Subsea Processing

The Technological Gaps in Ultradeep Water

4th COPEDI – Nov. 11, 2013

Outline

Introduction

Subsea Equipment (Pumps, Separators, Compressors, etc.)

Enablers (Power supply, Control Systems, etc.)

Current Status of Technology and UDW Gaps

The Way Forward to Subsea Factory

Summary

Offshore 35% of world production

Production Increase in less than 15 years from 0.5 to 5.5 MMb/d in 2012

By 2020 another 4 MM b/d could be flowing from Deep Water

Offshore Deep Water Production Contribution

New Oil & gas fields being discovered in: Ultra deepwater fields in GoM, Brazil and West Africa (2500 - 3500m wd)

More remote areas from host facilities or shore ( >200 kms)

Challenging climatic and metoceanic and harsh environment conditions

(Colder temperature and corrosive conditions)

Fields located in larger part of offshore Norway, as well as the

Northwest Shelf offshore Australia, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, West Africa

and Artic Region

World Offshore Oil & Gas Production Regions

Increased and/or accelerated

recovery compared to traditional

production facilities

Reduced both CAPEX and OPEX

Flow assurance (hydrates, water)

Operational flexibility for all

phases of field life cycle

Why Subsea Processing Technology?

Potential benefits:

To increase recovery up to 20%.

To reduce capital and operating costs up to 40% and 50% respectively.

Subsea Processing Elements

Boosting (Pumping)

– Single

– Multiphase

Separation – Gas/liquid separation

– Oil/water

– Sand handling

Water injection

Compression – Dry gas

– Wet gas

What Subsea Processing Technology?

Manipulating the well stream at seafloor between wellhead and

host using onshore processing technologies.

Enablers:

Power Supply and Distribution

Monitoring and control

Figure 3 Subsea Processing Applications

(Various source)

Varios Sources

Subsea Boosting

Source: Offshore magazine-Worldwide Survey of Subsea Processing: Separation, Compression, and Pumping Systems, Mar., 2013

Pump Types and Applications

Most used are Helico - axial, and ESP

Subsea Separation

Type:

Gravity separation system

Caisson separation systems

Compact/dynamic

Pipe

Focused on

– 2-phase Gas - Liquid

– Water for injection

– Sand Handling

(Source: Offshore magazine-Worldwide Survey of Subsea Processing: Separation, Compression, and Pumping Systems, Mar., 2013)

Very few active projects

Troll C pilot > for 130 months in operation.

Recent notable success in Pazflor

Subsea Separation

Subsea Water Injection

(Source: Offshore magazine-Worldwide Survey of Subsea Processing: Separation, Compression, and Pumping Systems, Mar., 2013)

Troll C Pilot and Tordis projects both injected the water relatively in a shallow disposal zone

Marlim planned to inject water in a deeper layer

Subsea Compression

Various sources

Statoil K-Lab Test (Norway) hosted the first demo pilot test

Ormen Lange Gas Compression Pilot: Installed at Test Site (Nyhamna)

Field Implementation is foreseen in:

Power Supply

Power distribution is the key enabler

for subsea processing equipment.

Developments

Pressurized frequency converters

Pressure on insulation material lifetime

Power transmission distances > 100 km

Figure 7. Supply and managing electrical power

to subsea processing systems as significant

challenges. (Various source)

Various sources

Control and Monitoring

Multi-phase Meters for all types of field conditions, covering the full operating range of

0 -100% water cut and 0 - 100% gas fraction. Ability to mix effects and velocity profiles and to detect changes in

fluid composition.

To operate at pressures and temperatures of up to 10,000 psi and 300 °F for at least 20 continuous years.

Wireless Technology

Fiber-optic (FO) communications, enables ultra-long tiebacks.

Subsea Boosting (Pumping) accepted mature technology

Separation and water injection are evolving technology

Subsea Compression is emerging Technology

Current Status Technology

Various sources

Deepwater applications < 2.7 Kms

Tie back distances expected to reach 120 kms

Differential pressure to 320 bars

Åsgard field, first gas compression project

Milestones in 2013

Various sources

The Technological Gaps

in Ultradeep Water

Subsea Units

> 200 kms multiphase of complex fluids transport

> 3 kms water depth

Enablers

Energy/power supply

Control and Monitoring

There is a need to further R&D: More compact including marinized and miniaturized HIPPs equipments

Reliability, ease of intervention and maintenance

Large pressure differential and volume Pump

High capacity, and energy efficiency Subsea wet gas compression

Discharge of Produced Water and Solids

Water and heavy oil separation

New materials – including nanotechnology

Flow assurance – Optimal processing efficiency

Downhole and In-Line Gas Compression

Technology Developments: Subsea Units

Source: www.corac.co.uk/home)

Remote control and monitoring

More Monitoring and sensing to allow for proper operational control for

highly instrumented subsea production equipment

Power Supply and Distribution

Source (Local, Onshore)

Insulation materials

Dynamic umbilical

AC/DC power conversion

Technology Developments: Enablers

Source: Offshore Magazine, Vol. 71, 2011

The Way Forward to Subsea Factory

Maturity / Limits of technology

Accelerate uptake use of new technology

Mental barriers – perceptions ?

R&D

Share risk in piloting of solutions

Subsea Factory Towards Reserves and Production Growth

Various Sources

Summary

Offshore Oil and gas development advances into ultra

deep waters

There will be many subsea processing applications as the

technology matures and gathers more widespread

acceptance.

Continue and strengthen R&D efforts to overcome the

Technological Gaps and to reduce risks and increase

business opportunities.

The concept of subsea factory, an expression created by

Statoil, may be a reality by 2020´s decade.