anchorage system’s failure behavior, and the low-strength wire anchorage system has a three-stage failure behavior with wire yielding as the predominant failure mode, while the high-strength wire anchorage system has a two-stage failure behavior with interface debonding as the predominant failure mode.

Development and Field Test of Novel Expandable Surface Conductor in Deepwater Oil and Gas Wells

Summary Jetting of surface conductor installation has become a popular method in the offshore oil and gas industry. However, wellhead sinking, tilting, and other instability problems still exist due to the insufficient bearing capacity of the conductor, resulting in substantial economic losses. Based on the traditional installation process, a novel expandable surface conductor technology is put forward, which can effectively increase the surface area of the conductor, change the bearing capacity mechanism between the conductor and the surrounding soil, strengthen the bearing capacity of the conductor, and reduce the risk of wellhead instability, which is an economical, safe, and efficient method. First, the delayed expansion material in water was evaluated and selected, and the volume change of expansion material with time under different temperatures and pressures was measured by laboratory experiment. The calculation model has been established for the ultimate bearing capacity of the expandable surface conductor considering the volume expansion effect, and experiments of field application have also been performed in the 1500-m water depth area. The application practice shows that the theoretical predictions are consistent with the actual situation. Using the novel expandable surface conductor, the surface area of the surface conductor can be increased by more than 15% and the bearing capacity can be increased by more than 20%. The expandable surface conductor can meet the requirements of field construction, reduce the setting depth and number of surface conductors, and can significantly increase the bearing capacity of subsea wellheads, thus providing technical support for increasing the efficiency of deepwater drilling while reducing costs.

Study on a Circular Cylindrical Floating Device and Its Motion Response Characteristics

In this paper, a circular cylindrical floating device design is proposed by combining the structural features of the cylindrical Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) and the deep-sea Spar platform. It is suitable for deep-water oil and gas field development environment in the South China Sea. This floating device adds six floats with a Spar platform hard tank role based on the cylindrical FPSO to improve the buoyant center. This paper analyzes the motion response characteristics of the circular cylindrical floating device in waves by the Eulerian multi-phase flow model of STAR-CCM+. The results show that the pitch motion characteristics of the circular cylindrical floating device are better than those of the cylindrical FPSO and ship-type FPSO in the reference [8]. In addition, the paper also investigates the motion response of the circular cylindrical floating device with different directions of the incoming flow. The analysis shows that this floating device has the lowest motion response at 30° direction incoming flow. And the Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) of pitch motion shows a negative correlation with the incoming flow direction. The research results of this paper can provide a reference for the future development of marine resources, and have a certain practical significance.