Subsea umbilicalto integrate HV
Industrial cable supplier Nexans has been awarded a $15-million contract by BP America Production Co. for the design and manufacture of the world’s first subsea service umbilical that integrates a high voltage (HV) cable. The power-umbilical will be installed in BP’s King complex in the GoM as part of a project to retrofit two existing subsea wells with multiphase pumps.
The King development is tied back to the Marlin TLP, located approximately 84 mi southeast of New Orleans in the Viosca Knoll area. The 16-mi long power-umbilical will have to operate at depths of over 5,600 ft and will consist of a main dynamic and an infield umbilical to provide the necessary services for the two subsea well pumping systems.
In addition to both HV and low voltage electrical power, the umbilical will provide fiber optic communications, chemical injection, and lube oil services.
The concept of integrating HV power cables in a subsea umbilical has been challenging from both a mechanical and electrical design point of view, particularly due to electrical interference between conductors and inductive losses in the steel tubes.
Nexans’ accomplishment in integrating both power cable and other umbilical functions in a single unit will allow a 24,000-V supply to be provided to the deepwater project, which has not previously been done. This has also allowed a more efficient way to transport and install umbilical functions rather than having to resort to separate umbilical and power cables.
Nexans will manufacture the King umbilical at its facilities in Norway and is scheduled to deliver it in the second half of 2006.
Meanwhile, Nexans has chartered a specialized cable layer and construction vessel for a period of three years. TheBourbon Skagerrak will be used for the transportation and installation of high voltage cables and umbilicals.
The vessel is equipped with a 7,000 metric ton capacity turntable and a state of the art dynamic positioning system. The vessel has a proven track record, and Nexans will use it to service projects on a worldwide basis.
TheBourbon Skagerrakwas secured from Bourbon Cable AS, a subsidiary of Bourbon Offshore Norway AS, for the three-year period, with an option for extension up to two years. Patrick Barth, director of the high voltage division for Nexans, said “We expect that the new agreement with exclusive marketing and operational control of the vessel will enhance both our role as a turnkey systems supplier and installation contractor.”
Aker Kvaerner,Sonsub join forces
The Aker Kvaerner company Aker Marine Contractors and Aberdeen-based Sonsub Ltd. have signed a three-year cooperation agreement to jointly seek project opportunities in the field of subsea construction and removal. The agreement will allow Sonsub and Aker Marine Contractors to optimize the use of their respective resources and assets on joint projects.
Under the agreement, Aker Marine Contractors and Sonsub will work together to identify projects where their resources and technologies can be combined. While initial projects will be centered in the North Sea, the deep waters of the GoM and West Africa will provide some of the best opportunities for the application of the companies’ joint offering.
Aker Marine and Sonsub will bring different areas of service and equipment to the agreement. Among the key resources to be shared is a fleet of vessels, including theBoa Deep C, Boa Deep C II, and the Normand Cutter. The agreement will also include sharing of a comprehensive array of subsea construction equipment.
Subsea 7 makes ROVinvestment, contract awards
Subsea 7 has awarded contracts in the amount of $18 million for five advanced ROV systems to Hercules. Subsea 7’s Integrated Remote Technologies (IRT) division will use the five systems to satisfy project commitments.
The systems will be the latest generation of Hercules heavy construction vehicles, capable of operating at 3,000 m with a power rating of 125 hp, with the possibility of upgrading to 150 hp. The ROVs will also possess mobile launch and recovery systems, allowing deployment to all vessels in Subsea 7’s fleet.
Bill Boyle, vice president of IRT, says the addition to the ROV fleet will “allow Subsea 7 to continue to be at the forefront of deepwater remote intervention.”
To remain at the forefront, Subsea 7 will need to continue to upgrade and add to its fleet, particularly as new ROV orders keep coming. For example, the company recently announced new ROV contracts in West Africa and the North Sea.
The four ROV contracts in West Africa include drill rig contracts for Peak Petroleum Industries Nigeria Ltd. and Equator Energy offshore Nigeria. Subsea 7 has also received commitments from Foxtrot International LDC for work offshore the Ivory Coast and for Devon Energy offshore Angola. They will additionally provide ROV services to Amerada Hess offshore Equatorial Guinea over the next two to three years.
In the North Sea, Amerada Hess has also awarded a contract for ROV inspection work off the multi-purpose vesselSeisranger for the next five years. Finally, Chevron Upstream Europe awarded Subsea 7 a contract for ROV drill and intervention support services on the vessel Stena Spey in the UK sector of the North Sea.
Upcoming Subsea Tieback Conference focuses on delivering success
PennWell’s annual Subsea Tieback Conference & Exhibition (SSTB) has become the premier event for one of the oil and gas industry’s fastest growing segments. As energy demands drive exploration into deeper water, operators, field engineers and project managers depend on new technologies to meet new challenges.
The 2006 SSTB will be held on Feb. 28-March 2, 2006 at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas. The theme, “Delivering Success - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” will expand on last year’s momentum assessing where the subsea industry is at the present moment and where it is heading in the future. The forum will continue to be an open exchange of ideas, best practices, and lessons learned that impact global subsea tieback projects and operations.
The conference program is full of timely and informative papers that detail successes and applications from each of the major offshore hotspots around the world. Distinguished speakers from many of the major oil companies and service providers will provide presentations and answer questions on the latest in this exciting and ever-changing arena.
Keynote speaker Preston Mason will set the stage by addressing how subsea technology has evolved over the past 50 years, and David Walker of BP will then discuss the future challenges ahead for deepwater production.
For a complete description of this year’s show, as well as the conference program and registration information, please visit the SSTB website at www.subseatiebackforum.com, or contact Event Manager Gail Killough at 713-963-6251 in Houston.
