Lecture2

Floating Platforms & Drilling Rigs

Arun S Chandel
Assistant Professor aschandel@ddn.upes.ac.in 09997200339

FLOATING PLATFORMS

StabilityofFloatingVessels

Tension Leg Platform (TLPs)

Tension Leg Platforms (TLPs) are floating facilities that are tied down to the seabed by vertical steel tubes called tethers. This characteristic makes the structure very rigid in the vertical direction and very flexible in the horizontal plane. The Th vertical ti l rigidity i idit helps h l t tie to ti in wells for production, while, the horizontal compliance makes the platform p insensitive to the primary effect of waves. Have large Pontoons Pontoons. columns and

Tension Leg Platform (Contd.)

TLP has excess buoyancy which keeps tethers in tension. The legs allow for significant side to side movement (up to 20 feet), with little vertical movement. Topside facilities, no. of risers etc. have to fixed at pre- design stage. Used for deep water up to 1200 M. M It has no integral storage. It is sensitive to topside load. Variations as tether tensions are affected affected.
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Tension Leg Platform

SPAR Platform
Concept of a large diameter single vertical cylinder supporting deck. These are a very new and emerging concept: the first spar platform, Neptune, was installed off, was installed off the USA coast in 1997. A spar is a deep-draft floating caisson, which is a hollow cylindrical y structure similar to a very large buoy. Its four major systems are hull, moorings, topsides, and risers.

SPAR Platform (Contd.)

Spar platforms l f h have taut catenary moorings and d deep d d draught, h hence h heave natural period is about 30 seconds. Its four major j systems y are hull, , moorings, g , topsides, p , and risers. Depending on hull size and water depth, the moorings can vary in number up to 20 lines and contain 3,700 ft of chain and wire. Approximate hull diameter for a typical GOM spar is 130 feet, with an overall height, once deployed, of approximately 700 feet (with 90% of the hull in the water column). The distinguishing feature of a spar is its deep-draft hull, which produces very favorable motion characteristics compared to other floating concepts. Low motions and a protected centerwell also provide an excellent configuration fi ti f deepwater for d t operations. ti Used for Ultra deep water depth of 2300 M. Due to space restrictions in the core, number of predetermined. risers has to be
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SPAR Platform (Contd.)

The number of wells, surface wellhead spacing, and facilities weight determine the size of the centerwell and the diameter of the hull. In the classic or full cylinder y hull forms, , the upper pp section is compartmentalized around a flooded centerwell containing the different type of risers. This section provides the buoyancy for the spar. The middle section is also flooded but can be economically configured for oil storage. The bottom section (keel) is compartmentalized to provide buoyancy during transport and to contain any field-installed, field installed fixed ballast. ballast The topsides configurations follow typical fixed platform design practices. The decks can accommodate a full drilling rig (3,000 hp) or a workover k rig (600-1,000 (600 000 hp) h ) plus l f ll production full d equipment. Production d capacities range up to 100,000 BOPD and 325 MMscfgpd. Installation is p performed in stages g similar to those of other deepwater p production systems, where one component is installed while another is being fabricated. Installation schedules heavily depend upon the completion status of the hull and topsides. 9

SPAR Characteristics
-Applicable in 1,500 ft. to 10,000 ft. water depths -Cost relatively insensitive to water depth, most competitive in very deep water -Hull cost is relatively insensitive to deck payload -Platform motions are mostly lateral (minimal heave) -Uses standard shipyard and offshore deck construction -Hull is initially transported by towing in a horizontal, self-floating position -Wells can be pre-drilled or drilled from the platform -Production risers are steel pipe with surface trees -Hull can be configured for significant liquids storage if this is advantageous -Particularly applicable in remote locations which lack infrastructure -Economical to relocate to other sites, in both deeper and shallower water
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Ship shaped vessel (FPSO)

Ship-shape platforms are called Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities. FPSOs have integral oil storage capability inside their hull. This avoids a long and expensive pipeline to shore. Can explore in remote and deep water and also in marginal wells, where building fixed platform and piping is technically and economically not feasible FPSOs are held in p position over the reservoir at a Single Point Mooring (SPM). The vessel is able to weathervane th around d the th mooring i point so that it always faces into the prevailing weather. 11

Ship shaped vessel (FPSO)

DRILLINGRIGS

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Self Elevating Jack-ups

Primarily used for drilling operations. Consists of a triangular, sometimes rectangular, shaped box section barge fitted with three (sometimes four) moveable legs which enable the vessel to stand on the sea bed. Can work in water depths of upto approx. approx 120 meters (400ft) Transported in long sea passages using submersible heavy lift ships. Thrusters unit enable the vessel to maintain position whilst the legs are lowered to the sea bed and the hull is jacked into position, iti clear l of f wave action. ti
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Self Elevating Jack-ups

The base of each leg is fitted with a SPUD CAN which consists i t of f a plate l t or dish di h designed to spread the load and prevent over penetration of the leg into the sea bed bed. High pressure jets of water or compressed air may be used to remove loose debris in the vicinity of the spud cans whilst the legs are manoeuvred into position this process is known position, as SPUDDIND IN.

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Drilling Barges
Drilling barges are used mostly for inland, shallow water d illi drilling. Thi This t i ll typically t k takes place in lakes, swamps, rivers, and canals. Drilling barges are large, floating platforms, which must be towed by tugboat from location to location. Suitable for still, shallow waters drilling barges are not waters, able to withstand the water movement experienced in large open water situations.
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Drillships
Ships designed to carry out drilling operations. These boats are specially designed to carry drilling platforms out to deep-sea locations. A typical drillship will have, have in addition to all of the equipment normally found on a large ocean ship, a drilling platform and d i k located derrick l t d on the th middle iddl of f its deck. In addition, , drillships p contain a hole (or 'moonpool'), extending right through the ship down through the hull, which allow for the drill string to extend through the boat, down into the water.
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Drillships
Drillships are often used to drill in very deep water, which can often be quite turbulent. Drillships use what is known as 'dynamic positioning' systems. Drillships are equipped with electric motors on the underside of the ships hull, capable of propelling lli th the ship hi i in any direction. These motors are integrated into the ships computer p system, y , which uses satellite positioning technology, in conjunction with sensors located on the drilling template, to ensure that the ship is directly above the drill site at all times.
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Semi Submersible Rigs

Semisubmersible rigs are the most common type of offshore drilling rigs, combining the advantages of submersible b ibl rigs i with i h the h ability bili to drill d ill in deep water. Semisubmersible rigs work on the principle of 'inflating' and 'deflating' of its lower hull. Topside facilities , no. of risers etc. have to fixed at pre-design stage. Semi-submersibles are held in place by anchors connected to a catenary mooring system system. These anchors anchors, combined with the submerged portion of the rig, ensure that the platform is stable and safe enough to be used in t b l t offshore turbulent ff h waters. t
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Semi Submersible Rigs

Used for Ultra deep water. These rigs consist of platforms with two hulls positioned on top of one another. The upper hull contains the living quarters for the crew, as well as the actual drilling platform. The lower hull works much like the outer hull in a submarine when the platform is being moved from one place to another, the lower hull is filled with air - making the entire rig buoyant.

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Semi Submersible Rigs

When the air is let out of the lower hull, the rig does not submerge to the sea floor. floor Instead, Instead the rig is partially submerged, but still floats above the drill site. When drilling, the lower hull, filled with water, provides stability to the rig. Semisubmersible rigs can be used to drill in much deeper water than the rigs mentioned above. Column pontoon junctions b bracing i attract large l l d loads. and

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And Finally..

DEEPWATER HORIZON!

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