Tracy Dulle • Technology Editor, Surface Systems & Vessels
World oil demand growth is coming from emerging Pacific rim countries, analysts say in 2008 forecasts. The demand created by these growing Asia-Pacific economic centers has pushed offshore exploration and development activity in the Asia-Pacific arena beyond all historical levels.
PennWell’s Offshore Asia 2008 Conference & Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from March 17-19, 2008, will examine the newest developments in this rapidly expanding offshore area. Over 4,000 offshore oil and gas professionals and more than 70 exhibitors from around the world are expected at the conference.
The conference theme, “New Growth, Technology and Market Changes,” focuses on the challenges of the Asian offshore arena – growth, opportunity, and changing operating conditions.
Technical sessions this year include topics such as:
- Trends in Asia-Pacific deepwater E&P
- Kikeh field-planning, execution, and lessons learned
- Field development advances
- Production system innovation and optimization
- New technology for flowlines and pipelines
- Changes in mooring and station-keeping.
The following summaries represent just some of the papers that will be presented at Offshore Asia this year.
Comparison and dictates of economics in deepwater developments
Baljit Singh, Repsol YPF, Espana
TheDeepwater Frontier is a fifth-generation ultra deepwater drillship working for Reliance in India.
Costs of deepwater developments have skyrocketed due to the scarcity and high cost of mobile offshore drilling units. This paper gives a parametric capex/opex analysis of what it took to develop a deepwater field a decade ago, what it takes to develop a field today, and what it would take to develop “frontier fields” a decade from now. These analyses will consider the increasingly challenging deepwater hydrocarbon resource locations, drilling/subsea/facilities/technology growth, plus needs and/or gaps with ultimately tying in to innovative field architecture. This paper addresses the economic aspects over these years to understand and show how these complex multi-billion dollar projects need to be thought out and executed.
Coupled non-linear analysis of spar platform
Mohammed Jameel, IIT, Delhi, India
The common approach to solve the dynamics of a spar platform is to use a decoupled quasi-static method that ignores interaction effects between platform and mooring lines. This paper studies the coupled analysis, which includes the mooring lines and platform in a single model, to accurately capture the damping effect from mooring lines by using the time-wise platform motions as well as a detailed mooring line response.
Application of managed pressure drilling to reduce drilling cost excesses
Ken Muir, Weatherford Asia-Pacific, Singapore
Managed pressure drilling (MPD) technology has reached the offshore industry. This presentation looks at the equipment, the procedures, and the practical application of MPD to reduce unnecessary drilling cost overruns.
Applying technology and lessons learned from deepwater field developments in West Africa to projects offshore Asia
Ian Frazer, Acergy, UK
The past 10 years has seen the successful development of a number of very large offshore fields in deepwater areas offshore West Africa. Over this period, technology has been adapted and developed to suit the conditions of regional deepwater field operations. This paper explores the potential to transfer and to apply technology used in West Africa to the deepwater frontier offshore Asia. The technology and field development solutions are highlighted based upon the experiences from various deepwater field developments in West Africa.
Redevelopment of heterogeneous mature carbonate reservoir using reservoir simulation helps in arresting production decline
Shyamal Bhattacharya, India
Lessons learned from field development of offshore Neelam field, a geologically complex heterogeneous limestone reservoir, is discussed. Oil production declined sharply when water broke through the highly permeable channel early. Apart from the redevelopment program, the geological model has been used to reposition ceased or sub-optimally producing wells into the sweet zone with the help of state-of-the-art drilling technology such as horizontal side track and SRDH/MRDH, resulting in a reversal of the production decline.
The cost of broken promises: How inaccurate cost and schedule estimates destroy project value
Mark Neuhold, Clough Engineering, Australia
During the concept comparison and selection phase of E&P capital projects, a variety of estimates are required to value the scenarios under consideration. This paper examines the sensitivity of E&P development project value to errors in estimates or capex and schedule. It specifies a dynamic optimization model of an offshore greenfield project with a risk-neutral profit-maximizing decision-maker. Options to expand are accounted for in the model, which is used to investigate which variables matter most in terms of accuracy.
Simultaneous operations at Baronia gas compression platforms during main trunkline repair
Muhd Amirulnizam Bin Ahmad, Petronas Carigali, Malaysia
A main trunkline from Baronia field, offshore Sarawak, Malaysia, was found defective. Field gas sales amounted to 140 MMcf/d. The operator decided to continue with minimum gas export during the repair rather than a total shutdown. This paper discusses the challenges and solutions at Baronia field, including how to contain condensate from gas wells and subsea pipelines when the surge vessels are insufficient to contain the liquid.
Compliant buoyant towers – a potential facility option for Asia-Pacific
Jinzhu Xia, Dynamic Marine Solutions, Australia
As Asia-Pacific offshore oil and gas developments move into deepwater, the compliant tower concept has become an option for this region. This presentation introduces the fundamental features of compliant tower structures. Results from a recent research program funded by the Australian Research Council showing the effects of key design parameters on the dynamic behavior of the structure is demonstrated. It includes a case study for the North-West Shelf of Australia and a demonstration of the comprehensive set of the compliant buoyant tower model tests done at the national Maritime Research Institute of Japan.
Production optimization through integrated production modeling
Usha Pakala, ONGC, India
Production technology in the E&P industry encompasses diverse technologies ranging from reservoirs and wells to surface pipelines, processing stations, and dispatch facilities. The interdependence of these technologies on one another and on production behavior is important to optimizie production. This presentation describes the applications of this technology in areas of flow assurance, adequacy checks, and production gain through back-pressure reduction.
Developments of corrosion protection and buoyancy control for offshore pipelines
Martyn Wilmott, PPSC Industrial Holdings, Malaysia
Traditional buoyancy control methods for offshore pipelines involve application of concrete weight coatings by either high velocity impingement or by wrapping techniques. The technology presented describes a method of application that allows very high density concrete to be applied to a pipeline with minimal impact on the corrosion protection coating. High density concrete application allows reduction in the overall thickness of the concrete coating and can improve on-bottom pipeline stability and reduce the impact of wave action on the pipeline.
Optimization of deepwater flowlines and risers
Christophe Paillusseau, ITP, France
With the growing number of deeper water field developments, the costs of flowlines and risers are paramount. The technology described in this presentation allows meeting, or exceeding, the thermal performance while ensuring the economy and feasibility of the projects. The technology was used in the Shell Bonga project.
Flow Assurance of subsea gas production systems and export pipelines
Jeff Zhang, Fluor Corp., US
Flow assurance is critical in offshore gas development projects. This paper presents examples of recently completed flow assurance designs in three types of gas systems: subsea gas production systems, multiphase gas export pipelines, and dense phase gas condensate pipelines. The presentation discusses the use of a statistical approach to detect gas hydrate plug formation in subsea gas production systems and export pipelines, and the use of non-intrusive fiber optic measurement for this purpose.
Assessment of FPSO mooring system for site specific metocean conditions
Astrid Barros, INTEC, Australia
Presenters explore a case study comparing two approaches by verifying performance of the FPSO mooring system against the site-specific conditions. The presentation considers a typical oil field offshore Australia’s northwest coast, which is exposed to persistent southwesterly swell, storms from north and northeast, and locally generated seas. The mooring system can be disconnected, allowing the FPSO to sail away to evade a cyclone.
Degradation of wire rope mooring lines in Southeast Asia waters
Richard Chaplan, University of Reading, UK
Steel wire rope has been used for mooring offshore floating production systems since their introduction nearly 30 years ago. In many cases, the life of the rope is less than the installation. This presentation covers case studies illustrating how service life can be influenced by local conditions. For example, sea water temperature is a major difference between some Southeast Asia locations and the North Sea.
Pre-installed mooring system for MODUs – experience from 10 m to 2,400 m water depth
Eric Magne, Franklin Offshore, Singapore
Pre-installed mooring systems for MODUs were pioneered offshore Kalimantan in Indonesia some 10 years ago to reach deeper water and to increase MODU efficiency. More than 150 wells have been drilled with the assistance of pre-installed moorings in the Asia-Pacific region. This presentation discusses the use of pre-installed moorings in poor soil, on steep slopes, in shallow water, and in congested fields.
