Subsea Systems

Aker Solutions garners orders
from Petrobras, CNOOC

Petrobras has contracted Aker Solutions to provide a subsea production system and associated services for the Mero 1 project in the presalt Santos basin offshore Brazil. The equipment will comprise 12 vertical subsea trees tailored to Brazil’s presalt, four subsea distribution units, three topsides master control stations for the Mero 1 FPSO, and spare parts.

In addition, Aker Solutions will provide installation and commissioning support services. All work will be managed by the company’s subsea manufacturing complex in São José dos Pinhais and its subsea services base in Rio das Ostras. Equipment deliveries are scheduled for 2020, with installations spread between 2020 and 2023.

The subsea production system will be hooked up to the FPSO Guanabara, which is due to come onstream on the ultra-deepwater Mero field in 2021, with capacity to process up to 180,000 b/d of oil and 12 MMcm/d of gas.

Mero is in the northwestern part of the Libra block, 180 km
(112 mi) south of Rio de Janeiro. Petrobras’ partners in the Libra area are Shell, Total, CNPC and CNOOC, with Pre-Sal Petróleo managing the production-sharing contract.

Elsewhere, CNOOC has contracted Aker Solutions to provide the subsea production system and umbilicals for the Lingshui 17-2 gas field in the South China Sea. Located off the Hainan Province, Lingshui 17-2 is in water depths of about 1,500 m (4,921 ft). The contract is valued at more than NOK1.7 billion ($205 million).

The subsea production system for the Lingshui 17-2 field consists of 11 horizontal subsea trees, four manifolds, topsides and subsea control system, and a vertical tie-in connection system. The work scope also includes more than 70 km (43 mi) of static and dynamic umbilicals, linking the subsea development to a new semisubmersible platform.

The manifolds will be manufactured and tested locally by China Offshore Oil Engineering Co. The services for installation and commissioning will also be executed in China.

The project will involve the company’s facilities in Malaysia, Norway, and the UK. The delivery for the subsea production system and umbilicals will be from the second half of 2019 to 2020.

Contractor trio to manage ONGC’s
largest deepwater project

ONGC has awarded a consortium of Baker Hughes, a GE company, McDermott International, and L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering (LTHE) the subsea contract for development of block DWN-98/2 in the Krishna Godavari basin offshore eastern India. This is said to be ONGC’s most extensive deepwater project to date.

The award covers the supply of all subsea production systems (SPS), including 34 deepwater trees, and installation of subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines in water depths of 300-3,200 m (984-10,500 ft).

BHGE’s scope will include subsea trees, manifolds, controls, connection systems, subsea production system installation tools and services, and flexible risers and flowlines, umbilical and topsides controls. It will also provide pre-commissioning services for additional phases of the project.

McDermott will transport and install all SURF/SPS facilities using its engineering and other resources in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Chennai, India, and the Derrick Barge 30, Lay Vessel North Ocean 105, and Lay Vessel 108.

Following an agreement signed in 2016, LTHE and BHGE will fabricate manifolds for the first time in India as part of the project.

The subsea award is said to be the largest of its type ever awarded by ONGC. Delivery of the gas system is scheduled for 2020 and of the oil system for 2021.

i-Tech offering smaller inspection ROVs

Subsea 7 subsidiary i-Tech Services has extended its underwater inspection and maintenance service to include new mini ROVs for performing smaller scopes of subsea work. These are said to be quick to deploy and easily transported to the offshore location by helicopter or aircraft.

The vLBV300 mini ROV is said to be quick to deploy and easily transported. (Courtesy i-Tech Services)

The mini ROVs are said to offer high maneuverability and a power-to-weight ratio that allows them to carry small tools and manipulators that can be operated in strong currents. They can also be mobilized rapidly and manually from any platform, FPSO, barge or vessel of opportunity.

TechnipFMC wins Liza Phase 2 contract

ExxonMobil has commissioned TechnipFMC for the engineering of the subsea system for the proposed Liza Phase 2 project offshore Guyana. Following engineering and subject to requisite government approvals, project sanction, and an authorization to proceed with the next phase, TechnipFMC will then manufacture and deliver the subsea equipment. Delivery would include 30 enhanced vertical deepwater trees and associated tooling, as well as eight manifolds and associated controls and tie-in equipment.

In support of this project, the company will continue hiring and training Guyanese engineers.

The Liza Phase 2 development is approximately 193 km (120 mi) offshore Guyana on the Stabroek block in water depths of 1,500 m (4,921 ft) to 1,900 m (6,234 ft). ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd., is the operator. •