Gene Kliewer • Houston
Eni Norge signs Aker Solutions for Goliat system
Eni Norge has contracted a subsea production system for NOK 2.3 billion ($391.7 million) for Goliat field in the Barents Sea from Aker Solutions. Goliat is 85 km (53 mi) northwest of Hammerfest, Norway.
Aker will engineer, procure, and construct the complete subsea production system. Hardware includes eight overtrawlable four-slot subsea templates with manifolds, 24 subsea trees, subsea control systems, 20 km (12.5 mi) of steel tube umbilicals, workover equipment, and a tie-in/connection system.
“Although Goliat in many ways will be a reference project for field developments in the Barents Sea,” says Mads Andersen, EVP of Aker for subsea, “it is important to stress that the technologies we will be using have already been field proven elsewhere and are specifically selected for this environmentally sensitive area. We will execute this project fully in line with demanding environmental standards.”
Back to the south, in the North Sea, Maersk Oil North Sea UK Ltd. tapped Champion Technologies to supply production chemicals for subsea and topsides use in the North Sea for the next three years. With a value of some $10 million, the contract has extension options for four more years.
Champion is building a new UK headquarters in Aberdeen which will include an R&D facility. It is scheduled for completion this year.
Maersk also has called on Subsea 7 Inc. to install flexibles and umbilical jumpers and to do testing and tie-in of two wells at Gryphon and Tullich in the UK sector of the North Sea. Work is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.
Gryphon and Tullich tieback and produce through the Maersk Oil Gryphon FPS0. Gryphon is in block 9/18b and Tullich is in block 9/ 23a, 320 km (199 mi) northeast of Aberdeen.
Triton shows newest ROV
The Triton Group’s Perry Slingsby Systems is showing its Triton XLR. Triton says the 125 hp vehicle is designed for drilling and light construction, and incorporates the ICE integrated real-time control engine, a graphic user interface, and ergonomic pilot controls using touchscreen.
“Our aim was to create an innovative system which offers the utmost in efficiency and reliability for the lightweight end of the market,” says Martin Anderson, CEO of Triton.
RPSEA selects ultra deepwater program projects
The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) has selected 12 proposals submitted under its 2008 Ultra-Deepwater Program for negotiations aimed at resulting in contract awards.
“These 12 projects continue to build the integrated research portfolio envisioned by the 2007 and 2008 approved Annual Plans for the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program to develop technologies and architectures for operations in ultra-deepwater,” says RPSEA President C. Michael Ming.
Those projects that are successfully contracted will join 17 others already under way.
The selected projects are:
Coil tubing, drilling and intervention systems using cost effective vessel
Project leader: Nautilus International, LLC
Additional participants: GE Oil & Gas; NOV CTES; INTECSEA; Tidewater Marine, LLC; The University of Tulsa; Texas A&M University
New safety barrier testing methods
Project leader: Southwest Research Institute
Riserless intervention system
Project leader: DTC International
Additional participants: Superior Energy Services; NOV Texas Oil Tools; Deepwater Research Inc.; Det Norske Veritas (USA)
Advanced steady-state and transient, three-dimensional, single and multiphase, non-newtonian simulation system for managed pressure drilling
Project leader: Stratamagnetic Software LLC
Technologies of the future for pipeline monitoring and inspection
Project leader: The University of Tulsa
Additional participant: T.D. Williamson Inc.
Wireless subsea communications systems
Project leader: GE Global Research
Additional participant: Northeastern University
Replacing chemical biocides with targeted bacteriophages in deepwater pipelines and reservoirs
Project leader: Phage Biocontrol LLC
Additional participants: Texas A&M University; Shell International Exploration & Production; ConocoPhillips Co.; Petrobras America Inc.; Halliburton; Nalco Co.; Multi-Chem Corp.; BJ Services Co.; Champion Technologies Inc.; Intertek Group plc; INTECSEA; Livermore Instruments Inc.
Enumerating bacteria in deepwater pipelines in real-time at a negligible marginal cost per analysis: A proof of concept study
Project leader: Livermore Instruments Inc.
Additional participants: Phage Biocontrol LLC; Texas A&M University; ConocoPhillips Co.; Shell International Exploration & Production; Petrobras America Inc.; Halliburton; Nalco Co.; Multi-Chem Corp.; BJ Services Co.; Champion Technologies Inc.; Intertek Group plc; INTECSEA
Fiber containing sweep fluids for ultra-deepwater drilling applications
Project leader: The University of Oklahoma
Additional participant: M-I SWACO
Heavy viscous oils PVT for ultra-deepwater
Project leader: Schlumberger Ltd
Early reservoir appraisal, utilizing a well testing system
Project leader: Nautilus International LLC
Additional participants: Knowledge Reservoir LLC; Expro International Group Ltd.; General Marine Contractors LLC; INTECSEA; Louisiana State University; The University of Tulsa; Texas A&M University; GE Oil & Gas; Tidewater Marine LLC
Ultra-reliable deepwater electrical power distribution system and power components
Project leader: GE Global Research
Additional participants: Texas A&M University; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; GE Oil & Gas.
