November 2019

World Trends and Technology for Offshore Oil and Gas

EUROPEAN
TECHNOLOGY
REPORT

1911OFFC1-C5.indd 1 11/4/19 1:12 PM

 Month After Month.
Year After Year. Only the committed and information-hungry have gained
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 CONTENTS •

International Edition
Volume 79, Number 10
Celebrating 65 Years of Trends, Tools, and Technology

• EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY Digital twin extending life of North Sea Mittelplate

Expanded subsea campus aims to propel deepwater
technology�������������������������������������������������������������������������18
In June 2019, Baker Hughes launched its Subsea Centre of Excel-
lence (CoE) in Montrose on the northeast coast of Scotland. A
purpose-built hub of design and manufacturing, it is the result of a
£31-million ($40-million) investment by the company, supported by
a £4.9-million ($6.3-million) grant from the Scottish government,
through Scottish Enterprise.
‘World-first’ resident subsea drone to operate at Njord
for Equinor�������������������������������������������������������������������������20
Saipem has developed three new types of ROVs to respond to
emerging needs for more accurate and versatile inspections and
interventions of subsea facilities. The first two of the Hydrone series
vehicles will work for Equinor under a long-term contract on the
Njord Future project in the Norwegian Sea.
platform������������������������������������������������������������������������������22
Wintershall Dea is looking to optimize operations and work pro-
cesses on the 30-year-old Mittelplate platform in the German North
Sea by constructing a digital twin of the facility and the associated
land-based Dieksand complex. The project, which started in earnest
earlier this year, is targeting improved maintenance and work pro-
cesses via deployment of analytic and predictive tools.
Aker Solutions adopts ‘intelligent’ approach to subsea
field optimization���������������������������������������������������������������26
Aker Solutions has introduced ‘Intelligent Subsea’, a new concept
for subsea field developments. This is designed to help the company
and its clients develop optimized solutions for the field’s lifespan
based on use of standardized components. Benefits cited include
cost, schedule and quality improvements from re-use of stan-
dardized products, and field performance enhancement through
applying tailored solutions.

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 • CONTENTS

Volume 79, Number 10

Industry boosting wave energy
COVER: Maersk Drilling is converting its harsh-environment jackup technology development���������������50
Maersk Intrepid for ‘cleaner’ and more efficient drilling operations. The The industry has ramped up efforts to
rig, currently contracted to work for Equinor until August 2020 on the trial and further develop wave energy
Martin Linge project in the North Sea, will soon become the first ‘hybrid’ technologies for offshore oil and gas
low-emission rig in the contractor’s fleet. The upgrades are described in
the feature article in this issue written by Offshore’s Jeremy Beckman,
operations.
starting on page 30. (Photo courtesy Maersk Drilling)
• SUBSEA
Thermoplastic composite pipe
evolves to meet industry needs����52
Maersk Drilling converting North Sea jackup for lower-emissions operations��� 30 Adopted and adapted from the aerospace
Maersk Drilling is converting the Maersk Intrepid, a harsh-environment jackup working industry, thermoplastic composite
presently in the Norwegian North Sea, to reduce the rig’s carbon dioxide and nitrogen-oxide pipe is now recognized as a viable and
emissions. The company is also taking steps to improve drill floor efficiency. cost-effective alternative to steel for
hydrocarbon operations and production.
Dual-vessel QUAD Lift technique speeds platform installation���������������������� 33
With continued investment in its growth
Heerema Marine Contractors has developed a new method for installation of ultra-heavy
and innovation from many of the global
platforms – parallel deployment of two semisubmersible crane vessels at the offshore loca-
supermajors, its rapid journey from
tion. The technique was first demonstrated during a trial in the US Gulf of Mexico, which
concept to commercialization has taken
validated all scenarios modeled at the company’s simulation center in the Netherlands. The
just over a decade.
company’s new giant flagship vessel Sleipnir, working alongside the Thialf, will provide a
joint capability to install integrated decks weighing up to 30,000 metric tons (29,762 tons).
Digital twin model improves riser
Pre-project calibration approach improves CT scanner operations��������������� 37 integrity management��������������������55
Tracerco’s Discovery, the world’s only field proven subsea computed tomography (CT) scan- Due to the specialized nature of risers,
ner, provides asset integrity and flow assurance data on a range of pipeline systems. Prior the software used to evaluate designs and
to any offshore inspection campaign using the CT scanner, pre-project calibrations are per- the methodologies used for riser integrity
formed to help ensure that the maximum quality of the data is produced for each operator, management and maintenance are also
and to improve analysis as well as expedite reporting times. specialized. Many of the advances in riser
Low-dose hydrate inhibitors present new flow assurance option������������������ 39 assessment are part of the industry’s
A relatively new technology for hydrate mitigation is the family of chemical additives known growing trend toward digitalization and the
as low dose hydrate inhibitors (LDHI). LDHIs consist of two classes of chemicals: kinetic digital oilfield.
hydrate inhibitors and anti-agglomerants. Both classes are successfully used to mitigate gas
• EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING
hydrates in subsea and deepwater applications globally.
Halliburton introduces new
Consortium completes first 3D OBN seismic survey offshore Poland����������� 40 downhole cutting technology��������58
Polish consortium MEWO S.A. and Pro Geofizyka Kraków has completed the Wolin 3D seismic
project, the first ocean bottom node survey in the Polish Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea. Trendsetter expands connector
product line�������������������������������������58
Digital portal delivers drilling operations overview����������������������������������������� 41
Offshore oil and gas digitalization software provider and systems integrator, Eigen, rolled out PPG introduces next-generation
a unique digital portal for Lundin Norway’s drilling operations in September. flexible passive fire protection������59
Rugged gyro sensor designed for small bore tube-based systems��������������� 42
Silicon Sensing Systems has developed the CRS39 gyroscope specifically for the oil and gas New P&A tool being developed
industry, with offshore applications. The device is intended for platform stabilization, down- through collaborative effort�����������60
hole surveying, north-finding and robotic control.
DEPARTMENTS
• DRILLING & COMPLETION
Online�������������������������������������� 4
Intelligent MPD features automated riser system��������������������������������������������� 43
Comment���������������������������������� 5
In 2019, Weatherford introduced Victus, the world’s first intelligent managed pressure drill-
Data���������������������������������������� 6
ing (MPD) system. This newly created intelligent MPD system predicts bottomhole pressure
Global E&P�������������������������������� 8
in real time based on surface measurements, therefore, it is able to replace early kick detec-
Offshore Europe������������������������� 10
tion with early automated kick response.
Gulf of Mexico�������������������������� 11
• ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION Subsea Systems������������������������� 12
Cost-efficiency underpins new Gulf of Mexico platform designs������������������� 46 Vessels, Rigs, & Surface Systems��� 13
Operators that are looking to develop new fields in the Gulf of Mexico are increasingly Drilling & Production������������������ 14
turning to production platforms that are more economical than in years past, and much Offshore Wind Energy������������������ 15
more efficient in design. Types of platforms being examined for King’s Quay, Vito, Mad Dog Business Briefs������������������������� 61
2, and Anchor will almost certainly feature facilities that are smaller, lighter in weight, and Advertisers’ Index���������������������� 63
with more standardized features. Beyond the Horizon��������������������� 64

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 • ONLINE

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 COMMENT •

Cost, cycle-time efficiencies

underscore new platform designs
DAVID PAGANIE, CHIEF EDITOR

GULF OF MEXICO operators are rolling out
new floating production platforms that they
hope will not only anchor lucrative projects, but
also accelerate the cycle times to first production.
Renewed interest in offshore is certainly linked
to the precipitous decline in project break-even
costs over the last few years, led by lower unit
costs. It is also being driven by the industry’s ability to simplify
and standardize project designs. This experience is encouraging
operators to sanction new and larger fields. The International
Energy Agency carried out a study earlier this year on upcoming
offshore project approvals and found that, in 2019 and 2020,
the average size of the resource sanctioned will increase by
about 20% but without a corresponding increase in cycle time.
The platform of choice for many of the new deepwater hub projects
in the GoM is a semisubmersible. It has an average lead time from
sanction to first production of 38.4 months, which is competitive
with other floating hulls.
The latest project sanctions in the GoM that call for a semisub-
mersible production platform – Vito and King’s Quay – are on
schedule to deliver the floaters within the industry average for cycle
time. In both cases, the project teams have adopted a “lean and ef-
ficient” platform design philosophy to develop the initial fields. These
two projects, as well as others, are also taking advantage of indus-
try-standard designs to reduce cost and cycle time.
To respond to articles in Offshore, or to offer articles for publication,
contact the editor by email (dpaganie@endeavorb2b.com).

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 • DATA

Worldwide offshore rig WORLDWIDE OFFSHORE RIG COUNT AND UTILIZATION RATE
count and utilization rate OCTOBER 2017 – SEPTEMBER 2019
The offshore drilling market has improved
1,000 100
very modestly over the last month. The
total number of jackups, semis, and
drillships under contract grew by two 900 90
units from 467 units in August to 469 in

Fleet utilization rate, %

800 80

Number of rigs
September. Meanwhile, the global fleet
reversed a recent increase by having a
three-unit decline over that period, with 700 70
total supply now at 760 rigs. As a result,
utilization has improved slightly, climbing 600 60
from 61.2% in August to 61.7% in Sep-
tember. At the same time, the number 500 50
of rigs working has experienced a small
boost of two units recently, rising from 400 40
442 in August to 444 in September.
– Justin Smith, Petrodata by IHS Markit 300 Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. June Aug. Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. June Aug.
30
2017 2018 2019
A subsea rollercoaster Total utilization % Total supply Total under contract Working
Following four difficult years, the subsea Note: Rig types included are jackups, semis, and drillships
industry is finally trending upwards. The Source: IHS Markit RigPoint
record growth of 10% year-on-year in 1Q
2019, the highest since 2014, was pro- SUBSEA GAINING MOMENTUM
longed into 2Q with subsea recording
40%
another 10% increase in revenue. This Subsea Other segments
strong upswing is mostly attributable to 30%
Percent change year-on-year

TechnipFMC which saw an increase of

24% in its Subsea segment, and Baker 20%
Hughes which increased revenues in its
subsea-dominated Oilfield Equipment 10%
segment by 12%. The industry is expe- 0%
riencing increased activity levels in the
first half of the year following a new wave –10%
in offshore project sanctioning. We ex-
pect that this activity level will continue –20%
and that subsea revenues will grow by –30%
10% compared to last year. 2019 is set
to be the first year with positive revenue –40%
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
growth since 2014.
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
– Aleksander Erstad, Analyst, Oilfield
Source: Rystad Energy ServiceSupplyCube, September 2019
Service, Rystad Energy
LEASED FPSO FLEETS OF LEADING CONTRACTORS
Petrobras to lead
FPSO orders SBM 12 4 16
After a strong start in the first half of the
year, the pace of orders slowed down BW Offshore 12 2 1 15
with only four (one FPSO, one FSRU,
and two LNG FSOs) announced in 3Q, Modec 10 4 1 15
according to Energy Maritime Associ-
Contractors

ates’ (EMA) latest Floating Production Teekay 9 2 11

Systems Report. This brings the to-
tal number of units awarded in 2019 to Bumi Armada 6 1 1 8
13: six FPSOs, three FSRUs, two FSOs
(LNG), one semi, and one MOPU. MISC 6 6
According to the report, 27 projects are Under Repair
likely to reach FID in the next 12 months; Bluewater Available
3 2 5
however, many are just pending final FID/ On Order
formal announcement. EMA expects a 4 1 5 Installed
Yinson
surge of orders before year end, partic-
ularly from Petrobras, which has five proj-
ects in the tender process. It expects up 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
to six additional FPSO awards in the next Number of FPSOs
three months.
Source: Energy Maritime Associates

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• GLOBAL E&P
BRAZIL
Brazil’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels
(ANP) has awarded 12 offshore blocks to various consortia under
the country’s 16th bid round. The applications drew signature
bonuses totalling $2.2 billion. Operatorships in the Campos basin
went to Chevron, ExxonMobil, Petrobras, Petronas, Repsol, Shell
and Total, while BP Energy will operate block S-M-1500 in the
Santos basin. Contracts should be signed and ratified by Feb. 14,
2020.
◆◆◆
Petrobras has asked two Far East contractors to provide FPSOs
for the Marlim cluster revitalization project in the Campos basin.
MODEC will supply, charter and operate one of the floaters, which
will have an 80,000 b/d crude and 7 MMcf/d gas processing capacity,
with SOFEC responsible for the spread mooring system. Yinson
will supply the FPSO Marlim 2, designed to process 70,000 b/d of
oil and 4 MMcm/d of gas. The Marlim field is 150 km (93 mi) from
the northern Rio de Janeiro State coast in 670 m (2,198 ft) water
depth.
Shell has contracted Maersk Supply Service to undertake a
mooring system life extension program for the FPSO Fluminense,
which has operated on the Bijupira and Salema oilfields in the
Campos basin since 2003. The subsea support vessel Maersk
Achiever will manage the offshore campaign which is due to start
in December, and includes heading control of the FPSO and re-
placement of mooring lines.
WEST AFRICA
BP has confirmed a southern extension to the Yakaar gas field in
Senegal’s Cayar Offshore Profond block. The appraisal well, drilled
by the Valaris DS-12 drillship 9 km (5.6 mi) from the Yakaar-1
discovery well, delivered 30 m (98.4 ft) of net pay from the Ceno-
manian interval. According to partner Kosmos Energy, the result
suggests the overall Yakaar-Teranga gas resource could support a
phased LNG development project.
◆◆◆
Australian independent FAR has increased its operated stake in
blocks A2 and A5 offshore the Republic of Gambia to 50%, the
remainder held by Petronas. The partners have also agreed on
extensions to the licenses, the terms including a commitment well
in the first two years on either block. They will use results from a
new 3D seismic survey over the concessions to delineate
prospects.
◆◆◆
BW Offshore has proven more oil in the Dussafu license offshore
Gabon. The DHIBM-1 well and subsequent side track on the Hi-
biscus Updi prospect - both drilled by the jackup Borr Norve in 116
m (380 ft) of water - intersected 47 m (154 ft) of net pay in the
Gamba formation. BW estimates recoverable volumes at up to 50
MMbbl.
◆◆◆
ION Geophysical has been acquiring a new 2D multi-client seismic
survey over the barely explored Namibe basin off southern Angola.
The NamibeSPAN data-set will integrate various ION BasinSPAN
8
1911OFF04-16.indd 8
JEREMY BECKMAN
LONDON
programs to form a continuous regional exploration overview
spanning over 65,000 km (40,389 mi) along the coast. Results should
be available for Angola’s new licensing round.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
The hull of the FPSO Energean Power was floated out recently
from the Cosco shipyard dock in Zhoushan, China. The vessel will
serve Energean’s deepwater Karish/Tanin gas field development
offshore Israel. Following
further construction
work, the hull was due to
sail before year-end to
Sembcorp Marine’s Ad-
miralty Yard in Singapore
for integration of the
topsides.
Noble Energy and its
partners in the nearby
Leviathan and Tamar gas Topsides integration should start
fields have extended shortly for the FPSO Energean Power.
their firm gas supply (Courtesy Energean)
commitments to Delphi-
nus Holdings by five years to 15-year terms, with total combined
contracted quantities now above 3 tcf. In addition, the partners
have been negotiating to participate in the regional East Mediter-
ranean Gas pipeline project.
CASPIAN SEA
BP has awarded a consortium of Subsea 7 and Bos Shelf a wide-rang-
ing work program for the Azeri Central East (ACE) project offshore
Azerbaijan. It includes engineering and fabrication of subsea struc-
tures and spools, launching of a 16,200-metric ton (17,857-ton)
jacket, and floatover of an 18,500-metric ton (20,393-ton) topsides.
Water depth at the offshore site is 140 m (459 ft). ACE is the lat-
est-phase development of the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli
oilfield complex.
◆◆◆
Shell has pulled out of the proposed development of the Khazar
project in the Kazakh sector, and the Kashagan consortium (in-
cluding CNPC, Eni, ExxonMobil, and Total) has also decided against
pursuing the Kalamkas More project. According to consultant
Wood Mackenzie, the potentially large oil volumes appear to have
been offset by the marginal economics of the two projects, due to
a combination of complex geology and logistics and the ultra-shal-
low water setting.
MIDDLE EAST
ADNOC and Abu Dhabi’s government have awarded Lukoil a 5%
stake in the UAE’s offshore Ghasha gas concession, which includes
the ultra-sour Hail, Ghasha and Dalma fields. The other partners
are Eni, OMV, and Wintershall Dea. The planned Ghasha me-
ga-project is designed to produce over 1.5 bcf/d of gas for domestic
power generation and more than 120,000 b/d of oil and
condensates.
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 JEREMY BECKMAN
LONDON GLOBAL E&P •

◆◆◆ offshore Barossa, Bayu-Undan and Poseidon fields and the 3.7MMt/yr-capacity Darwin
Qatar Petroleum (QP) has assumed con- LNG plant.
trol of the Idd El-Shargi North Dome and The plan for Barossa calls for subsea wells tied back to an FPSO for gas processing
South Dome oilfields offshore Qatar fol- and condensate export, with the gas transported through a new 260-km (161-mi)
lowing the expiry of production-sharing pipeline, to be installed by Allseas, and tied into the existing Bayu-Darwin pipeline
agreements with former operator Occi- 100 km (62 mi) northwest of Darwin. Santos estimates capex to first gas in 2024 at
dental Petroleum. QP has also issued $4.7 billion, with associated upgrades at Darwin LNG extending the facility’s lifespan
tenders for EPC packages covering new by over two decades. •
storage, loading and distribution facilities
in Ras Laffan Industrial City to manage
increased liquids volumes from Qatar’s
offshore North Field Expansion project.
◆◆◆
Iran’s Petropars is set to start work next
year on the South Pars 11 gas develop-
ment in the Persian Gulf. The company
has taken charge of the project after Total,
the originally designated operator, with-
drew following the US’ decision to re-im-
pose sanctions on Iran.

EAST AFRICA
Total has completed its acquisition of
Anadarko’s 26.5% operated stake in the
Mozambique LNG project for $3.9 billion.
This was part of a package of four inter-
ests held by Anadarko across Africa when
it was acquired earlier this year by Occi-
dental. The two-train onshore project
will have an annual liquefaction capacity
of 12.9 MM metric tons (14.2 MM tons),
supplied by 18 tcf of gas from the deep-
water Golfinho and Atum fields in Off-
shore Area 1 in the Rovuma basin. Total
anticipates start-up by 2024.
AUSTRALASIA
Santos is buying ConocoPhillips’ north-
ern Australia business for $1.39 billion,
with a further $75 million payable based
on FID for the Barossa field, 300 km (186
mi) north of Darwin. The transaction
brings Santos operated interests in the
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NOVEMBER 2019   OFFSHORE | WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM9

1911OFF_Viking 1 10/15/19 10:28 AM

1911OFF04-16.indd 9 11/4/19 1:13 PM


• OFFSHORE EUROPE
WIND FARM TO PART-POWER NORTH SEA FIELDS
Equinor has secured agreements from six partners oil companies
for the first floating offshore wind farm development dedicated
to Norwegian Sea oil and gas operations. The Hywind Tampen
complex, comprising eleven 8-MW wind turbines based on the
Hywind technology, will serve the Gullfaks and Snorre fields from
a location 140 km (87 mi) offshore, and in water depths of 260-300
m (853-984 ft). It will provide a total generating capacity of 88
MW, sufficient to power around 35% of the annual power needs
of the fields’ five platforms.
Hywind floating wind turbines with the Snorre A semisubmersible
platform in the distance. (Courtesy Equinor)
Reducing the complexes’ reliance on gas turbines should help
cut their carbon dioxide emissions by over 200,000 metric tons
(220,462 tons) per year, Equinor said, adding that a decisive factor
behind the investment was the Norwegian authorities’ approval
to extend field life at Gullfaks to 2036 and at Snorre to 2040, two
decades beyond the original base cases. Gulen Industrihamn in
western Norway will assemble the floating wind turbines and
these should enter service in 2022, operated remotely from
Equinor’s offices in Bergen. The company estimates the overall
cost at around $549 million. Enova, owned by Norway’s Ministry
of Climate and Environment, and the country’s NOx Fund, have
collectively pledged to contribute up to $315 million. Other
partners in the Gullfaks and Snorre licenses are state-owned
Petoro, OMV, ExxonMobil, Idemitsu, Wintershall Dea, and Vår
Energi.
EXXONMOBIL EXITS NORWAY
Vår Energi’s stake in the project looks set to grow after the com-
pany agreed to pay $4.5 billion for ExxonMobil’s Norwegian up-
stream business. This includes interests in some of the largest
producing fields in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea such as
Fram, Grane, Ormen Lange, Snorre and Statfjord, with combined
production of around 150,000 boe/d. Assuming closure before
year-end, Vår will become Norway’s second-largest E&P company
after Equinor with total reserves and resources of around 1.9
MMboe and production of close to 300,000 boe/d, potentially
rising to over 350,000 boe/d in 2023 as new contributions come
in from projects such as Johan Castberg in the Barents Sea and
Vår’s own Balder X project. The latter involves drilling 26 new
10
1911OFF04-16.indd 10
JEREMY BECKMAN
LONDON
wells to extend the productive lives of the Balder and Ringhorne
fields, both of which ExxonMobil originally developed.
Last month, first oil from the Equinor-operated Johan Sverdrup
field reached the terminal at Mongstad, western Norway, through
a newly installed pipeline in the Utsira High region of the North
Sea. The project’s final cost was $9.09 billion, the company said,
$4.38 billion below the original estimate submitted with the field
development plan. Once Sverdrup Phase 1 has reached plateau
production, operating costs should fall below $2/bbl, the company
claimed. Start-up was also a month ahead of schedule, helped
by investments in digital solutions and optimized field operations,
a spokesman said.
The picture is less rosy for two of the company’s other current
flagship developments. At Martin Linge in the North Sea ( formerly
operated by Total), costs have risen by $865 million since the
previous report to Norway’s state budget, according to the Ministry
of Petroleum and Energy. Before Equinor took charge in March
2018 there had been a series of delays, one due to a serious acci-
dent at a construction yard in the Far East, and the scope of work
had increased, with a slow and complex hook-up and commis-
sioning operation in progress. Start-up has now been pushed
back to summer 2020.
Costs of the Njord Future project in the Norwegian Sea are
running $493 million above budget, mainly due to the extent of
the upgrades needed to the Njord field’s semisubmersible platform
and storage vessel, so that both can operate for a further 20 years.
HUB IN PROSPECT AT BUCHAN
Project activity is intensifying too in UK waters, some of it tech-
nically innovative. KCA Deutag’s engineering arm RDS is con-
ducting a conceptual study for Pharis Energy for what could be
the first large-scale application offshore of steam flooding to
maximize recovery from a heavy oil field (Pilot in the central UK
North Sea). RDS’ scope includes screening of jackups and design
of the field’s wellhead platform.
Jersey Oil and Gas, which earlier this year won the rights to
re-develop the Buchan area to the north under the UK’s 31st
supplementary offshore licensing round, has awarded concept
study contracts. Rockflow Resources will perform subsurface
evaluation while Petrofac works on concept selection for the
Greater Buchan Area development. This will include the Devonian
Buchan oilfield, which previous operator Talisman had to shut
down early due to concerns over the integrity of the semisub-
mersible platform ( formerly used for drilling). Jersey envisages
a new hub complex tying in production from satellite oilfields or
prospects such as Verbier, Capri and J2, with a potential combined
resource of 144 MMbbl.
Shell and partner Ithaca Energy have sanctioned a depressur-
ization project on the Pierce field in the UK central sector, which
has hitherto focused on oil production via the FPSO Haewene
Brim. The facilities will be modified to allow gas exports for the
first time through a new 30-km (18.6-mi) subsea pipeline, to be
installed by Subsea 7, and new wells. These should lift production
above 30,000 boe/d at peak. •
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 BRUCE BEAUBOUEF
HOUSTON
RECORD GULF OF MEXICO OIL PRODUCTION
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
Crude oil production in the US federal Gulf of Mexico (GoM)
averaged 1.8 MMb/d in 2018, setting a new annual record,
according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The EIA expects oil production in the GoM to set new pro-
duction records in 2019 and in 2020, even after accounting for
shut-ins related to Hurricane Barry in July 2019 and including
forecasted adjustments for hurricane-related shut-ins for the
remainder of the year and for 2020.
Based on EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook’s expected
production levels at new and existing fields, annual crude oil
production in the GoM will increase to an average of 1.9 MMb/d
in 2019 and 2.0 MMb/d in 2020.
However, even with this level of growth, projected GoM
crude oil production will account for a smaller share of the US
total. The EIA expects the GoM to account for 15% of total US
crude oil production in 2019 and in 2020, compared with 23%
of total US crude oil production in 2011, as onshore production
growth continues to outpace offshore production growth.
In 2019, crude oil production in the region fell from 1.9
MMb/d in June to 1.6 MMb/d in July because some production
platforms were evacuated in anticipation of Hurricane Barry.
This disruption was resolved relatively quickly, and no disrup-
tions caused by Hurricane Barry remain. Although final data
are not yet available, the EIA estimates GoM crude oil produc-
tion reached 2.0 MMb/d in August 2019.
Eight new projects are expected to come online in 2019 and
four more in 2020. EIA expects these projects to contribute
about 44,000 b/d in 2019 and about 190,000 b/d in 2020 as
projects ramp up production. Uncertainties in oil markets
affect long-term planning and operations in the GoM, and the
timelines of future projects may change accordingly.
Because of the amount of time needed to discover and
develop large offshore projects, oil production in the GoM is
less sensitive to short-term oil price movements than onshore
production in the Lower 48 states. In 2015 and early 2016,
decreasing profit margins and reduced expectations for a quick
oil price recovery prompted many GoM operators to reconsider
future exploration spending and to restructure or delay drilling
rig contracts, causing average monthly rig counts to decline
through 2018.
Crude oil price increases in 2017 and 2018 relative to lows
in 2015 and 2016 have not yet had a significant effect on oper-
ations in the GoM, but they have the potential to contribute
to increasing rig counts and field discoveries in the coming
years. Unlike onshore operations, falling rig counts do not affect
current production levels, but instead they affect the discovery
of future fields and the start-up of new projects.
BOEM PROPOSES NEW REGION-WIDE LEASE SALE
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) plans to
offer about 78 million acres in a region-wide Gulf of Mexico
lease sale scheduled for March 2020.
NOVEMBER 2019   OFFSHORE | WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM11
1911OFF04-16.indd 11
GULF OF MEXICO •
Fugro says it has completed several geophysical surveys in
the deepwater Gulf of Mexico for Shell International Exploration
and Production Co. The project required data collection over
multiple deepwater lease blocks in the greater Perdido and
Mars development areas to support clearance of potential
environmental, engineering, geological and archaeological
hazards ahead of planned drilling activities. Fugro deployed a
Hugin AUV from its survey vessel Fugro Brasilis. (Courtesy Fugro)
Lease Sale 254 will include about 14,585 unleased blocks,
located from 3 to 231 mi (5 to 372 km) offshore, in the Gulf ’s
Western, Central and Eastern planning areas in water depths
ranging from 9 to more than 11,115 ft (3 to 3,400 m).
Lease Sale 254, scheduled to be livestreamed from New
Orleans, will be the sixth offshore sale under the 2017-2022
Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.
Fiscal terms proposed for this sale include a 12.5% royalty
rate for leases in less than 656 ft (200 m) of water depth, and
a royalty rate of 18.75% for all other leases issued pursuant to
the sale.
TECHNIPFMC TO PROVIDE SUBSEA TREES FOR
SHENANDOAH
LLOG Exploration Offshore L.L.C. has ordered subsea trees
from TechnipFMC for the Shenandoah project in deepwater
of the Gulf of Mexico.
This is the first material equipment order for the Shenandoah
project and is said to be the first of its kind for subsea trees
designed for pressures up to 20,000 psi.
Located about 200 mi (322 km) south of New Orleans, the
Shenandoah discovery is in the unit comprised of Walker Ridge
blocks 51, 52, and 53.
LLOG is the operator and the partners are Venari Offshore,
LLC, Navitas Petroleum, and Beacon Offshore Energy.
The leases are currently held under a Suspension of Produc-
tion and will be developed using a new floating production
system.
The partnership will drill multiple wells to develop the es-
timated 100 to 400 MMbbl targeting previously discovered
oil-bearing Upper and Lower Wilcox-reservoirs. According to
LLOG, the oil and rock qualities for the Shenandoah develop-
ment are both best-in-class for the emerging Wilcox production
trend. •
11/4/19 1:13 PM

• SUBSEA SYSTEMS
TECHNIPFMC WINS TWO IEPCI CONTRACTS
Woodside Energy and Shell have both awarded TechnipFMC in-
tegrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation
contracts.
The company will design, manufacture, deliver and install the
subsea production system, flexible flowlines and umbilicals for
Woodside’s Pyxis and Xena gas fields offshore northwest
Australia.
This is the first call-off contract under a recently executed five-
year EPCI frame agreement between the two companies, which
targets collaborative development of projects for Woodside through
early engagement and use of TechnipFMC integrated solutions.
For Shell’s Perdido Phase 2 development in the Gulf of Mexico,
the contract covers the delivery and installation of subsea equip-
ment, including flexible flowlines, flexible jumpers, steel flying
leads, electrical flying leads, and will use the Subsea 2.0 in-line
compact manifold.
In addition, LLOG Exploration Offshore L.L.C. has ordered
subsea trees from TechnipFMC for the Shenandoah project in
deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico. This is the first material equipment
order for the Shenandoah project and is said to be the first of its
kind for subsea trees designed for pressures up to 20,000 psi.
FORUM’S LATEST ROV COMPLETES SEA TRIALS
Forum Subsea Technologies has completed seas trials in Norway
of its newest ROV, the XLe Spirit. This is the smallest in a new range
electric observation-class ROVs, but with sufficient power to per-
form subsea mainte-
nance and repair tasks.
In partnership with
Innova, Forum tested the
vehicle in a fjord in a wa-
ter depth of 500 m (1,640
ft), confirming standard
and ancillary equipment
capabilities, including
cameras, lights, altime-
ters, and sonars.
The XLe Spirit has an The XLe Spirit is the smallest in a new
range electric observation-class ROVs.
optional electric or hy- (Courtesy Forum Subsea Technologies)
draulic five-function ma-
nipulator arm. Its self-regulating power feature is said to compen-
sate for tether losses, ensuring a constant and stable power delivery
to the vehicle, regardless of tether length.
Other features said to maximize stability for use as a sensor
platform, include regulated propulsion power and various au-
to-functions for positioning and flying.
BLUE OCEAN MONITORING ADDS TO AUV FLEET
Blue Ocean Monitoring Ltd. has purchased a new L3Harris Tech-
nologies Iver3 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to support
its global survey operations. The AUV is said to be one of the
smallest and lightest on the market, allowing for single-user de-
ployment from small work vessels or directly from shore. It can
12
1911OFF04-16.indd 12
JESSICA STUMP
HOUSTON
operate in water depths
up to 200 m (656 ft).
The Iver3 AUV is
equipped with an Edge-
Tech 2205B sonar which
combines side-scan so-
nar with an interfero-
metric phase differenc-
ing bathymetry system, The Iver3 AUV can operate in water
which provides a wider depths up to 200 m. (Courtesy Blue
Ocean Monitoring)
swath in shallow water
compared to multibeam echo sounders, the company said. It is
also said to be the only interferometric system on the market that
produces bathymetry data with no nadir gap, furthering the efficacy
of these systems for shallow water and low altitude coverage.
Simon Illingworth, managing director of Blue Ocean Monitoring,
said: “We have immediate requirements for subsea pipeline in-
spection surveys, shallow water bathymetry surveys and benthic
habitat monitoring; however, there are many other applications
we are currently exploring.
“The AUV has open system architecture and a modular payload
which allows us to be flexible, but it also gives us the opportunity
to integrate and test emerging sensor technologies easily as they
become available.”
THREE NORTH SEA PIPELINES FEATURE POLYMER
LINING CONNECTORS
Swagelining has completed the first installations of its LinerBridge
connector technology, all in the North Sea. Initially the company
installed the polymer lining connectors in pipeline bundles for an
Equinor-operated project. This was followed by reeled tie-ins for
Wintershall Dea’s Nova water injection pipeline in the Norwegian
sector, and a third application for Ithaca Energy’s Cook field in the
UK central North Sea.
According to Swagelining, LinerBridge is an alternative to con-
ventional corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) connectors that is de-
signed to form a strong and fully integrated polymer barrier within
the pipeline.
Managing director Liam Macintyre said: “Not only does [it]
reduce the cost of today’s reel-lay flowline and towed pipeline
bundle projects, [it] is also the enabler in expanding the application
of polymer lining’s cost-effective corrosion protection to other
offshore pipeline systems such as deepwater flowlines, dynamic
service risers, and S and J-lay installation methods.”
Connectors are needed to join sections of polymer lined pipeline
together to form the overall pipeline length and to terminate the
pipeline. In the case of LinerBridge, the connectors are manufac-
tured from the same material as the liner, and contain no CRA
materials, dispensing with the need for CRA welding.
Electrofusion welding technology adapted from the onshore
gas industry is said to provide a continuous polymer corrosion
barrier end-to-end for the pipeline system, allowing standard
carbon steel welding procedures to be adopted for pipeline
tie-ins. •
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 JESSICA STUMP
HOUSTON
SBM SECURES FINANCING FOR SECOND LIZA FPSO
SBM Offshore has com-
pleted the project fi-
nancing of the FPSO
Liza Unity for a total of
$1.14 billion.
The project financ- The FPSO Liza Unity is under construction
ing was secured by a at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding
consortium of nine in- and Offshore Co. shipyard in China.
ternational banks. The (Courtesy SBM Offshore)
company expects to
draw the loan in full, phased over the construction period of
the FPSO. The financing will become non-recourse once the
vessel is completed and the pre-completion guarantees have
been released.
The project loan has a tenor of two years post completion,
in line with the duration of the charter, and carries a variable
interest cost of LIBOR plus 1.50%.
The FPSO Liza Unity design is based on SBM’s Fast4Ward
program, which incorporates a newbuild, multi-purpose hull
combined with standardized topsides modules.
The FPSO is designed to produce 220,000 b/d of oil, with
associated gas treatment capacity of 400 MMcf/d, water injec-
tion capacity of 250,000 b/d and storage capacity of 2 MMbbl.
The Liza Unity is part of the ExxonMobil-operated Liza Phase
2 development offshore Guyana. Located about 124 mi (200
km) offshore in the Stabroek block, the FPSO will be spread
moored in a water depth of about 5,249 ft (1,600 m).
KEPPEL DELIVERS FOURTH JACKUP
TO BORR
Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. subsidiary
Keppel FELS has delivered the Hermod, a
KFELS B Class design jackup, to Borr Drill-
ing. This is the fourth of 11 jackup rigs the
yard is currently constructing for the drill-
ing contractor.
Svend Anton Maier, CEO of Borr Drill-
ing, said: “The global jackup drilling rig
fleet utilization has been on an upward The Hermod is the
trend, driven by increasing utilization of 70th KFELS B Class
rig to enter the
modern rigs such as Keppel’s B Class rigs. market. (Courtesy
“Demand also continues to grow, with Keppel Corp. Ltd.)
various jackup rig tenders across the
world.”
KFELS B Class rigs are designed to operate in 400 ft (122 m)
water depth and drill to 30,000 ft (9,144 m).
The Hermod is the 70th KFELS B Class rig to enter the market,
according to Tan Leong Peng, Executive Director (Newbuilds)
of Keppel O&M.
The company previously delivered the jackups Saga, Skald,
and Thor to Borr.
NOVEMBER 2019   OFFSHORE | WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM13
1911OFF04-16.indd 13
VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS •
WÄRTSILÄ BATTERY HYBRID SYSTEMS IN DEMAND
Atlantic Offshore and Eidesvik AS have both contracted Wärtsilä
to deliver hybrid propulsion systems.
The Fitjar shipyard in Norway will equip the Atlantic Offshore
supply vessels Ocean Star and Ocean Art with the 746 kWh
battery hybrid systems.
Wärtsilä designed both ships, each of which has the compa-
ny’s engines and its Low Loss Concept electrical systems. The
latter are said to reduce electrical losses and provide higher
individual engine loads, resulting in improved fuel efficiency.
The company ex-
pects to complete the
project early next year.
For the Eidesvik off-
shore construction ves-
sel Viking Neptun, the
company will supply
two 870-kWh battery
packs and two 2.7-MW
drives for the hybrid
system, pre-installed in The offshore support vessel Ocean
Art is being upgraded with a Wärtsilä
containers. hybrid package. (Courtesy Atlantic
With the battery hy- Offshore)
brid solution, the
15,900-dwt vessel is expected to be able to operate on a single
generator set supplemented by batteries during dynamic posi-
tioning operations.
Wärtsilä claimed its solution should deliver further benefits
in the form of fuel cost savings, better environmental perfor-
mance, and lower maintenance costs as the load on the engines
should be more efficient and the running hours reduced.
It will also upgrade the existing switchboard, integrated
automation and power management systems. The program is
expected to take up to six months to complete.
TRANSOCEAN SPITSBERGEN FEATURES HYBRID
POWER SYSTEM
Transocean Ltd. has deployed what it claims is the world’s first
hybrid energy storage system aboard a floating drilling unit.
The system is now operational on the semisubmersible Trans-
ocean Spitsbergen, which is drilling at the Equinor-operated
Snorre field offshore Norway.
Transocean’s patented hybrid power technology, developed
in partnership with Aspin Kemp and Associates, is said to reduce
fuel consumption and increase a dynamically positioned rig’s
station-keeping reliability by capturing energy generated during
normal rig operations that would otherwise be wasted, and
storing it in batteries. This energy is then used to power the
rig’s thrusters. This operational and safety enhancement targets
a 14% reduction in fuel use during normal operations, leading
to a reduction in NOx and CO₂ emissions.
The company’s investment is funded in part through fuel
saving incentives in its contract with Equinor and by the Nor-
wegian NOx Fund. •
11/4/19 1:13 PM

• DRILLING & PRODUCTION
OPITO WORKS WITH INDUSTRY
TO SUPPORT DRILLING SAFETY
OPITO says it is collaborating with drilling employers to develop
an online assessment to reinforce the competency of
roustabouts.
Developed as part of the OPITO Skills Screening online tool,
a comprehensive question bank has been created by the Inter-
national Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) with input
from IADC members Awilco (UK) Ltd, Transocean, Valaris,
COSL Drilling Europe, and Diamond Offshore.
OPITO says that its Skills Screening tool provides an acces-
sible online solution for organizations looking to assess the
knowledge and understanding of current and potential em-
ployees across a wide range of disciplines and roles, including
banksman slinger, pipefitter, process technician and rigger.
Users have the flexibility to conduct assessments on and offshore
and results are instantly available.  license in the western Norwegian North Sea, after receiving
The new Roustabout assessment contains a variety of role
specific questions that have been reviewed and tested with the
current offshore workforce to ensure the language and content
is fit for purpose. There are more than 8,500 roustabouts em-
ployed in the oil and gas industry in Scotland alone, making up
5% of the total UKCS workforce.
Mark Cullens, director at OPITO said: “Working alongside
the drilling community has allowed OPITO to offer a robust,
relevant assessment option for employers to ensure their roust-
abouts have the knowledge to carry out their role competently.
I look forward to continuing this work with the IADC and its
members as we look to develop a Floorman assessment in the
coming months.”
Derek Hart, regional director at IADC added: “This initiative
will assist drilling contractors and others with their selection
process when hiring roustabouts. The development is another
good example of industry working together with OPITO for the
benefit of the whole oil and gas industry.”
ABERDEEN DRILLING SCHOOL EXPANDS
A globally recognized advanced drilling, well engineering and
well control training business is investing more than a million
pounds to open four new training centres.
Aberdeen Drilling School (ADS), which is part of the RelyOn
Nutec group, is set to develop the new facilities to deliver drilling
excellence training in Houston, Bergen and Stavanger in Norway,
and Cuidad del Carmen in Mexico.
The move has been driven by client demand for more training
worldwide after a fifty percent increase in contract wins in the
past six months. The training firm’s existing portfolio includes
facilities in Aberdeen, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Oman
and the Netherlands.
The four new training centers will be developed within ex-
isting RelyOn Nutec facilities but operated independently by
the ADS team using its technology to deliver the most advanced
simulator-based training currently available on the drilling
market.
14
1911OFF04-16.indd 14
BRUCE BEAUBOUEF
HOUSTON
ConocoPhillips Skandinavia will drill its first well on a
sanction from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. The
semisubmersible Leiv Eiriksson will drill well 25/7-8 S, 15 km
(9.3 mi) west of the Ringhorne field and 210 km (130 mi) west
of Stavanger. (Courtesy Transocean)
Expanding the services to four new locations will require
ADS to increase its headcount to add five new bilingual instruc-
tors, while doubling the technical workforce in the coming six
months with new instructors, simulator operators and software
developers. The firm currently has a team of 20 based at its
Aberdeen facility in Union Glen and 50 staff worldwide.
Managing director of Aberdeen Drilling School, Jason Grant,
said: “This is really only the start for us. With access to the
RelyOn Nutec network of over 30 training centers in 20 countries,
we have a great platform for further expansion. Whilst this will
continue to be driven by client demand, we have the opportunity
and the capacity to look at opening up new facilities in multiple
global locations simultaneously.
“A key region for us in the near future will be West Africa,
where our clients need high quality and reliable training solu-
tions. We are currently working with our partners and clients
throughout West Africa to consider where the best and most
accessible location would be. Our focus is both west and east,
and our goal is to ensure clients have access to the same world-
class training wherever their drilling operations are located.”
The announcement follows the firm’s recent acquisition of
Norwegian simulation technology company, Oiltec Solutions,
which has been integrated with ADS’s simulation technology
and development team to create an inhouse platform being
rolled out through its global training centers.
The expansion will see ADS offer its clients access to certi-
fication training, well engineering training and advanced drilling
simulation training in ten locations across the world. Work is
already underway at the new centers in the US, Norway, and
Mexico which are set to be fully operational before the end of
the year. •
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY •

CONSORTIUM AIMS TO DEVELOP
FLOATING WIND FARM OFFSHORE
SOUTH KOREA
WindPower Korea, EDP Renewables, and
Aker Solutions have formed a consortium
with the ambition to develop an initial 500-
MW floating wind farm offshore Ulsan,
South Korea.
According to the companies, the potential of floating offshore wind is three times larger
than for bottom-fixed offshore wind farms in Japan. Therefore, floating offshore wind is a
promising market where the use of concrete will enable Ideol and Taisei to further reduce
the cost of floating foundations.
Through this MoU, the companies intend to cooperate to proactively develop concrete
floating offshore wind foundations in Japan and contribute to the acceleration as well as
the growth of the domestic floating offshore wind market.•

A VAN BEEST BRAND

South Korea aims to have 13 GW of

offshore wind installed by 2030, and has
set a target of at least 30% renewable
energy by 2040. (Courtesy Aker Solutions)

The consortium was formed as EDP

Renewables and Aker Solutions have in-
vested in the development company Korea
Floating Wind Power (KFWind), joining
founding shareholder WindPower Korea.
Principle Power, which had a role in origi-
nating the KFWind project portfolio, will
supply its WindFloat foundation technol-
ogy for the project.
South Korea aims to have 13 GW of off-
shore wind installed by 2030, and has set a
target of at least 30% renewable energy by
2040.

POWER
PO
In January 2019, KFWind signed a mem-
orandum of understanding with the City
of Ulsan to cooperate on the development
of floating wind projects and support the

WIRE
W
industrial development of the Ulsan region
to serve as a manufacturing hub for do-
mestic and export offshore wind
TO THE
markets.
The Ulsan area is said to be well-suited
for commercializing floating wind, due to
the combination of shipyards, maritime
expertise, and port facilities in the region.

IDEOL, TAISEI SIGN FLOATING

OFFSHORE WIND MOU
Ideol and Taisei Corp. have signed a mem-
orandum of understanding (MoU) for the
joint development and promotion in Japan
of concrete foundations for floating offshore
wind using Ideol’s patented Damping Pool
technology.

1911OFF04-16.indd 15 1911OFF_VanBeest 1 11/4/19 1:13

10/23/19 9:18 PM
AM
 O3b mPOWER

1911OFF04-16.indd
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8/26/19 1:13 PM
PM
 European
Technology
Report

Courtesy Aker Solutions

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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Expanded subsea campus aims to

propel deepwater technology
Features advanced manufacturing tools, processes

LORENZO ROMAGNOLI, BAKER HUGHES

SUBSEA TECHNOLOGY is a part of the industry experiencing

huge advancements, largely due to the need for infrastructure
and equipment that can cope with the increasing challenges of
mature basins, ever deepening water, and ever narrower eco-
nomic margins.
In June 2019, Baker Hughes launched its Subsea Centre of
Excellence (CoE) in Montrose on the northeast coast of Scot-
land. A purpose-built hub of design and manufacturing, it is the
result of a £31-million ($40-million) investment by the company,
supported by a £4.9-million ($6.3-million) grant from the Scot-
tish government, through Scottish Enterprise.
The CoE has been designed to leverage the best of indus-
try innovation, engineering, manufacturing, test and assembly
facilities in the world, all in one place. Created with the specific
vision to transform deepwater technology development, it is
packed full of some of the most advanced product design and
manufacturing equipment the industry has seen.

FACTORY OF THE FUTURE

The upgraded and expanded CoE was created to encourage
product innovation on a new scale. Its systems and products
serve the worldwide energy industry mainly in the hydrocar-
bons segment. To do so, it houses a variety of advanced manu-
facturing tools and processes, which are there to improve the
design and creation of subsea architecture. These tools include:
• Virtual reality systems and digital platforms
• Automated processes, robotics
• Additive manufacturing with 3D printing capabilities
• Laser measurement devices.
In addition, it is the home of the ‘Aptara Design Centre’, dedi-
cated to the development of the Aptara Totex-lite subsea system.
This new family of products has been created to support life of
field operations, featuring a range of lighter, modular technol-
ogy solutions re-engineered to enhance production efficiencies
and introduce a ‘make-to-order’ concept in the design phase.
All of which is coordinated from Montrose.
AN ENDURING MODEL FOR THE FUTURE
Following the shift in industry dynamics since 2014, the Baker
Hughes team identified a need to, in its own words, “rethink,
recalibrate, and reposition the capability of future manufactur-
ing, while finding ways to continue bringing efficiencies to the
business and its customers.”
Aptara compact tree. (All images courtesy Baker Hughes)
The company’s existing Montrose base already contained
machining and manufacturing capability. This was originally
created in the region, a few miles south of Aberdeen, due to its
strategically important geographic position. It has the benefit
of its own local port authority and excellent road links, lead-
ing directly to a reduced carbon footprint through reduced
transport needs.
When all the factors related to logistics were combined with
Scotland’s reputation for engineering capability and expertise,
Montrose became the obvious choice to base the new CoE.
In parallel with machinery and digital systems, the 600 strong
team of people also formed an intrinsic part of the investment.
Indeed, the campus will develop the next generation of the
workforce through a series of additional investments, includ-
ing a dedicated Montrose Learning and Development Centre
(MDLC) on site.
The training on offer will also directly support the company’s

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 EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •

The introduction of automation is

helping to improve the company’s effi-
ciency on activities like welding, testing
and material-handling, i.e. its fully-au-
tomated cladding process for tubing
hangers and flexible pipe end-fittings
improves operator safety, quality, and
productivity. Also, recently introduced
was the ‘cold metal transfer’, a robot that
can improve welding operations, without
the need for human intervention. Mark-
ing a step forward in the new generation
of workplace optimization.

A SUBSEA VISION – ON LAND

This, however, seems to just be the start
of the story for the CoE. The company
plans to continue to develop and invest
in its people, technology and products,
making the site key for exporting sub-
The Subsea CoE in Montrose has the capacity to design, manufacture, and test a complete
subsea tree. sea products. In 2020, Baker Hughes will
continue to invest in the Montrose cen-
existing STEM programs, as well as initiatives within local schools. The Apprentice- ter, developing new capability in manu-
ship intake doubled in 2019 as the center looks to cement its strategically important facturing and technology development.
position in the global energy industry, not only now but over the long term.

INDUSTRY 4.0
This sustainable outlook is reinforced by the developments to manufacturing capa-
bilities within the CoE, in particular when it comes to subsea trees. It has the capac-
ity to design, manufacture, and test a complete subsea tree, all under one roof. And
not just any tree, for the first time a complete subsea tree system can be built and
shipped with the most advanced technology systems in the world.
Production machinery is digitally connected to advanced systems so that data
can be downloaded in real time, and then programed to create an optimization algo-
rithm. In turn this enhances the process, making each product in the most efficient
and productive way possible.
Taking the impact of digital technology further still, the power of virtual reality has The campus features virtual reality systems
galvanized the technology research and development process. It gives the CoE team and digital platforms.
the ability to recreate and simulate the assembly procedures of a product, time and
time again, with improvements made and elements thoroughly tested in the virtual Developing a subsea project today is
world at every stage of design. no mean feat. Mature areas, remote loca-
This means that more than simply testing and assembling trees, the CoE team can tions, arctic temperatures, high pressure
simulate the engineering design upfront; continuously optimizing and refining the and temperature, and marginal reser-
design and ultimately eliminating defects before the physical assembly of any piece voirs mean that every project has its own
of equipment. unique set of challenges.
The CoE has further innovated tree manufacturing by introducing additive manu- New infrastructure needs to be more
facturing (3D printing) capability for the first time. This was inspired by aviation – an robust than ever before, and requires expe-
industry that shares a need with the energy industry, to continually evolve to create safe, rience and technology to be able to con-
efficient and technologically advanced components. Because of that, until now, many sistently adapt to everything the industry
companies have tried to minimize unscheduled downtime by maintaining large stores throws at it. This CoE is not just about man-
of critical spare parts. The process, therefore, allows for simplified manufacturing of ufacturing efficiency, it is about building
components that can reduce costs and enhance performance accelerating the product a sustainable industry through advanced
development through rapid prototyping and shortening the development cycle of oil design and manufacturing. Bringing ben-
and gas components, thereby reducing the time it takes to proceed with full production. efits now and well into the future. •

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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
‘World-first’ resident subsea drone
to operate at Njord for Equinor
Hydrone vehicles taking inspection, intervention to new level
JEREMY BECKMAN, EDITOR, EUROPE
EQUINOR’S NJORD Future project in the Norwegian Sea is the
first confirmed setting for Saipem’s new Hydrone subsea drones. In
September, the Norwegian major awarded the company a 10-year
contract to support drilling and inspections/interventions on sub-
sea facilities at Njord and other satellite fields in the area. The pro-
gram will take effect next year when production resumes through
the upgraded Njord A semisubmersible platform.
Hydrone-R undergoing endurance trials in open sea in Trieste port,
northeast Italy, at daytime. (All images courtesy Saipem)
Sonsub, Saipem’s business division for Life of Field, Underwater
Technology and Subsea Processing, is currently putting the under-
water intervention drone (UID) Hydrone-R through endurance
trials at a test bed and in open sea offshore Trieste, northeast Italy.
Once these have finished, the vehicle should be ready to start oper-
ations at Njord next year, performing light interventions and subsea
inspections and potentially functioning autonomously for months
in between scheduled maintenance.
Sonsub expects to complete development and testing of the
all-electric work class ROV Hydrone-W in 2021, at which point it
will be ready to undertake heavy intervention and other tasks via a
tether connection to Njord A. Saipem’s Norway division will super-
vise the two vehicles from Njord A and from shore, via proprietary
remote control technologies.
Roberto Di Silvestro, head of Sonsub, commented: “We believe
that Equinor’s decision to select Hydrone was primarily for three
reasons. First, our Hydrone technology is mature: SIT and EFAT
[Extended Factory Acceptance Test] were completed this June and
the Hydrone-R is now performing an extensive endurance campaign
with the objective of reaching TRL5 [Technical Readiness Level 5]
soon. Second, Hydrone-R and Hydrone-W not only meet but exceed
20
1911OFF17-42.indd 20
Hydrone-R in night time trials off Trieste.
Equinor’s technical specifications and requirements. Finally, Saipem
has been working on the Hydrone program since 2015 with a global
business vision and a deployment plan for various subsea fields in
the world’s key energy areas. This may have given Equinor the nec-
essary assurance that aside from the benefits of the technology we
have incorporated operational inputs from other subsea applications.”
There are, in fact, three vehicles in the Hydrone series, the other
being the FlatFish (or Hydrone-S), an evolution of the Flatfish con-
cept initially developed by Shell Brasil under the Brazilian National
Petroleum Agency (ANP) R&D levy program for deepwater oper-
ations. Sonsub obtained an exclusive license for the industrializa-
tion and commercialization for oil and gas applications that Sonsub
is pursuing with its Brazilian robotics team in collaboration with
SENAI Cimatec, a Brazilian academic center in Salvador, Bahia.
DUAL-ROLE SUBSEA TASKS
From the outset, Sonsub envisioned the Hydrone program as a
set of different vehicles with different mission profiles for specific
Life of Field subsea applications, Di Silvestro said. “Hydrone-R is a
hybrid AUV/ROV. Like a traditional ROV, it can do interventions
via manipulators, but it can also operate autonomously, as an AUV,
performing inspections.”
According to Sonsub, Hydrone-R will be the world’s first com-
mercially deployable resident subsea intervention drone, capa-
ble of remaining underwater without interruptions for up to 12
months. In this mode the vehicle provides remote operability and
can be connected to subsea infrastructure via through-water com-
munications links, covering an area within a 10 km (6 mi) radius
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11/4/19 1:13 PM

Hydrone-R during tests at Sonsub headquarters in Marghera (Venice).
Hydrone-R control room.
for inspections and interventions. The distance covered could be
extended through use of intermediate subsea docking stations (also
part of the current trials), for re-charging of the vehicle and for mis-
sion downloads or survey data uploads. The vehicle’s embedded
sensors and proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) features allow it
to undertake autonomous navigation and anomaly detection on a
wide range of subsea systems.
Typical tasks foreseen range from periodic general visual inspec-
tion to assessing structural integrity (including cracks and corrosion)
to close visual inspections of risers, mooring lines, anodes, insulated
cables and connectors. Interventions could include installing bypass
valves, rectifying leaks, and connection/disconnection of flying leads.
After the first prototype vehicle was completed in June, tests fol-
lowed in July on the electronics and software at Sonsub’s facilities
in Venice, and the 3.5 x 1.5 m (11.5 x 4.9 ft) vehicle has since been
undergoing tests at the company’s marine base in Trieste where an
extensive network of subsea structures has been installed includ-
ing 500 m (1,640 ft) of pipelines, and a docking station. These are
positioned close to the quayside, from where the vehicle can be
launched and recovered easily.
Functional tests were due to finish by the end of October. During
November, the vehicle was due to be taken to another location 300
m (984 ft) offshore, in a water depth of 22 m (72 ft), to perform tasks
such as hook-up of a pipeline end termination (PLET); pipe recogni-
tion and tracking; analysis profiling based on a 3D reconstruction of
subsea structures; and navigating point-to-point in several kilometers
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1911OFF17-42.indd 21
EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
of open water. Another priority is demonstrating remote control
of the vehicle via its through-water communications link while in
fully autonomous mode, as this is a major issue for offshore opera-
tors, Di Silvestro said. The combination of acoustics and optics are
designed to allow the vehicle to position itself very close to the sub-
sea structure. DNV GL has been overseeing the Hydrone-R’s design
and qualification program.
The Hydrone-S is similar to a traditional AUV, Di Silvestro said,
but with a capability to hover and to traverse longer distances of
up to 50 km (31 mi). “It is designed to perform inspections, not
interventions, and it is not intended to be resident in a single field
– unless a giant – but to move from one field to another every few
months. Its AI features allow it to operate fully autonomously for
following networks of subsea pipes, flowlines and umbilicals and
for more detailed inspection of subsea structures.” Industrialization
of the vehicle has finished, and the prototype should be ready for
first subsea trials in April-May 2020. The Hydrone-W, he added, is
a fully electric, remotely operated work class ROV, able to remain
resident subsea for a period of time, but not as continuously as the
other two vehicles.
Sonsub has developed two other devices under the Hydrone
program for periodic re-charging of the vehicles, mission and data
downloads. The prototype HyBase, designed for permanent deploy-
ment, was featured in the test campaign off Trieste; the other is
the HyBuoy, a smaller power/communication buoy for temporary
or permanent deployment that will be powered via wave or wind
energy, with subsea re-charging of the vehicle enabled via a 2-kW
subsea inductive connector.
The company is also developing what Di Silvestro describes as
a “flying garage” with SENAI Cimatec and Shell Brasil that would
enable launch and recovery of FlatFish potentially from FPSOs or
smaller support vessels. Shell/Sonsub aim to start a pilot test of the
Hydrone-S/FlatFish and the ancillary equipment as soon as possi-
ble offshore Brazil, he explained, adding that other majors have also
been monitoring progress of the Hydrone series development. Eni,
for instance, has been supporting the test set-up at Trieste.
“In our vision, ‘Life of Field’ is an IMR engineering support concept
that involves a combination of asset management and inspection/
intervention. Typically, oil companies have commissioned annual
inspections of their subsea assets, but in some cases, these are only
performed every three years. And these campaigns have not been
generating sufficient information for the industry’s present needs.
If, however, you can provide low-cost inspection with a resident
Hydrone, you can then start generating large volumes of ‘big data’
that allow you to really monitor any changes in the subsea asset.
You can then do preventive intervention or predictive maintenance.
“When you design a pipeline and riser network to last for 25 years,
you are forced to make a number of conservative assumptions, all of
which leads to quite a constant capex. But if you can reduce the level
of uncertainty, you can also reduce capex over the life of the field:
the Hydrone-S, for example, can be configured to perform dialogue
and analysis, using the data it has collected to assess the reliability
of the subsea infrastructure. This is part of a movement within the
industry towards an Internet of Subsea Things.” •
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Aerial view of the Mittelplate A drilling and
production platform. (Courtesy Wintershall Dea)
Digital twin extending life of North
Sea Mittelplate platform
Improved data flow brings maintenance benefits
SEAN MACKIE, WINTERSHALL DEA
WINTERSHALL DEA’S Mittelplate drilling and production
platform in the German North Sea and nearby Dieksand land-
based facility are getting a digital twin. The aim is to optimize
the operations and production of the Mittelplate oilfield and
improve maintenance and work processes on Dieksand by mak-
ing all necessary data available and usable so that advanced
analytic and predictive tools can be deployed. This requires
new technology and new ways of working.
The digital twin will provide a complete virtual represen-
tation of operational reality, with both real-time and historic
data, making it accessible to anyone regardless of their loca-
tion or device. The objective is to gather all data, bring it into
context and visualize it using dashboards in combination with
powerful analytical tools to provide engineers and operators
22
1911OFF17-42.indd 22
Your
with the information they need to make better informed deci-
sions and increase long-term profitability. To help achieve this
Wintershall Dea has formed a strategic partnership with Nor-
wegian-based technology company Cognite.
The Mittelplate platform, which started production in 1987,
is in the Wadden Sea tidal flats off the Schleswig-Holstein
coast and is connected to Dieksand land via two pipelines,
one exporting the field’s oil, the other returning associated pro-
duced water for re-injection. The platform, which is protected
by 11-m (36-ft) tall sheet piling, is effectively an ultra-shallow
water artificial island.
Mittelplate and Dieksand were chosen as a lighthouse dig-
ital twin project at Wintershall Dea as the field is well-known One G
beyond Germany for its high environmental and safety standards
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1910OF
11/4/19 1:13 PM

The Mittelplate platform features separate living, drilling and
process areas. (Courtesy Wintershall Dea)
as well as its long extended reach production wells. The fact
that Mittelplate is more than 30 years old does not change
what the company is setting out to achieve. In fact, there is a
benefit in being able to draw upon skilled personnel with the
domain knowledge needed to develop valuable digital solutions.
Of course, it is a different dynamic with an older asset. There
is not the luxury of implementing digital capabilities into the
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
design like a brand new one, which is the typical scenario pre-
sented at technical conferences today. However, at Mittelplate
and Dieksand the company is making significant progress and
is proving that digital transformation is achievable on any asset
regardless of its age.
Like many oil and gas companies, the problem Wintershall
Dea faced was that access to data is cumbersome as informa-
tion such as sensor data, equipment history, and other doc-
umentation are locked away in multiple systems potentially
with different data owners and system experts. This meant
that equipment alarms and personal experience were driving
maintenance analysis and decisions – not necessarily data. Of
the many problems that face data-driven decisions, a lack of
liberated, usable, and sharable operational data stands out. This
was one problem management wanted to tackle together with
experts from the asset.
The company decided to partner with Cognite because of
its cloud-native Cognite Data Fusion technology where data
is not just stored but also contextualized and available as a
service. Furthermore, digital transformation is not only about
technology, it is in fact largely about organizational transforma-
tion. This was another area where Cognite could help as they
are adept with agile ways of working, something that manage-
ment was eager to implement.
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11/4/19 1:13 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

In May 2019, two crews were assembled consisting of domain All trends and documentation can be viewed by simply taking
experts, data scientists, data engineers, and solution architects a picture of the equipment tag number.
to develop digital solutions for the Digital Twin project using For the Smart Operations crew, another application was
Scrum methodology (an agile way of working typically used for deployed known as Asset Data Insight - a desktop application
software development). This was done from a central innovation that allows the workforce to view and compare data trends,
environment in Wintershall Dea’s office in Hamburg. create their own dashboards and infographics, and find all
With one crew, related equipment
the focus was on documents, events
the use of hand- The Digital Worker crew and time-series
piloted explosive-proof
held devices (Dig- data. Furthermore,
hand-held iSafe mobile and
ital Worker) to tablet devices on Dieksand the crew also built
help with mainte- with Cognite’s Operations decision support
nance-related tasks Support application. tools for critical
(Courtesy Wintershall Dea/
in the field; with the equipment such as
Achim Multhaupt)
other it was making multi-phase and
effective use of avail- injection pumps
able data for next as well as a com-
generation equip- prehensive main-
ment monitoring tenance overview
and maintenance tool. Having such
operations (Smart an overview of crit-
Operations) using ical equipment and
dashboards and incorporating a
analytical tools. For system of rules and
the Digital Worker alerts empowers the
crew one important engineers and oper-
The Mittelplatte
topic was to improve platform in the German ators giving them a
the way we work. North Sea. (Image better oversight of
The back and forth courtesy Wintershall their equipment.
process of checking Dea/ Christian Bruch) This will ultimately
equipment, print- increase the life-
ing checklists and time of equipment
P&IDs (piping and and reduce mainte-
instrumentation nance costs.
documents), long Prior to this proj-
walks between the ect, the project team
field and the office, had live data stored
scanning and send- in one system, main-
ing emails is very tenance information
time-consuming. in SAP, and other
Our goals were to documentation in
help workers free Documentum and
up time, rethink and file drives. Now all
reshape routines of this has been
and enable them to ingested onto Cog-
focus on more important tasks. nite Data Fusion and contextualized so that all data sources
At the end of July, the Digital Worker crew piloted explo- are connected and linked to individual pieces of equipment
sive-proof hand-held iSafe mobile and tablet devices on Diek- within an asset hierarchy all the way down to individual sensor
sand with Cognite’s Operations Support application as well as data. Having all this data structured and in context makes it
other standard Office applications. Operations Support is a much easier to deploy advanced analytical and machine learn-
web-based application and can be accessed both in the field ing tools going forward.
and office. It enables field workers to view live and historic data In addition, a 3D model of the Mittelplate and Dieksand facil-
trends of equipment, maintenance history, equipment docu- ities was also implemented, enabling users to view the platform
mentation and upload photos directly from a mobile device. and its equipment in a 3D visual environment. This allows users

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1911OFF17-42.indd 24 11/4/19 1:13 PM 1911OF


to, for example, click on a piece of equipment within the Mit-
telplate 3D model and get instant access to live streaming data
as well as historic data trends and equipment documentation.
At the EAGE exhibition in London in June, I presented a
small 3D printed model of the Mittelplate platform, created
via taken from a smartphone. This was done using a process
known as photogrammetry – similar to the technology used to
create Google Maps. It demonstrated the ease of updating the
actual 3D model of Mittelplate where workers could use this
technology onsite to update it regularly. The neat part is that
if the photo picks up the tag number of the equipment then all
data will automatically be available for that piece of equipment.
Photogrammetry is one technology the company is consider-
ing for updating its 3D model, if it can identify use applications
of significant value.
The products that each crew has developed were built in an
iterative way. The crews shared their results with end users and
experts from Mittelplate and Dieksand every fortnight where
they could test applications and prototypes, provide feedback
and help the team define the next iteration of the product. The
idea of building products in such an iterative way is to help the
crew catch problems early before the final product is developed
making the product development much more efficient and
cost-effective. Results were also presented to colleagues across
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
the entire organization via live demonstrations on Wintershall
Dea’s learning platform.
The Mittelplate Digital Twin project has now been running
for close to one year and many lessons have been learned. The
most important lesson is maintaining close collaboration with
the asset and building strong relationships, something that was
underestimated at the beginning. Their knowledge is essen-
tial and going forward we plan to be present in the asset every
week in order to create products they feel comfortable with.
The crews are now in the process of deploying further use cases
consisting of analytical and decision support tools for turbine
monitoring, gas distribution optimization, well monitoring and
inspection applications for hand-held devices where they have
begun collaborating with Inovex, a German-based IT company
focused on digital transformation services.
Next year the project team plans to extend into the domains
of production and drilling optimization, where it can learn from
ongoing digital activities on Wintershall Dea’s Brage field plat-
form in the Norwegian North Sea, which is also working on a
digital twin. There is also a plan to scale the solutions already
developed to operations in Egypt, which are already showing a
keen interest - particularly with the hand-held devices. With the
second Supersprint now under way, the project team hopes to
showcase the new digital solutions it is developing in early 2020. •
11/4/19 1:13 AM
9/9/19 9:52 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Aker Solutions’ subsea products are designed to be
configurable, but using standardized components.
This allows the same products to be used globally,
by the same customers, but meeting different field
requirements. (All images courtesy Aker Solutions)
Aker Solutions adopts ‘intelligent’
approach to subsea field optimization
Integrated design, faster schedules among the benefits
JEREMY BECKMAN, EDITOR, EUROPE
AKER SOLUTIONS claims its new ‘Intelligent Subsea’
approach can halve the cost of subsea field developments
and reduce the time needed to generate optimized subsea
field layouts by 75%. Offshore spoke to Knut Nyborg, the com-
pany’s Executive Vice-President, about the background to the
development and how the company plans to persuade the
industry of the benefits of this new approach.
Offshore: What is Intelligent Subsea all about?
Nyborg: Intelligent Subsea enables us to define, execute, and
operate tailored and optimized subsea solutions based on stan-
dardized components, providing real total cost optimization
over the life of the field. It brings cost, schedule, and quality
improvements from re-using standardized products, and field
optimization potential from applying bespoke solutions. The
combination of automated engineering software, configurable
product platforms and standardized hardware components
mean we can automate more of our execution and thus reduce
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project engineering lead times. The effects
of standardization has reduced engineering
hours by 60-70% in some areas, cut assem-
bly hours 25% and reduced procurement
cost and lead time. These kinds of efficien-
cies are only possible through standard,
configurable products. Our latest genera-
tion of subsea equipment is standardized,
Knut Nyborg smaller, lower cost and simpler - ensuring
predictable quality, repeatable volumes,
and accelerated delivery.
Standard, configurable product platforms based on stan-
dardized hardware components (Product Catalogue) is a key
enabler in Intelligent Subsea. Combined with our automated
engineering and configuration software (Insight) we can auto-
mate more of our execution and reduce project engineering
lead times.
Offshore: Can this approach be adapted to changes in
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the subsea system, which can be frequent as the design
evolves?
Nyborg: Digitally-enabled design helps us drive efficiency
and standardization in our design processes to rapidly cre-
ate, test, and adjust design concepts based on standardized
products and components, with each field development pro-
posal costed. Changes to the subsea system are seen in the
context of corresponding efficiencies in topside facilities and
wider infrastructure to ensure the most efficient design possi-
ble. Our digital tools can reduce concept selection timelines
dramatically. Software applications in ix3’s Concept Insight
and Engineering Insight portfolios shorten the time it takes
to select the best subsea layout by 75%.
Using our Subsea Configurator, we can rapidly search our
product catalogue to find standardized components and prod-
ucts that fulfill a specific field configuration and related design
parameters such as pressure, temperature, water depth, fluid
composition and so on. This significantly improves speed,
consistency, and accuracy.
During execution, our configuration and design automa-
tion tool can cut engineering hours by up to 90%. In the case
of wellhead systems, we have developed a configuration and
design automation tool which can cut engineering hours by up
to 90% and lead time by half. The end result is a cost-effective
product that reduces time to first oil. During the operations
phase, our digital insight, predictive maintenance, standardized
equipment and enhanced oil recovery techniques, can drive
lower operating costs, increased uptime and extended field life.
The FASTsubsea pumping system
combines Aker Solutions’ multiphase
hydraulic technology with FSubsea’s
Hydromag technology to create what is
claimed to be the world’s first topside-
less multiphase boosting system.
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Offshore: Is the concept being pitched mainly at the
company’s established clients in the North Sea area?
Nyborg: Intelligent Subsea is relevant worldwide. The core
value of this approach is found in the intersection of three
themes - integrated system design, which encapsulates the
complete system not just subsea; accelerated field develop-
ment, through standardized design and manufacturing; and
maximized performance, through life of field via advanced
condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, enhanced
recovery solutions, and simplified system extensions. The
company does have a strong track record on the Norwegian
continental shelf as well as West Africa and Brazil. We are
applying this integrated system thinking with customers in
many regions, and we believe it is the right approach for deep-
water developments. It directly solves performance issues with
fit-for-purpose products designed for installability and flow
assurance, both essential in deepwater.
Offshore: Does the concept work best with new or bolt-on
offshore developments?
Nyborg: It works equally well for greenfield projects and for
brownfield projects. The core of Intelligent Subsea is still the
automated design using standard configurable product plat-
forms. This is valid for any type of field. For example, our Subsea
Alliance with Aker BP and Subsea 7 supported the brownfield
development of the Alvheim area in the Norwegian North Sea.
This involved the development and tieback of mature fields
to an existing FPSO to ensure high capacity utilization. With
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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
Wellhead manufacturing in Aker Solutions’ Port Klang, Malaysia, facility. The company claims to have developed a configuration and design
automation tool for wellhead systems that can cut engineering hours by up to 90% and lead times by half.
our digitally-enabled approach, and cooperation with our alli-
ance partners, we were able to shorten the schedule from 22
to 13 months and deliver a 30% cost reduction.
Look at marginal tiebacks in general. One of the key driv-
ers is maximizing capacity utilization on an existing topside
facility. By applying our system thinking approach we can
optimize the field design, taking into account all client priori-
ties, both topside and subsea. Capex and schedule often have
a huge impact on the subsea production system (SPS) devel-
opment case; while both are important drivers for the top-
side facility, it is also critical to design potentially new topside
equipment according to size and weight requirements for the
dedicated topside in addition to existing capacities for power
and utilities. And to ensure that execution of the work can be
performed in planned revision stops or with a minimum of
‘hot work’, which requires shutdowns of ongoing production.
Offshore: Is the concept applicable solely to Aker Solu-
tions subsea products?
Nyborg: Our digital technologies are applicable to multiple
vendor products. For example, ix3’s Subsense field condition
and performance monitoring tool is monitoring a UK subsea
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field where we have delivered the controls, but the trees were
delivered by a different vendor. Through our own alliances,
we are used to dealing with products from a mix of vendors.
By applying our digital tools in the front-end phase, we can
define optimized field design solutions and accommodate
aspects such as installed infrastructure and use of existing
spare parts and tool sets.
Offshore: Is full alignment needed among all major par-
ties in a project, from start to finish, for the concept to
work?
Nyborg: No, major parties do not have to be fully aligned from
the outset – but what makes a difference is early engagement
in the front-end phase. Understanding the interfaces between
the parties in the front-end phase and ensuring that inter-de-
pendencies are taken into consideration when establishing
different field solutions are both critical.
Offshore: Can you outline some of the benefits of stan-
dardization that this new approach provides?
Nyborg: We have standardized many deliverables that would
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have been variable between projects a few years ago. For
example, our vertical trees are absolutely standard but at the
key function or component level. A client may, for example,
select a 5-in. outlet for an oilfield and a 7-in. outlet for a gas
field. Both outlets are standardized, and both have the same
interfaces. This means they can be configured to different
field conditions and functional requirements by simply select-
ing the best suited standard components for each function.
The Vectus control system is also standard on every proj-
ect with field variability done only at a software level. Using
the SCM configurator software tool has been proven to cut
engineering hours by 90%. The engineer is guided through a
set of configurations based on the product structure, gener-
ating hydraulic and electrical schematics as examples. Years
ago building a project could take many hundreds of hours but
this can now be done in minutes, with the added benefit of
predictable and repeatable quality and delivery.
The standardized approach means that subsea fields can
be easily extended and upgraded as the field matures. In the
case of the Troll field in the North Sea which has been in pro-
duction since 1995, Aker Solutions more recently applied its
subsea configurator tool to prove examples of reduced well-
set installation costs by up to 70% through rigless operations.
We introduced Vectus controls, enabling seamless phasing in
of future expansion tiebacks and data-driven insight with Sub-
sense condition performance monitoring software.
Offshore: For marginal tiebacks, Aker Solutions claims
to be able to achieve a 50% capex reduction with a new
subsea pumping solution. How is this achieved?
Nyborg: When the FASTsubsea X multiphase pump module
is qualified and deployed, FASTsubsea estimates that capex
for a pumping system can be reduced by 30-50% compared
to conventional subsea pumping system costs. The rapidly
deployable FASTsubsea multiphase pump solution has no
need for topside infrastructure, therefore offering significantly
reduced capex. The project was established in April 2019, and
we are currently approaching potential JIP partners for funding.
Offshore: Can you explain some of the benefits provided
by the company’s digital tools and ix3’s ‘Insight’ mod-
ules, as applied to Intelligent Subsea?
Nyborg: We have a range of advanced recovery enhance-
ment technologies that boost recovery and extend the life of
the field as reservoir pressure drops and recoverable reserves
become harder to reach. Re-applying the configurator apps
in ix3’s Concept Insight portfolio, working with our front-end
teams, and using the latest innovation of intelligent prod-
ucts, we can re-invent the field both subsea and topside and
extend production.
Aker Solutions has a long history and extensive experience
with field designs across all regions. Prioritization of different
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
client drivers enables different field designs and with these
digital tools we can now us this experience to create a set of
different field solutions. And when we put in the field-specific
design parameter, for example, pressure, temperature, water
depth, our digital tools will populate the field solutions with
feasible technology within our database.
In other words, our front-end field modeler and subsea con-
figurator apps, part of the Concept and Engineering Insight
portfolios, work together with our other automation tools to
help engineers’ decision making. Multiple fully-costed scenar-
ios can be trailed in a short space of time.
Offshore: Aker Solutions is working on a project in the
Barents Sea involving a 190-km (118-mi) subsea tie-
back of a gas system. Is Intelligent Subsea assisting this
development?
Nyborg: Intelligent Subsea can be used for any field. The
Concept Insight tool is used to develop, test, and cost alter-
native field configurations. For long tiebacks it is important
to consider two main aspects - one, the flow assurance aspect
of transporting hydrocarbons across long distances and two,
ensuring capacity for power (hydraulic and electric), utili-
ties and communication. Intelligent Subsea interfaces both
multiphase flow simulators, integrated production modeling
tools as well as normal steady state process simulation tools.
These are used to define the overall field configuration as well
as defining the relevant field design conditions. This provides
input to the Subsea Configurator when searching for stan-
dardized and proved products and components.
This particular project is an example of the company’s
integrated system thinking approach, meaning we chal-
lenged assumptions, rapidly trialed multiple scenarios
of a full field system, applied innovative technology, and
adapted our solution to use the existing infrastructure. This
allowed the reduction of the capex and opex costs, mainly
by avoiding the need for a topside production platform.
Offshore: Can you comment on some of the other prod-
uct innovations relevant to Intelligent Subsea?
Nyborg: The company has developed a configuration and
design automation tool that cuts engineering hours by up to
90% and lead times by half. Standardizing on component level
and enabling configuration of the wellhead system to meet
the field requirements are key to achieving these efficiencies.
Standardization enables us to use the design automation tool
to generate the drawings required. This results in repeatability
and volumes for our engineers, manufacturing and suppliers,
as well as predictability when it comes to quality and delivery.
The sixth generation of the Vectus controls system is being
deployed for the first time this year. It is central to Aker Solutions’
condition monitoring and predictive maintenance offering. •
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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

The jackup Maersk Intrepid is working for Equinor on the Martin Linge
project in the North Sea. (All images courtesy Maersk Drilling)

Maersk Drilling converting North Sea

jackup for lower-emissions operations
First hybrid-power rig in company’s global fleet

JEREMY BECKMAN, EDITOR, EUROPE

MAERSK DRILLING is converting the harsh-environment jackup
Maersk Intrepid for ‘cleaner’ and more efficient drilling operations.
The rig, currently contracted to work for Equinor until August 2020
on the Martin Linge project in the North Sea, will soon become the
first ‘hybrid’ low-emission rig in the contractor’s fleet. The upgrades
include installation of a new battery-based hybrid power solution
that makes more efficient use of the engines, thereby lowering car-
bon dioxide (CO2) emissions; selective catalytic reduction (SCR)
systems that minimize nitrogen oxide (NOx) and soot emissions;
Energy Emission Efficiency software that monitors and optimizes
all energy use onboard; and implementation of the NOVOS drilling
system to help the drill floor team execute processes more consis-
tently, with interfaces to third-party algorithms to further improve
drilling performance.
Norway’s NOx Fund, an industry scheme dedicated to cutting
NOx emissions on the Norwegian continental shelf, is funding up to
80% of the upgrade costs, and Equinor is providing further support
via its compensation format arrangement for emission-reducing
measures. Assuming a successful outcome to the project, Maersk
Drilling will seek to extend the upgrades to other rigs in its fleet.
The Maersk Intrepid, a CJ70 XLE design jackup that entered
service in 2014, is equipped for year-round harsh environment
operations.
Offshore spoke to the rig’s Technical Superintendent, Mikkel Son-
dergaard Pedersen, and to Maersk Drilling’s Chief Technical Officer,
Frederik Smidth, and Senior Mechanical Engineer Jan Hoffner, about
the background to the conversion and the progress achieved to date.

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Offshore: Is the Martin Linge development Equinor’s first
acquaintance working with the Maersk Intrepid?
Pedersen: The rig had worked previously for Equinor on the Sleipner
field in the North Sea, and its first ever job was in fact on Martin
Linge back in 2014, when the field’s operator was Total. The cur-
rent upgrade program has led to further enquiries from Equinor
regarding energy efficiency and we have an ongoing dialogue on
further initiatives.
Offshore: Was Equinor’s desire to comply with future
Norwegian emission reduction targets one of the main
drivers?
Smidth: Maersk Drilling had been working for some time on
development of energy emission efficiency solutions for various
rigs. When we saw the opportunity to help Equinor, as our client,
achieve its carbon reduction targets, we approached them with the
solutions now being implemented on Maersk Intrepid.
Offshore: Are there certain characteristics of this rig, or
the CJ70 design in general, that facilitate the planned
upgrades?
Hoffner: All electrical motors above a certain size have been
equipped with variable-frequency drives (VFDs) to control the
output of the motor to the required demand. Motors for the top-
side drilling equipment are also controlled via VFDs. This means
the reverse power generated when the motor has to stop a load,
with the implemented upgrades, can be stored in the energy storage
system. It should also be noted that Maersk Drilling’s CJ70 designs
are specially equipped and prepared for these kinds of upgrades.
Offshore: When the company first made the announce-
ment of this program in May, it hoped to complete the
emissions-related upgrade in July, for the hybrid batter-
ies. What has been the reason for the delay?
Pedersen: Extensive simulations have been performed, in co-op-
eration with Aalborg University in western Denmark, to ensure
the correct capacity of the battery bank. In addition, a completely
new design of a turnkey container solution had to be developed
with a supplier to obtain the most optimal solution for the CJ70
XLE rigs. As Maersk Intrepid will likely also be in accommodation
mode in 2020, we have decided to install the batteries next spring.
The installation of the selective catalyzer reduction (SCR) units is
already under way.
Offshore: Are the SCR systems a new development?
Hoffner: Maersk Drilling installed an identical solution on Maersk
Innovator in 2014, so from our point of view, this is proven technol-
ogy. The selected system is particularly well suited to the dynamic
load patterns encountered in offshore operations, combined with
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
Aerial view of the Maersk Intrepid.
a patented high efficiency urea injection system.
Offshore: What level of emissions do you expect to achieve
compared to the rig’s existing output?
Smidth: The simulations of the power grid on a CJ70 XLE rig indicate
an estimated fuel saving in double-digit percentage figures compared
to the current average operational consumption on a CJ70 – with,
of course, a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions. With the
SCR units we expect a minimum 90% reduction in NOx emissions.
Offshore: In terms of energy use, can you provide sce-
narios of how the hybrid power approach might work,
depending on the drilling task?
Hoffner: The peak-shaving capability introduced by the hybrid
power energy storage system (ESS) will result in a reduced number of
engines running during tripping in/out operations while running the
drawworks in Multi Machine Control (MMC auto function), manual
operation or other high power consumption activities on topside.
Implementation of the ESS adds energy to the grid, leveling out
power peaks to obtain a constant load on a reduced number of
engines. This results in a higher average load on the engines at a
more optimal point on the Specific Fuel Oil Consumption Curve,
which also leads to enhanced engine performance. Furthermore,
waste energy recovered from electrical braking of the drawworks
can be used to charge the ESS. In the current rig layout this energy
is not being used and is therefore disposed of in the water-cooled
brake resistors as heat.
In general, the installation of the ESS on the rigs topside pro-
vides attractive possibilities to operate the rig in an ever-more
responsible and cost-saving way when operating heavy machin-
ery on the drill floor.
Offshore: Are Maersk/Equinor already looking ahead to
further refinements to reduce energy use/emissions?
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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

OFFSHORE CHALLENGES IN POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Required power (MW)

Drawwork 10
2
Baseload 8
2 Energy

Output motor
power (MW)
1 6 storage
Energy storage
1 4 charging/
discharging
1 2 recovery
4 0
–2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
T (Minutes)  Time (s)

Peak Load / Peak Shaving

30 Charge of energy storage + 30
recovery of waste energy
20 20
P (MW)

P (MW)
Energy
storage
10 10
Discharge energy storage
0 0
Time (sec.) Time (min.)

Pedersen: Yes, we are looking at other solutions that will contrib-
ute to a further reduction in CO2 and NOx emissions. For example,
Maersk Drilling has initiated an internal campaign that encourages
all employees to submit suggestions for potential fuel savings. The
next CJ70 is in the pipeline for a similar upgrade and we are also
considering these solutions for semis and drillships. Our drillships
have been designed with energy storage in mind, so they could be
equipped with these new measures with only minor rig modifica-
tions. We are seeing more and more focus from our clients for these
kinds of solutions and we are assessing the possibilities for some of
our long-term drilling program proposals.

Offshore: What is the background to the cloud-based

Energy Emission Efficiency software?

Smidth: This tool was developed in-house at Maersk Drilling with

a big data approach, with Maersk Integrator used for the first pilot
in 2016 when the rig was working for Equinor. The Energy Emission
Efficiency software visualizes how and where energy is consumed on
the entire rig, and this allows the operator to focus on unnecessary
power consumption. To an extent it has changed the mindset of
the personnel running the power plant on a rig, leading to substan-
tial fuel savings. Following the upgrades to Maersk Intrepid, there
will be a continuous focus offshore on the rig’s fuel consumption.

Offshore: Finally, can you supply how the NOVOS drilling

system works and the benefits to Martin Linge or other
projects?

Pedersen: NOVOS manages safe operation of rig equipment through

automated processed while allowing external parties to optimize
performance within the process. NOVOS offers a software devel-
oper kit that allows personalized applications to be created. Hence
operators, contractors or service companies can apply optimization
with their own applications while maintaining the proven safety
and precision of NOV control systems. •

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Dual-vessel QUAD Lift technique
speeds platform installation
Reduced hookup times for large integrated decks
JEREMY BECKMAN, EDITOR, EUROPE
HEEREMA MARINE Contractors has developed and proven
a pioneering installation technique for giant platforms. QUAD
Lift, which is equally applicable to decommissioning, involves
parallel deployment of two of the company’s semisubmers-
ible crane vessels to speed up installation/mating at the field
location. Thialf and Heerema’s new flagship vessel Sleipnir
will jointly provide the capability through their four cranes
to quickly install integrated decks weighing up to 30,000
metric tons (29,762 tons), via their respective 14,000 and
20,000-metric ton (15,432 and 22,046-ton) lifting capacity.
According to the company, this capability gives design
houses greater freedom early on in a project to optimize plat-
form designs, also providing spin-offs in terms of fabrication
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
flexibility. Decks can be dispatched from a yard to the off-
shore installation location fully integrated; alternatively,
deck modules can be ordered from various fabricators in
different countries and then integrated at a yard or a float-
ing barge near the site for subsequent shipment to the field
for QUAD Lift installation.
The new procedure was first demonstrated in October
2018 in the US Gulf of Mexico when Thialf and Heerema’s
Balder operated in tandem to lift a test structure. The trials
fully validated the modelling that had been undertaken at the
company’s new Simulation Center in Leiden, the Netherlands.
When Transport and Installation Director Michel Hen-
driks started working for Heerema over 30 years ago as a
young engineer, the company had two semisubmersible crane
The Balder and Thialf
during QUAD Lift trials
in the Gulf of Mexico
in October 2018.
(All photos courtesy
Heerema Marine
Contractors)
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
vessels, Balder and Hermod. “Even then, we were thinking
of using the vessels’ four cranes to double their capacity,” he
said, “and that thought remained with the company for a long
time. But in those days the vessels were new, and we had to
get to know their capabilities. And they were operating only
with anchors – Balder did not get dynamic positioning (DP)
until the late 1990s, and that too took time to fully master.
Then we added Thialf, which had DP from the outset.”
According to Coen Spanjers, Engineering Manager T&I
Projects, the real impetus for QUAD Lift came in late 2014
when the company sanctioned construction of Sleipnir and
started thinking in earnest of combining two heavy-lift ves-
sels for the same project – coinciding with the period when
the industry was entering its severest downturn for decades.
“Oil and gas is a very cyclical business,” Hendriks explained,
“and Heerema is not only driven by how the world might look
tomorrow. The vision of the owner is to develop technology
for future application.”
“QUAD Lift has also been about harnessing the power
of digitalization via the Simulation Center, which opened
four years ago. This has two crane domes, each replicating
all aspects of the vessels in exact detail, a bridge and con-
trol rooms. That technology helped speed up the develop-
ment and gave us the confidence that we could do QUAD
Lift successfully.”
34
1911OFF17-42.indd 34
The Balder and Thialf during
the QUAD Lift trials at night.
“With this facility,” Spanjers added, “there was no need
for conventional tank tests to simulate the vessels’ motions.
The full digital twin of the vessels gave us a realistic experi-
ence of how they would perform working in parallel under
dynamic positioning. When we launched Sleipnir this sum-
mer, its first job [installation of the topsides for Noble Ener-
gy’s Leviathan platform offshore Israel] was fully successful,
proving that what we had seen had been very well mimicked
in Leiden. The digital twin provides a hydrodynamic data-
base of all the sea states that we may work in: it allows you
to change wave height and wind speeds and to observe how
the cranes move. Many of our clients have come to visit the
center to see it in action.”
GOM TEST RUN
QUAD Lift is said to suit a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and
weights of topsides and jackets. The two vessels’ four offshore
cranes can boom up to follow the contours of the largest and
widest structures, irrespective of the orientation or the foun-
dation type. Working in tandem the cranes lift the topsides
cargo from the transport vessel at the field location, position
it above the jacket and lower it securely into place. Following
set-down, one of the vessels departs while the other typically
remains at the site to perform remaining installation activi-
ties such as bridges or flares.
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 EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •

For last year’s trial run in the Gulf of Mexico, Heerema used a 400 ft barge which
was outfitted to serve as a 4,000 metric ton test weight for the QUAD Lift operation.
“The trial program was designed to confirm all the DP requirements and com-
munication protocols, as modelled in the simulator,” Spanjers explained. “It started
with Thialf and Balder opposite each other, stern to stern. Next, the two vessels
performed a ‘DP dance’, including a full simultaneous rotation without any loads
in the cranes. They then executed the 4,000-t QUAD Lift with the barge, which first
was lifted out off the water and thereafter repeating the DP tests.
“Some of our clients that witnessed the trial, asked us why we hadn’t used a
heavier test structure, of around 10,000 t, to more accurately simulate a heavier
deck lift? In fact, the procedure is harder with a lighter structure: with QUAD Lift,
the heavier the load, the slower the response. That makes the cranes and the wires
stiffer, and the system therefore more stable.”
“It’s a master-slave arrangement,” Hendriks added, “in which one of the two boats
(the master) leads while the other (the slave) follows, and increased stiffness of the
system makes the operation easier for the following vessel.
“One of the bigger challenges we were expecting ahead of the trial was the com-
munications: how do you ensure coordinated co-operations between the two ves-
sels’ captains, two superintendents, four crane drivers and two DP operators? So,
we called in people from aviation to develop strict communications protocols in
order to manage the operation effectively.
“But this is all part of a learning process that goes back to when I first went
offshore for Heerema in the late ’80s. As the company’s fleet has expanded, it has
always been a case of understanding how a new vessel operates and its response
capabilities. From this latest trial, we learned that we had 100% confidence in the
QUAD Lift concept, and DNV GL, which witnessed the tests, has certified the pro-
cess to TRL 6 state of readiness.”
According to Spanjers, “there may be a perception that the process involves
having two heavy-lift vessels available for the full duration of a project. In fact,
we would typically only need two vessels at the field location for a single day. For
virtually any project we would expect to complete the actual installation process
within less than a day.”
The sole reason Balder participated in last year’s trials with Thialf was that
Sleipnir had at that point not yet been delivered. For topsides of a certain weight,
the concept works equally well with any combination of the three vessels, Spanjers

Simulated lifts in 3D
Heerema Marine Contractors describes its Simulation Center in Leiden as a real-time,
virtual offshore environment that allows it to integrate clients’ proposed project activities
into a 3D view of operations. The crane and vessel controls and the simulated weather
and sea swell patterns are said to provide authentic visualization and a ‘feel’ for all as-
pects of how the planned operation might pan out.
The Simulation Center can be used to assess and test offshore installation programs
prior to going offshore, allowing designs to be ‘frozen’ earlier. This helps speed up en-
gineering and onshore fabrication, ensuring a greater likelihood of timely delivery of all
installation components and required hardware. In addition, the facility can be used to
test new approaches for existing or future projects, or to scrutinize critical planned oper-
ations in order to check for potential trouble spots.
Heerema can adapt a wide range of 3D models of, for example, jackets and topsides
to run realistic scenarios, including single, repetitive or dual-crane lifts, and float over
operations. The engineering department develops 3D drawings for each project, incor-
porating the selected equipment characteristics in order to recreate the components’
natural behavior, uploading the results into the Simulation Center system. The offshore
crew will then come in to perform a dry run of the planned operation for the benefit of the
client and project team, helping all parties anticipate any technical issues or potential
failure modes that might occur.

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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

which are supportive of this develop-

The Sleipnir lifting the topsides ment, because to realize the full bene-
for the Leviathan platform fits QUAD Lift provides to the platform’s
offshore Israel.
design, it is important for it to be con-
sidered during the project’s early stages.
Early generation platforms also had to
have a lot more stiffness built in with
elongated support points to connect
the load paths. With QUAD Lift, we can
position the cranes where we want to
optimize the load paths, and that makes
both platform assembly and decommis-
sioning process far less costly.”
Hendriks added: “This development
is more about the ‘total cost of owner-
ship’ of the project. The physical action
of installing a 25,000-t deck is only a rel-
ative small part – what is most import-
ant is to be able to optimize the design
and layout by involving the installation
contractor before the EPC award. In
said, so Balder could still feature if, for instance, Sleipnir was ruled out due to a this regard we have also been talking to
prior commitment elsewhere. But for really large development projects Heerema fabricators about really lowering total
will need to ensure that Sleipnir and Thialf are both in a certain area for the required cost of ownership – because building
installation schedule. wider topsides is also cheaper than high
In early September, Sleipnir, using its two revolving cranes, set down the two topsides.
main deck structures on the pre-installed steel jacket at the Leviathan field location “Another benefit of our method is that
offshore Israel. The 15,300-metric ton (16,865-ton) module lift set a new record for it allows large, fully integrated and com-
a semisubmersible crane vessel, Heerema claimed, the second deck of 9,200 metric missioned topsides to leave the quay-
ton (10,141 ton) was installed thereafter and the combined operation with a total side ready for a QUAD Lift installation,
installed weight of 24,500 metric ton (27,000 ton) was completed in just under 20 with minimized offshore hook-up and
hours: “It could have been done in less than 12 hours,” Hendriks said, “if we had not therefore a shorter and more predictable
decided to do something else in between the two lifts.” interval until first oil. Twenty-five years
ago, topsides design was constrained
RE-SIZED GRILLAGE by the lifting capabilities of the avail-
Heerema can transport fully-integrated decks from most locations directly to the able crane vessels, and typically meant
offshore installation site, depending on the client’s fabrication set-up. The com- 5,000 to 6,000-t lower deck modules with
pany operates its own fleet of cargo barges, the largest of which can carry loads smaller modules on top (until Thialf
of up to 50,000 metric tons (55,155 tons). For Leviathan, the two main decks were arrived, allowing a combination of larger
transported from the quayside at the Kiewit yard in Corpus Christi on respectively modules – up to 12,000 t – and smaller
Heerema barges the H-591 and H-627. “However, we can also accommodate an 6,000-t structures on top).”
alternative arrangement,” Spanjers acknowledged, “if, for example, the platform is The same basic principles of the
built in a yard in Asia and the client prefers to use, say, an HTV for the long-haul QUAD Lift method can be re-applied for
transportation.” removing ultra-large and heavy topsides.
The company has also optimized the grillage on its cargo barges to be at a height Sleipnir’s 20,000-t lifting capability should
just sufficient to spread the load into the framing. This arrangement is said to min- be sufficient for safely removal of most
imize the amount of steel in the grillage, with a positive impact on the fatigue life jackets: the vessel’s first job in this mode
of the topsides. Spanjers explained: “For a heavy floatover installation, you typically will be the removal of Shell’s Brent Alpha
need much higher grillage, 10 m (33 ft) up in the air, which is more expensive and jacket in the UK northern North Sea.
leads to significantly increased dynamic loads on the topside. Johan Sverdrup has shown that the
“With QUAD Lift, there is also more room below our vessels’ cranes and that era of large new platforms in the North
allows you to design wider, spacier topsides. Spacier also means more design free- Sea is not quite over, but the main mar-
dom to increase distance between certain functional elements of the topside, which ket for QUAD Lift in this sector is likely
increases the safety of the platform. We have been talking to various design houses to be decommissioning. •

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 EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •

Pre-project calibration approach

improves CT scanner operations
JENNIFER BRIDDON, TRACERCO UK

ONE AREA which can be overlooked

when considering pipeline inspection,
despite the impact it can have on the
success of a scanning campaign, is
the pre-project calibration or factory
acceptance testing of the inspection
instrument. A well planned and tar-
geted pre-project calibration test can
be designed to focus on maximizing
the capabilities for expected conditions
and defects, while maintaining resilience
to natural variations in these parame-
ters. An inadequate or poorly planned
pre-project calibration test can result in
poor quality information, which could
lead to an unexpected failure of the item
being inspected.
Tracerco’s Discovery, the world’s only
field proven subsea computed tomogra-
phy (CT) scanner, has been used in a num-
ber of inspection projects in the North
Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and West Africa. It
provides asset integrity and flow assur-
ance data on a range of pipeline systems.
Prior to any offshore inspection campaign
using the CT scanner, pre-project calibra-
tions are performed to help ensure that the
maximum quality of the data is produced
for each operator, and to improve analysis
as well as expedite reporting times.

CT SCANNING
Operating along the same general prin-
ciples as CT scanners used in hospitals
worldwide, Discovery is a non-intrusive
external scanning technique designed
specifically for subsea pipeline inspec-
tion. As it is non-intrusive, it does not
affect the operation of the pipe, or require
removal of any external coating applied
to the pipe prior or during inspection. It
is adept at scanning through 50 mm (2.17
in.) of heavy concrete weight coats as it is
at scanning through micron-thick fusion
bonded epoxy coatings.
A good calibration test can help ensure the complete success of a Discovery subsea
pipeline inspection campaign. (Courtesy Tracerco)
The principle behind Discovery (and CT scanning) is relatively simple – the inspec-
tion beam passes through a material and the density of this material can then be cal-
culated by how much the beam is weakened (this is the attenuation coefficient of the
material). Reconstruction models then take this information and use it to generate
an accurate image of the scanned item. As CT scanning produces a complex grid of
data, it is often likened to a sudoku puzzle, except one which can only be “solved”
using computers and iterative algorithms. While this analysis is complex, the advan-
tage of CT over other inspection techniques is that it can generate information about
the pipeline wall thickness and integrity, the product flowing conditions and the con-
dition of any coating applied to the pipeline, all in a single scan.

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 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT
TARGETED TESTING
The Lloyd’s Register Discovery certification program, performed
in 2017, demonstrated that its scanning and analysis software
could provide a measurement capability equivalent to that
provided by conventional magnetic flux leakage (MFL) inline
inspection tools, in terms of the probability of detection (POD)
and sizing accuracy for detecting metal loss type anomalies.
The testing program was performed on pipelines of a range
of dimensions which covered approximately two-thirds of the
most commonly used pipes. For pipelines outside of this range,
a specific pre-job calibration is required. Pre-job project cali-
brations are always recommended and advised for all the scan-
ner’s inspection campaigns, in the same manner as the standard
MFL approach for performing pre-project pull-through testing
to help ensure a successful inline inspection campaign.
The precise goal of a pre-project calibration for the scan-
ner may vary depending on the exact parameters of the pipe
to be scanned, type and nature of any expected anomalies and
defects within the pipe. Typical goals for a pre-project calibra-
tion include:
• Determination of “hits” (variations in wall thickness which
can be matched to known features confirmed as valid from
alternative pipeline inspection methods) and “misses” (vari-
ations which were missed by the scanner but identified by
the alternative pipeline inspection method)
• Determination of sizing accuracy and standard deviation
values (in particular if these are outside of those recognized
by the 2017 Lloyd’s Register certificate)
• Determination of the most likely features identified in either
the pipeline or fluid, and the associated feature reporting
tolerance
• Determination of the most suitable feature detection and
wall thickness analysis algorithms from Tracerco’s bespoke
Discovery analysis software.
REAL-TIME RESULTS
Discovery CT image reconstructions are available immediately
offshore, allowing for a preliminary real-time assessment of the
data. This includes wall thickness measurements for any iden-
tified defects, product bore analysis, or deposit detection. The
results can also be used by an operator to help target inspec-
tions. For example, if an area is inspected which contains an
unexpected level of build-up, an operator may choose to per-
form additional inspections at this location to monitor for
the presence of any under-deposit corrosion. For a Discovery
inspection, an additional benefit of a representative pre-project
calibration is that it allows Tracerco’s offshore technicians to
determine the likely early-scan indicators that can be used to
confirm if a significant wall thickness variation is present at the
scan location. This is of value for an operator who has chosen to
use the system’s “fast scanning” technique. The scanner, which
was developed by the company for rapid pipeline inspection,
was formally unveiled in January 2018 and can reduce overall
scan time by a factor of five. In summary, it has been proven
38
1911OFF17-42.indd 38
that it is possible to detect potential anomalies and defects by
identifying a key characteristic in the scan data prior to a full
scan being performed. Although these characteristics do not
include enough information to enable the dimensions of the
anomaly to be determined to within Discovery’s stated toler-
ances, the fact that the anomaly can be identified means that a
scan can be performed only where it will add value, i.e. at areas
with significant defects. Once this characteristic has been iden-
tified then a full scan to enable complete characterization of
the defect can be performed. If this characteristic is not pres-
ent, then this scan can be terminated, and the next position
can be scanned. Using the fast scanning technique in this way
helps maximize the amount of valuable inspection data for the
operator, while helping to minimize the overall project duration
for the same inspection area.
IMPROVED PROJECT DELIVERY
Performing a pre-project calibration also has additional bene-
fits for the onshore project delivery process. If the parameters
(wall thickness, defect type, pipe fill, etc.) used in the pre-proj-
ect calibration are confirmed to be sufficiently representative
of the parameters seen offshore, then it is reasonable to assume
that analysis values derived from the calibration will also be the
same. For a Discovery inspection campaign, this can (depending
on the number of individual full scans to be assessed) reduce
the overall final reporting time by a factor of four.
In the project illustrated here, the pre-project calibration
approach was successfully applied as the company detected
a small pinhole type metal loss anomaly at the bottom of line.
When the inherent Discovery under sizing tolerance is con-
sidered, it is possible that this defect could be a significant
area of concern. This could have been missed using a simple
rejection limit-based approach (which potentially could have
been used if a representative pre-project calibration had not
been performed). However, the pre-project calibration had
been performed with the operator providing a representative
sample with similar defects which had been recovered from a
pipeline failure in field. Consequently, both the analysis tech-
nique and the technicians offshore were able to easily detect
and size this defect.
Apart from this single defect, no other anomalies were iden-
tified in any of the other segments of the flowline at the chosen
inspection locations. This information provided the operator
with good confidence about the condition of the rest of the line.
CONCLUSION
Although a pre-project calibration is not, by itself, an important
component of pipeline inspection and integrity, a good calibra-
tion test can help ensure the complete success of an inspec-
tion campaign. By targeting and refining the analysis approach
during the pre-project calibration, the results can be provided
quicker and with a higher degree of accuracy and confidence. •
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11/4/19 1:13 PM

Low-dose hydrate inhibitors present
new flow assurance option
LDHIs offer logistical, cost advantages over traditional treatments
ZACHARY T. WARD, NIRUPAM PURKAYASTHA, FELIX HOEVELMANN, JONATHAN J. WYLDE, DIRK LEINWEBER, CLARIANT
WHILE OIL PRICES have settled down from the volatility seen
in recent years, further expectations indicate that the market is in
a realignment phase. Within this realignment, new strategies for
oil and gas production must be explored to remain competitive in
this new environment.
In deepwater production, one of these new strategies is the
installation of longer subsea tiebacks to develop remote reservoirs,
where no existing host facilities are nearby; and a fixed installation
is considered uneconomical. Subsea tiebacks with distances of
more than 60 mi (97 km) between the well and host facility are not
uncommon, and new technologies continue to push the bound-
aries of what was previously thought infeasible.
A principal consideration for subsea flow assurance is the preven-
tion of gas hydrates. Formation and agglomeration of gas hydrates
in pipelines may result in a plug that terminates oil and gas flow.
Remediation costs for a gas hydrate plug are relatively high and
the prevention of these plugs is of great importance. A number of
mechanical and chemical options exist for the mitigation of gas
hydrates. A classic method for hydrate prevention involves the use
of antifreeze chemicals like methanol or ethylene glycol to ther-
modynamically inhibit hydrate formation.
However, oil producers and service providers must innovate
to remain competitive. A relatively new technology for hydrate
mitigation is the family of chemical additives known as low dose
hydrate inhibitors (LDHI). LDHIs consist of two classes of chemi-
cals: kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHI) and anti-agglomerants (AA).
Both classes are successfully used to mitigate gas hydrates in sub-
sea and deepwater applications globally, though neither can be
considered a universal solution.
LDHI chemistry provides a significant logistic and operating
expense advantage over traditional alcohol treatments, where steep
methanol-in-crude penalties have rendered methanol injection
uneconomical for many fields. As deepwater production contin-
ues to push toward higher pressures, longer tiebacks and increas-
ing water cuts, gas hydrate treatment using LDHIs is approaching
the limit of current technology.
To remain competitive under this new market paradigm, Clar-
iant has developed a high throughput experimentation (HTE)
platform to rapidly accelerate new product development. This
new platform brings together automation and intelligent analytics
to fully automate all aspects of product development, including:
test planning, formulation and synthesis, application testing, and
results analysis. This platform only requires the chemical and test
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
A.
B.
Gas hydrates with no anti-agglomerants (a) and gas hydrates that
have been treated with anti-agglomerants (b). (Courtesy Clariant)
fluid inputs for testing. When combined with traditional applica-
tion testing methods, such as the rocking cell, autoclave and/or
flow loops, new products can be developed and delivered to mar-
ket in a fraction of the time.
The typical life cycle of an innovation project is divided into sev-
eral phases. The initial discovery phase involves extensive search-
ing and application testing of a wide array of available materials to
determine a potential solution. This is where the new HTE platform
is capable of rapidly accelerating the innovation life cycle in addi-
tion to finding more candidates, leading to the determination of a
better potential solution. Where traditional rocking cell methods
would typically run two experiments per week, the HTE platform
will run up to 24 experiments per day.
Once candidates are determined, the product identification
phase begins where these candidates are fully tested on traditional
methods to verify their performance. Once the ideal product is iden-
tified, the HTE platform may be used again to optimize the formu-
lation with more granularity than traditional methods. Resulting
in a more efficient product ready for introduction to the market.
This method was used to develop the first product in a suite
of next-generation AA-LDHIs capable of reducing current LDHI
consumption during production up to 30% as compared to cur-
rent state of the art technology. These chemicals were developed
using the new HTE platform in conjunction with currently estab-
lished rocking cell and autoclave technology. This technology will
enable continued production in fields that are currently reaching
LDHI injection capacity due to design constraints.
Looking forward, additional products may be developed that
are better tailored for their target application. •
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Consortium completes first 3D OBN

seismic survey offshore Poland
GRZEGORZ ZAJFERT, MEWO S.A.

POLISH CONSORTIUM MEWO S.A. and Pro Geofizyka OBN receivers. To avoid exceeding the OBN battery time it
Kraków has completed the first 3D ocean bottom node (OBN) was necessary to maintain a sufficiently high shot repeti-
seismic survey in the Polish Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea. tion rate (2,800 shots per day) on the Sercel GI gun seismic
The Wolin 3D seismic project is a first stage of prospect- source which was fired every 50 m (164 ft).
ing in the offshore concession After the source acquisition,
acquired by Central European a Seaeye Falcon ROV was used
Petroleum in 2017. The con- for OBN recovery.
cession is in the southwestern Due to the ultra-shallow
part of the Pomeranian Bay in water, vessel choice was criti-
the Baltic Sea. Carried out from cal. The vessel had to have shal-
May to June 2019, the project low draft but large enough deck
consisted of 48,500 source posi- space and payload capacity to
tions over 125 sq km (48 sq mi) install the compressed air sup-
in water depths of 2-15 m (7-49 ply for the air gun source. It also
ft), with some 22,800 man-hours had to have accommodation
recorded on site. Because of port for 20 people, data acquisition
traffic, shallow water, yachting rooms, workshop and techni-
and fishing activity 785 OBNs cal facilities as well as supplies.
were deployed as receivers. Being able to manage this all on
Six vessels dedicated to a single vessel platform saved
specific tasks such as deploy- cost and time.
ment, source, equipment recov- During the survey work, high
ery, guard and multi-task were standards were maintained to
based in the port of Świnoujście. protect the natural environ-
The first stage of the cam- ment and minimize any impact
paign included pre survey per- on it. A passive acoustic moni-
formed by a Reson SeaBat 7125 toring system for detecting and
multi beam echo sounder. This identifying potential marine
allowed accurate bathymetry mammal presence, source soft
and seabed quality of the area start procedure, and an acous-
to be determined. tic deterrent device were all
The next stage was to pre- employed to ensure the distur-
pare the 785 OBN receivers bance of marine life was mini-
(OBX 750E from Geospace Tech- mized. During the main seismic
nologies) with appropriate gain acquisition, the onboard marine
settings determined during a mammal observers did not
test on site. Then the OBNs were TOP: The source vessel Imor was one of six vessels used in the detect any marine mammals
deployed on the seabed in a reg- project. BOTTOM: OBX 750E nodes ready for deployment. (All
images courtesy MEWO S.A.)
in the vicinity of the operation.
ular 400-m x 400-m (1,312-ft x While the final processing of
1,312-ft) grid. Then the seismic source line acquisition was the seismic data is yet to be completed the acquisition and
carried out over predetermined lines. initial results point to a highly successful survey outcome
This acquisition phase, despite marine traffic, fishing, for Poland’s first ever offshore 3D OBN seismic survey. •
pleasure yachting, marine mammals and weather, had to
be completed within 60 days due to the battery life in the

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Digital portal delivers drilling
operations overview
Developed in collaboration with Lundin Norway
OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS digitalization software provider and
systems integrator, Eigen, rolled out a unique digital portal for Lun-
din Norway’s drilling operations in September.
The Drilling Portal is now live and combines remote monitor-
ing of information from different systems to provide a quick and
intuitive overview of all drilling operations. A search functionality
also allows access across historic information, reports, and ‘les-
sons learned.’
Imagine an offshore operative coming in to work and within
30 seconds being able to know the current state of your drilling
operations and where you needed to focus your attention that
day. This is now the reality for drilling operations staff in Lundin
Norway thanks to the new digital drilling portal developed in col-
laboration with Eigen.
The system is an online portal that shows key information on
the status and activities across all rigs on hire and provides a plat-
form for sharing the numerous daily reports from each rig.
An overview page shows a map with the exact location of all
active rigs with aggregated key performance indicators such as
overall productivity, NPT, active safety cases, meters drilled, etc.
Everything is interactive and users can drill down further, to view
a breakdown of NPT, for example.
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EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT •
The digital portal for Lundin
Norway’s drilling operations
went live in September.
(Courtesy Eigen)
Dedicated pages for each rig (accessed by either clicking on the
rig in the map or navigating to the operations page) give detailed
information such as the drilling supervisor, links to the current
reports, drilling progress against plan, time/depth plots, and safety
status.
One of the most powerful features behind the portal is an intel-
ligent email processor. The system intercepts the emails normally
sent from each rig with various information from reports to alerts
and lessons learned. It automatically extracts the relevant data,
categorizes it and stores it, publishes it to the portal, and makes it
available for searching and filtering.
This piece of technology means that the workflow for the opera-
tors on the rig remains unchanged but the work process for onshore
teams is improved, because it has removed the email inbox clutter
and made it much easier to find information. The latest version of
anything is always on the portal, which reduces the risk of acting
on the wrong information. There is no need for engineers to file
the information themselves, which saves time and removes frus-
tration - and past information is always easy to find.
The system also interfaces to the central ‘lessons learned’ data-
base which makes it much easier for people to find relevant learn-
ings, making it more likely that they will access them.
The portal is also being made available as a mobile app. •
11/4/19 1:13 PM
 • EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY REPORT

Rugged gyro sensor designed for small bore tube-based systems

SILICON SENSING Systems has developed the CRS39 gyroscope robust silicon micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vibrating
specifically for the oil and gas industry, with offshore applications. ring sensor which delivers ultra-low noise performance, high shock
The device is intended for platform stabilization, downhole survey- tolerance and excellent vibration rejection. The patented MEMS
ing, north-finding and robotic control. device is the outcome of 15 years of design
With a form factor created specifically to suit evolution and refinement.
systems operating within small-bore tubes, the CRS39 is one of the most capable sensors in
company says that CRS39 will provide optimal Silicon Sensing’s single axis gyro portfolio. The
solutions for applications where bias instability, technology is used as the basis of the compa-
angular random walk and low noise are crit- ny’s highest performance IMU – the DMU30
ical. Depending on the requirement, CRS39 which challenges the performance of bigger,
can be used alone or in combination – as in heavier and far more costly fiberoptic-based
complex applications such as drill hole map- inertial systems.
ping systems. Silicon Sensing says that it continuously
Silicon Sensing says that recent technologi- The CRS39 gyroscope has been evolves and enhances its products, aiming
cal improvements afford its gyros the sensitivity developed for oil and gas industry use, to reduce size and extend performance. Cur-
with offshore applications. (Courtesy Silicon
to detect the earth’s rotation, allowing north to Sensing Systems) rently the company is introducing improve-
be determined without using magnetic means. ments which will reduce the existing two board
This is advantageous in systems performance, structure of CRS39, making it a single PCB
especially underground where using conventional magnetic com- component and reducing the size. At the same time engineers are
pass or GPS technology can be difficult or impossible. incorporating changes to update the gyro sensor head and associated
The company says that the CRS39 is based around a proven and drive electronics – enabling improved north-finding-performance. •

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The company conducted a factory acceptance test
on a fully assembled riser system at its facility in
Katy, Texas. (All images courtesy Weatherford)
Intelligent MPD features automated
riser system
Set to debut in the Caspian Sea
JOHN CLEGG, WEATHERFORD
IN 2019, WEATHERFORD introduced Victus, the world’s first
intelligent managed pressure drilling (MPD) system. MPD has
been used for five decades as an effective strategy to manage pres-
sure in challenging windows, to manage losses, to optimize drill-
ing through management of effective circulating density (ECD),
and to identify influxes and allow them to be circulated out. Vic-
tus takes the capabilities of MPD an important step further by
bringing previously unheard-of intelligence to the MPD control
system. This newly created intelligent MPD system predicts bot-
tomhole pressure in real time based on surface measurements,
therefore, it is able to replace early kick detection with early auto-
mated kick response.
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DRILLING & COMPLETION •
The system’s response to an influx is analogous to a similar step
forward in automotive safety and performance enhancement, the
antilock braking system (ABS) response in a vehicle. The ABS sys-
tem detects a potential problem, momentarily assumes control to
ensure the vehicle slows or stops safely, and then reverts control
to the operator once it is satisfied that the situation is made safe.
In the case of an influx, the new MPD system helps the driller in
the same way as the ABS system in a car helps the driver. In short,
it is no longer necessary to use the BOP to control every influx.
One definition of an algorithm is effectively “wisdom encoded in
a formula.” The core of the new control system includes a hydrau-
lics model, based on a sound understanding and application of
11/4/19 1:12 PM
 • DRILLING & COMPLETION
physical principles but trained using millions of hours of recorded
MPD data, being many years of acquired wisdom, to allow it to
accurately predict bottomhole pressure in the full spectrum of well
conditions: temperature, pressure, mud conditions and proper-
ties, cuttings loading, etc. Thus, the model combines key physical
principles with advanced data analytics.
The physical principles ensure that the model is grounded in
reality, and the use of data analytics allows fine tuning of the phys-
ical models to account for and incorporate real data from wells
globally. Provided that there is a sound understanding of the phys-
ics involved, and provided that sufficient data exists to allow the
use of analytics to train the models, this is a much more rigorous
and successful approach than using physics alone or than simply
building data-dependent models based on conditional probability.
Weatherford leveraged its many years of experience in hydraulics
modeling, together with data from 50 years of MPD jobs, to cre-
ate such a hybrid model. The resulting intelligent algorithm has
been tested in a variety of applications and the control system
used within is certified by DNV GL.
The intelligent control system is applicable to any MPD appli-
cation, whether onshore or offshore (shelf to deepwater). But for
deepwater applications, Victus is further enhanced by a new gen-
eration automated MPD riser system. This riser system effectively
replaces the first riser joint, below the tension ring, and incorpo-
rates a smart rotating control device (RCD) that enables predictive
maintenance and early leak detection. The system also includes
the flow spool and an annular isolation device (AID) capable of
completely shutting off the annulus.
Customer feedback from an earlier generation MPD riser sys-
tem revealed that installation and commissioning took too long,
44
1911OFF43-45.indd 44
The robotic arm
allows all manual work
and personnel to be
eliminated from the
moonpool during the
installation operation.
as much as two days, negating the beneficial effects of MPD on
penetration rate and drilling efficiency. In addition, from a health
and safety perspective, the installation required personnel in the
moonpool during the operation. To address this feedback, the
company created a new flow spool with a single connection hub
that integrates a subsea control umbilical and flowlines into one
easy-to-connect component to allow rapid connection and dis-
connection of the hub. A proven, automated, remote controlled,
robotic arm is used to make this connection. The use of an exist-
ing, proven, arm design reduced risk in the project and ensures
reliability of the system. The robotic arm allows all manual work,
and therefore all personnel, to be eliminated from the moonpool
during this operation. The combination of robotic arm and the
single connection hub reduces the installation time from two
days to less than 20 minutes, allowing the operator to realize all
of the time savings associated with MPD. In addition, a subsea
surveillance system enables visual monitoring of the riser mod-
ule and reduces ROV usage. A single subsea control umbilical
provides high-performance fiber-optic cables for fast and reliable
data transmission.
The first new generation Victus riser module was completed
in early 2019 and then subjected to extensive testing. The MPD
riser test program was prepared in accordance with the latest
API specifications relating to drilling riser systems, primarily API
16RCD for the RCD, API 16A for the AID, flow spool and cross
over systems, and API 16C for the auxiliary lines. The latest edi-
tion of API 16A has been heavily revised from prior versions with
an expanded and much more rigorous scope and the testing of
the new MPD riser was accordingly rigorous.
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 DRILLING & COMPLETION •

Testing of the installation system

including the flow spool, the robotic arm,
and the connection hub was completed
off site in Estonia. After all component
and sub-system testing was complete and
all items were shaken down and proven
to pass individual tests, a complete fac-
tory acceptance test on a fully assembled
riser system, including the robotic arm,
was conducted at the company’s facility
in Katy, Texas. Both DNV GL and ABS wit-
nessed and signed off on every test step.
By the end of the year, the Victus intel-
ligent MPD riser and control system is
expected to be used for the first time in
The automated riser system can be installed in less than 20 minutes.
the Shafag Asiman field in the Azeri sec-
tor of the Caspian Sea. This first use will
Multiple tests carried out at the company’s engineering test facility in Houston included be a big step in revolutionizing MPD. •
body and shell proof testing, hydraulic chamber testing, sealing characteristics, RCD strip-
ping life tests, and fatigue testing. An external test facility was engaged to safely conduct THE AUTHOR
the required temperature testing: low temperature design validation; low temperature John Clegg is a Weatherford Fellow, in the
drift; continuous operating temperature design validation; and an extreme high tempera- Drilling domain. For more than 33 years
ture design validation. Historically, a significant challenge for the industry is the comple- he has worked in multiple countries in
tion of full-closure pressure testing, or complete shutoff testing. These challenging tests engineering, manufacturing, sales and
were successfully navigated, proving vital functions of the MPD riser. operations with upstream technologies
Additionally, RCD sealing elements must survive multiple tool joints being run through including drill bits, drilling motors, rotary
them to ensure that the life of the sealing element does not compromise operations by steerable tools, MWD, LWD, and MPD.
being shorter than the life of the drill bit. Rigorous finite element analysis studies can He holds a master’s degree in Engineer-
predict fatigue performance of the sealing element, and the materials from which it is ing Science from Oxford University. He has
made, but the best way to learn and develop reliable equipment is to test for failure and 14 patents, has authored multiple techni-
rapidly learn from it. To this end, the engineering team allocated the time and resources cal papers, and sits on two Technical Sec-
required to develop a custom stripping test fixture to accelerate that testing and ensure tion Boards for the Society of Petroleum
the reliability, integrity, and cost effectiveness of the RCD seal. Engineers.

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 • ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION
A simplified and standardized design for the
Argos semisubmersible platform has enabled
BP to reduce the overall cost on the Mad Dog
2 project by about 60%. (Courtesy BP)
Cost efficiency underpins new Gulf of
Mexico platform designs
Upcoming floating platform systems will be smaller, lighter, standardized
BRUCE BEAUBOUEF, MANAGING EDITOR
OPERATORS THAT ARE LOOKING to develop new fields in
the Gulf of Mexico are increasingly turning to production plat-
forms that are more economical than in years past, and much
more efficient in design.
Although the offshore industry has been slowly emerging from
the downturn, caution and capital efficiency are still the watch-
words of the day. Operators are reluctant to spend the money for
the sort of “mega platform” they might have built 10 years ago.
Thus, the types of platforms being examined for the upcoming
GoM projects that will have one – King’s Quay, Vito, Mad Dog
2, and Anchor – will almost certainly feature facilities that are
smaller, lighter in weight, and with more standardized features
than those in the past.
“The new mentality is: ‘Let’s design around what we know
we need, and let’s not build in all these what-if ’s’,” says Stafford
Menard, Vice President of Deepwater Development for Audubon
Engineering Solutions. Audubon recently received a contract
46
1911OFF46-49.indd 46
from Murphy Exploration & Production Co. for engineering, pro-
curement and construction support for the King’s Quay float-
ing production system. Previously, Audubon provided design,
procurement, and construction management services for the
Delta House FPS, now operated by Murphy. As it did with Delta
House, Audubon is using a “one-size-fits-most” standard design
approach for the King’s Quay FPS.
“In the past, engineers would design a platform not only around
base field requirements of the original reservoir, but they would
also design for considerable future capacity,” Menard says. Items
like waterflood equipment, additional compressor packages, and
future tieback components were included in the design. “All these
considerations would add more space on the deck and more
payload capacity; this in turn enlarges the size of the hull, and
then the anchoring system gets bigger. And it just kind of keeps
snowballing.” But because of the downturn and continued cau-
tion with capital expenditures, “operators are no longer advancing
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this philosophy. That’s the big difference
between then and now.”
So, designing only for the initial size
of the field has become a key imperative.
“Shell has done a very good job with keep-
ing Vito lean and efficient, and LLOG did
the same with Delta House and then King’s
Quay, which Murphy is now in charge
of. But in all these cases, the operator is
focused primarily on the initial field.”
This new ‘lean and efficient’ philoso-
phy keeps the platform space and payload
down, which in turn shrinks the hull, and
shrinks the needed anchoring systems.
“Design engineers are now asking them-
selves: ‘What are the truly critical pieces
of equipment?’”
Gas turbine power generators are a typ-
ical example. “Platform operations require
power, so many in the industry will fol-
low an N+1 strategy,” Menard observed.
“If a platform needs three turbine gener-
ators running, we’ll put four out there. We
always have one extra. And in the past,
for other equipment, the N+1 philosophy
was enacted. Even if it wasn’t truly criti-
cal. So operators now are really putting
some thought into ‘what are the critical
pieces I need sparing on?’ And it comes
down to: not a whole lot. Platforms require
power, and operations have to have pumps
and prime movers, but aside from that,
there are not that many pieces for which
it’s absolutely necessary to have a spare
piece,” he added. “In many cases, if a sys-
tem goes down, you can work around it
until you fix it.”
Operators are even beginning to take
a hard look at equipment that was previ-
ously considered “critical,” such as crane
equipment. “They’re not putting as many
cranes on platforms as they used to,”
Menard noted. “And the same rationale
applies: ‘It’s nice to have three cranes but
can I live with two?’ And the answer is:
‘Yes, I can live with two.’” And then any-
thing else that operations wanted, they
had to prove to the project team that it
was going to pay for itself. If there was no
payout, they didn’t get it.’”
In addition, the industry now has ana-
lytical modeling solutions that enable
designers to explore a greater range of
motion characteristics for smaller and less
expensive hulls, and the smaller topsides
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ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION •
that would be placed on the hulls. Then, informed with these analytical results, smaller
and leaner platforms can be designed with the confidence that they will have the same
capability to withstand various sea states as larger platforms. “We now have comput-
ing capabilities where we can model the floater in the ocean and subject it to differ-
ent wave environments,” Menard says. “We can model the waves, the currents, and the
wind, and the computer now does the model test in reality.” In turn, these analytical
tools give the hull designers the flexibility to try different hull shapes, and modifications
to shapes, and review the results before committing to any particular platform concept
– all at very little expense.
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 • ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION

a production capacity of 100,000 b/d of

oil and 100 Mscf/d of gas. The Vito host
will be located at a water depth of 4,000
ft (1,220 m) in the Mississippi Canyon
block 984 in the Gulf of Mexico, 150 mi
(241 km) south of New Orleans. 
Shell contracted Jacobs Engineering
Group to carry out the detailed engineer-
ing and front-end engineering design
(FEED) studies for the topsides of the
Vito FPU. Shell executed a contract with
Sembcorp Marine subsidiary Sembcorp
Marine Rigs & Floaters for the construc-
tion of the hull and topsides, as well as the
integration of the Vito FPU.
The Vito development is owned
Construction is under way on the Argos platform at the Samsung Heavy Industries facility in by Shell Offshore (63.11% operator)
South Korea. (Courtesy BP)
and Equinor USA E&P Inc. (36.89%). Vito
will be Shell’s 11th deepwater host in the
Over the past several years, many of these design philosophies have been incor- Gulf of Mexico and is currently scheduled
porated into upcoming field development projects in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. to begin producing oil in 2021.

KING’S QUAY MAD DOG 2

The King’s Quay project, which recently received FID, will be using a platform that Meanwhile, work is under way on the
closely replicates the Delta House semisubmersible platform, which began service design and engineering of Argos, the pro-
back in April 2015. Construction of the King’s Quay semisubmersible is under way in duction platform for BP’s revamped Mad
South Korea by fabricator Hyundai Heavy Industries. Dog 2 project. Argos will be a semisub-
The FPS will feature a two-level topsides deck with a 10,000-ton payload, and is mersible platform with the capacity to
being designed to withstand wind and waves from a 1,000-year storm. The King’s Quay produce up to 140,000 gross b/d of crude
FPS facility will receive and process up to 80,000 b/d of oil production anchored by oil through a subsea production system
the Khaleesi/Mormont and Samurai developments in the Green Canyon area. It is from up to 14 production wells and eight
expected to be in service in mid-2022. water injection wells.
“Delta House has been producing successfully for nearly five years,” Menard observed. After the cost estimate of an initial
“And its uptime is greater than 98%, which is excellent.” Nor is the Delta House design design reached more than $20 billion, BP,
the largest production facility in the industry. “At about 80,000 b/d, it’s what I would BHP Billiton, and Chevron embarked on
call ‘midsize’,” he added. “They didn’t spend a lot of money. They just cut back on things a recycle of the Mad Dog Phase 2 project
that weren’t critical and decided that, ‘Hey, we’ll go with what we know we need, and in 2013. Three years later, the co-owners
if we need something else later, we’ll figure out how to do it.’” and contractors produced a simplified and
standardized platform design that reduced
VITO  the overall project cost by about 60%.
Located over four blocks in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico, the In December 2016, operator BP sanc-
Vito development will consist of eight subsea wells with deep (18,000 ft) in-well gas tioned the leaner $9-billion project. At that
lift. Shell made the final investment decision in April 2018, citing a break-even price time Bob Dudley, BP Group CEO, said:
estimated to be less than $35/bbl. That decision set in motion the construction and “This announcement shows that big deep-
fabrication of a new, simplified host design and subsea infrastructure.  water projects can still be economic in a
In 2015, Shell began to redesign the Vito project, reducing cost estimates by more low-price environment in the US if they
than 70% from the original concept. During that effort, a new and simplified design was are designed in a smart and cost-effec-
chosen for the main production unit and related infrastructure. Shell has explained that tive way.”
Vito’s cost savings are due to the simplified design, in addition to working collaboratively Bill Steel, project general manager, Mad
with vendors in a variety of areas including well design and completions, subsea, con- Dog Phase 2, BP, said that the initial second
tracting, and topsides design. “Vito is paving the way for other deepwater projects as it phase called “Big Dog” was an all-in strat-
takes full advantage of industry-standard designs and lower cost development options,” egy that aimed to develop all the resources.
said Eirik Sorgard, Vito Asset Manager. He said the reevaluation delivered a com-
The field will be developed using a four-column semisubmersible floating production petitive solution by incorporating value
unit (FPU) weighing 39,000 tons. The FPU will consist of a single topside module and have over volume, industry learned solutions,

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 ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION •

and collaboration.
According to Steel, two-thirds of the
cost savings came from re-engineering the
floating production system to a simplified
and optimized semisubmersible produc-
tion platform and using all subsea wells;
and one-third came from industry collab-
oration and standardization.
The hull and topsides of the Argos plat-
form are currently under construction
in South Korea. Samsung Heavy Indus-
tries (SHI) won a $1.27-billion contract
to build the floating production unit. SHI
awarded Wood plc (then Wood Group) an
$80-million contract to provide detailed
engineering and procurement services Shell says that it has been able to reduce costs on the Vito project by using a new
for the topsides. and simplified semisubmersible production platform design. (Courtesy Shell)
First oil is expected in late 2021.
The second Mad Dog platform will be
moored in the Green Canyon area about 6
mi (10 km) southwest of the existing Mad
Dog platform, which is in 4,500 ft (1,372
m) of water about 190 mi (306 km) south
of New Orleans.
The platform will be the first new
BP-operated production facility in the
Gulf of Mexico since 2008, when Thun-
der Horse came online. It will be the com-
pany’s fifth operated platform in the Gulf
of Mexico, and the company says that it
will help extend the life of the super-giant
Mad Dog oil field beyond 2050.

AUTOMATING DEEPWATER
OPERATIONS
Another key component in reducing plat-
form construction costs is reducing the
number of persons onboard (POB). “Both
Vito and Delta House have reduced the
POB number,” Menard notes. “And a num-
ber of operators are now taking a step back
and saying: ‘Do we really need all these
people offshore?’ Just like equipment.
They’re looking for what is the absolute
number of people they need to operate,
and thinking ‘Let’s not have non-essen-
tial people out there.’” In addition, Menard
notes that with people onboard, platforms
need quarters, and that drives up costs on
several fronts – not only the additional
structure, but also the need for life support
equipment, such as, firefighting, water,
sewer systems and other utilities. “It’s still
incremental in the Gulf,” Menard notes,
“but operators are beginning to ask: ‘Do
Chevron is reportedly favoring the GVA 10000 semisubmersible hull design for its Anchor
platform. (Courtesy Chevron)
we really need a 120-man quarters? Can we get by with 80, or 50?’ Operators are becom-
ing much more innovative and developing systems to operate with fewer.” 
This line of reasoning then begs the question – do the production facilities need to
have anybody permanently stationed onboard? “So now the operators are asking them-
selves: ‘Are we not technologically advanced enough to operate these systems from our
office/onshore control facilities? Can we not remotely control these platforms?’ And the
answer is yes, we have unmanned platforms on the shelf. And they’ve been out there
for many years.”
The big question, Menard observes, will be on floating facilities in deepwater. Cur-
rently, the US Coast Guard regulates manning requirements on floating hulls. “In the
past, they have always insisted that producers have someone on a hull. But that is
changing. In the future, both operators and regulators may be more accepting of nor-
mally unmanned installations, or NUIs.” If this technology gains broader acceptance in
the future, it will have a further cost reduction effect, making deepwater platforms in
the Gulf of Mexico safer and more cost effective, and therefore more competitive with
lower cost onshore energy production. •

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 • ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION
Industry boosting wave energy
technology development
THE INDUSTRY has ramped up efforts
to trial and further develop wave energy
technologies for offshore oil and gas
operations.
Ocean Power Technologies Inc.’s
(OPT) PB3 PowerBuoy has garnered
operators’ attention. This is a power and
communication platform for remote off-
shore applications such as autonomous
vehicle charging, meteorological and
ocean data collection, subsea equipment
powering, and well monitoring. It sup-
ports a suite of end user selectable mis-
sion critical payloads while extending
their range of operation, lowering their
operational costs, and enabling real-
time data transfer and decision making.
In August 2019, Premier Oil deployed
the PB3 PowerBuoy at its Huntington
field in the UK central North Sea. The
system is serving as an autonomous
intelligent platform to provide commu-
nications and remote monitoring ser-
vices. During the field trial, Premier will
investigate the system’s ability to moni-
tor the local environment and alert ships
of the field’s safety zone as a potential
solution to help with its future decom-
missioning-related operations.
According to the Oil & Gas Tech-
nology Centre (OGTC), which is sup-
porting the system development with
the operator, this is the first-of-its-kind
deployment in the North Sea involving
a moored buoy capturing power from
the motion of ocean waves to allow it
to provide monitoring capabilities and
protect subsea architecture. The buoy is
designed to serve as an uninterruptible
power supply that constantly recharges
itself using wave energy and operates
in ocean depths from 20 m (66 ft). This
energy is harnessed to power on-board
sensors (or even those on the seabed),
50
1911OFF50-51.indd 50
Europe leading the way
JESSICA STUMP, ASSISTANT EDITOR
The PB3 PowerBuoy is
serving as an autonomous
intelligent platform to
provide communications
and remote monitoring
services at the Premier
Oil-operated Huntington
field in the UK central North
Sea. (Courtesy Ocean
Power Technologies)
allowing real-time data transfer and communication with remote facilities. And
due to its ability to store energy, it can also operate during periods of calm seas.
The OGTC added the technology could also be paired with different payload con-
figurations to support small field developments or deployed as a charging/commu-
nications hub for autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) applications.
Paul Williams, UK Business Unit Manager at Premier, said: “This is a great oppor-
tunity to prove new technology which will enable us to minimize the environmental
impact of our decommissioning programs, whilst maintaining flexibility to deliver
maximum economic recovery from our fields.
“Assuming success, we will look at the potential to deploy this technology on
other assets and for different purposes, both in the UK and further afield.”
In November 2018, Eni deployed the PB3 PowerBuoy in the Adriatic Sea off Italy
as part of its MaREnergy (marine renewable energy) project. This aims to demon-
strate the suitability of wave energy renewable technologies in the oil and gas
industry. Six months later the buoy had produced more than one MegaWatt-hour
cumulative energy.
The buoy was selected by Eni’s integrated subsea technology systems team to
develop applications for remotely controlled field operations powered by wave
energy, including environmental monitoring and offshore asset inspection with AUVs.
OPT said the system demonstrated AUV charging capabilities during the trials
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 ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION, & INSTALLATION •

with Eni, successfully sending power and

communications to a subsea payload
throughout the test period. The Pow-
erBuoy is being tested as a standalone
charging station and communications
platform to enable the long-term remote
operation of AUVs.
Earlier this year, Eni activated the
Inertial Sea Wave Energy Converter pro-
duction unit at a site offshore Ravenna,
eastern Italy. The system is designed to
convert energy generated by waves into
electricity and is adapted to operate in a
variety of sea conditions to ensure high
continuity of energy production.
Eni’s Central Northern District
installed the pilot plant and integrated
it into what the company claims is the
world’s sole hybrid smart grid system
providing photovoltaics and energy stor-
age. It delivered a maximum power out-
put of more than 51 kW, or 103% of its
nominal power.
According to Eni, the technology
would be suitable for powering medium
and large offshore facilities. The com-
pany plans to use this solution to con-
vert its older offshore platforms into
renewable energy generation hubs.
Saipem and Finnish company Wello
Oy have signed a memorandum of
understanding to enhance the latter’s
Penguin wave energy converter technol-
ogy. This is designed to allow a floating
hull to transform the motion of ocean
TOP: Saipem aims to optimize the installation procedure and operability of the Penguin
waves into energy through a rotator wave energy converter. (Courtesy Wello Oy) BOTTOM: Seabase uses energy from ocean
directly connected to a generator. waves to power subsea equipment. (Courtesy Mocean Energy)
Saipem will apply its experience in
harsh environment offshore projects Mocean Energy managing director Cameron McNatt described Seabase as “a
and in naval engineering to optimize wave energy machine small enough to fit in a shipping container yet robust enough
the installation procedure and operabil- to generate power in the harsh environment of the North Sea.
ity of the technology. In addition, it will “Initially we see it being used to provide backup power to subsea equipment
investigate applications to the oil and where, for example, an umbilical fails. Longer term, Seabase will provide green
gas industry, including offshore plat- power to future generations of field-resident ROVs and autonomous underwater
forms, to improve their energy efficiency vehicles, reducing vessel costs and emissions.”
and reduce their environmental impact. In September, the company completed a 10-day testing program at Centrale
Mocean Energy, an Edinburgh-based Nantes in France. Supported through the EU’s MARINET program, Mocean tested
start-up company, is seeking partners a 10th-scale model of Seabase in the university’s main ocean tank.
to further development of its Seabase According to technical director Chris Retzler: “It has given us the opportunity to
technology, which uses energy from test Seabase in regular waves and to characterize the model response and to vali-
ocean waves to power subsea equip- date numerical models. Further tests in irregular waves will provide data to calcu-
ment. The company has attracted funds late the output power in real sea conditions, whilst tests in the largest waves will
of £200,000 ($249,000) from Scottish indicate the survival capability of the machine.”
Enterprise and the OGTC in Aberdeen Larger-scale prototype testing at sea is planned by 2022. •
for the development.

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 • SUBSEA

The past decade has

seen a rapid advance
in the qualification
and application
of thermoplastic
composite pipe. (All
images courtesy
Airborne Oil & Gas)

Thermoplastic composite pipe evolves

to meet industry needs
Dynamic riser qualification under way for deepwater Brazil

MARTIN VAN ONNA, AIRBORNE OIL & GAS

ADOPTED AND adapted from the aerospace industry, ther-
moplastic composite pipe (TCP) is now recognized as a viable
and cost-effective alternative to steel for hydrocarbon opera-
tions and production. With continued investment in its growth
and innovation from many of the global supermajors, its rapid
journey from concept to commercialization has taken just
over a decade.
The field-proven, non-metallic pipe technology can now be
found in every oil and gas region, globally. Fully qualified for
flowline, jumper and spool usage, TCP lines can be used for
full wellstream service (hydrocarbons), water injection, chem-
ical injection, methanol injection, gas lift, and intervention.
TCP products can currently be installed and operate at pres-
sures of up to 12,500 psi (862 bar), and in water depths as low
as 3,000 m (9,842 ft).
Ongoing testing programs will soon see qualifications for
dynamic riser applications amongst its suite of services and
capabilities.
CHAMPIONING COMPOSITES
Established in 2007, Airborne Oil & Gas has pioneered not only the
development and manufacture of the technology but also com-
prehensive guidelines and industry standards on its applicability.
The company’s initial goal was to develop dynamic TCP Risers
for ultra-deepwater but soon realized that the inherent problems
associated with steel in the SURF arena, namely corrosion, weight
and fatigue, were challenges to be solved in other applications as
well, such as flowlines. With TCP Flowline and Jumper now fully
qualified and accepted, the TCP Riser development for extreme
environments is the company’s current focus.

52 WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019

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 SUBSEA •

Eliminating expensive metrology and reducing complex mobilization and installa- The Affordable Composites JIP is
tion schedules, the TCP Jumper Spool is a non-conductive, non-corrosive flexible con- expected to be completed later this year.
nection between the subsea tree and manifold, that can be easily and safely deployed This aims to reduce the need for large-
through a subsea pallet or from a reel off the back of a smaller vessel. scale tests with ‘certification by simulation.’
West Africa is a key market for the Netherlands-headquartered business. For the first
time, TCP products are becoming a permanent application in the region. This follows THE FUTURE OF TCP
the delivery of two, 180-m (591-ft) long TCP gas lift jumpers for the Okwori field offshore In line with DNVGL-ST-F119, the busi-
ness has carried out several qualification
programs to certify its design methodol-
ogy, production, and materials for all its
products. The company is currently com-
pleting the development of:
• Carbon fiber with polyamide 12 (PA12),
qualified to 10,000 psi (689 bar) and
82°C (180°F) in use for water injection
in the Gulf of Mexico
• Weight coating to give pipes greater
stability on the seabed, without hav-
ing to work with ballast elements or
concrete, wire ropes or chains
• Development of ‘smart pipe,’ such as the
integration of optical fibers and sensing
• Enhanced insulation for higher tem-
perature applications.
Notably, the company is revisiting ear-
lier intentions to enable the commercial
deployment of TCP Dynamic Risers. Qual-
ification is under way with engineering
company Símeros Technologies to deliver
TCP products are manufactured to directly satisfy the specifications and requirements of clients. the first qualified TCP Risers for deepwa-
ter Brazil, suitable for presalt and highly
Nigeria for Addax Petroleum, a Sinopec subsidiary. corrosive conditions.
This is the first time the company’s TCP technologies have been ordered through its The technology is believed to be a
newly launched ‘Jumper on Demand’ service. This enables long lengths of TCP Jumpers world-first for fully bonded, free hanging
to be manufactured, prepared with dedicated end-fittings, and held in stock. This allows composite risers and is receiving funding
for an improved turnaround of pipe supply, termination, and installation in any location. from a major operator in the country. The
It is the fourth TCP order for West Africa this year. At the turn of 2019, Total ordered combination of carbon fiber and polyvi-
a 5.2-in. ID, 5,366-psi (370-bar) design pressure TCP Jumper Spool for a deepwater, water nylidene difluoride (PVDF) polymer offers
injection project. The contract followed the successful completion of a rigorous testing the best alliance of submerged weight,
program in which Total qualified the TCP Jumper for permanent subsea applications. chemical resistance, and minimum bend
For mature sectors such as the North Sea, TCP is proving its credibility to help enhance radius. It aims to be qualified for up to
production particularly in brownfields for the replacement of old pipelines and/or the 8-in., 10,000 psi and a temperature rating
installation of gas lift. Within the last three years, the composite pioneer has also per- of 121°C (250°F).
manently installed three TCP Jumper Spools in the North Sea region: two for Anasuria Installed in a free hanging catenary con-
Operating Co. and one for Chevron. figuration, the company’s lightweight and
In comparison to rigid steel pipes and conventional unbonded flexible pipes, TCP fatigue insensitive TCP Riser avoids the
Jumper Spools can significantly reduce installation, transportation, and fabrication need to use buoyancy modules.
costs. Companies have saved up to 50% on overall investment costs. The qualification program includes rig-
orous testing with full monitoring by DNV
COMPOSITE COLLABORATION GL and a clear ‘staircase’ approach. This
Shareholders Aker Solutions, Shell, Chevron, Evonik, Saudi Aramco, Subsea 7, and Sum- will be a disruptive alternative to conven-
itomo Corp. have all dedicated faith and fortune to the future of disruptive composites tional risers on the market. The TCP Riser
for oil and gas applications. is completely resistant to any form of cor-
The company is working with operators and the supply chain to investigate cutting rosion, including corrosion stress cracking
the cost of qualifying composite components for subsea use. caused by high levels of CO2 and H2S. It

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 • SUBSEA

could potentially transform the subsea space with

TCP being used for hydrocarbon, water and gas
service, in deepwater and dynamic applications.

EXPANSION AND RECRUITMENT

As part of the company’s continued investment
strategy to increase productivity and capability at
its IJmuiden-based facility, it has recently adopted
a 24-hour / 7-days-a-week shift pattern in order
to deliver larger quantities of TCP to its custom-
ers in both onshore and offshore applications.
The company has also doubled its team of
skilled manufacturing operators from 25 to 50. The
ongoing investment program is yielding improved
material processing capabilities in TCP manufac-
ture, in particular: liner extrusion, multi-layer tape
wrapping, and coating extrusion.
Based upon these improvements, the com-
pany forecasts a sustained period of productivity
gains resulting in a five-fold increase in produc-
tion capacity and capability by the end of 2022 at
its Dutch plant. •
World’s first fully bonded 4-in. carbon fiber polyvinylidene difluoride pipe.

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1911OFF52-54.indd 54
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7/16/19 1:12
8:42 PM
AM
 SUBSEA •

Digital twin model improves riser

integrity management
Capabilities can be leveraged during hurricane events

DAVID F. RENZI, STRESS ENGINEERING SERVICES

DEEPWATER RISER systems consist of conduits (typically pipe) INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT PROCESS
used for the safe transportation of materials (primarily fluids and
gases) between the seafloor and a floating host platform. In the US
Gulf of Mexico, deepwater drilling riser systems have been in use Data
since the 1970s, and deepwater production riser systems have been
in use since the late 1980s. Riser systems may vary in functionality
and configuration, but the primary goal of the riser design process
is always to ensure safe operation during the expected life of the Program Evaluation
system under the conditions it is likely to experience.
Due to the specialized nature of risers, the software used to
evaluate designs and the methodologies used for riser integrity Strategy
management (IM) and maintenance are also specialized. Many of
the advances in riser assessment are part of the industry’s grow-
ing trend toward digitalization and the digital oilfield. These digi-
talization tools are typically focused on IM and maintenance, but
also have direct applicability to design, fabrication, installation, and
decommissioning. ENVIRONMENTAL DATA COMPARISON
35
RISER INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
Digital twin
Much of the emphasis behind the industry’s push toward digitali- 30
Typical assessment
zation has focused on integrity management solutions to facilitate
operations and maintenance. Many of these technologies and meth- 25
Wave period, Tp (sec)

odologies are being developed for larger, more publicized areas of

the industry and can be easily applied for riser systems. For example,
20
digital twins, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Of partic-
ular importance are the capabilities of a fully developed digital twin
system. A digital twin is an up-to-date virtual representation of the 15
system that provides functionality for performing assessments using
either historical, real-time, or forecast conditions. Assessment may 10
be performed using traditional physics-based analytical models, data
science techniques such as machine learning, or a combination of 5
both methods. A fully developed digital twin also incorporates a
data management system, allowing for documentation and data 0
relevant to the riser systems to be stored and accessed in a conve- 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
nient and user-friendly manner. Wave height, Hs (ft)

DIGITAL TWINS ENHANCE FACILITY MANAGEMENT

The phrase “digital twin” represents the merging of data with a
virtual model of an asset, whether it be a component, process, or
system. The condition and performance of the asset can then be
assessed in virtual space using the model. Digital twin models are
ideally suited for asset integrity management and operational guid-
ance of floating production systems (FPS).
FPS asset integrity management programs are dependent on a
combination of inspection, analysis, and measured data. These three
data sets are often used separately. Digital twin models allow for
the integration of all available data. The existing digital twin models
developed for FPSs have so far been focused on facilitating generic
inspection programs or evaluating the response of hull and deck
structures. However, a new digital twin model has been developed
that focuses on the global performance (riser, mooring/tendon, and

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 • SUBSEA
motion response) of the FPS. The FPS digital twin model combines,
in a fully automated fashion, measured data and analytical tools for
more representative and complete insight into behavior of floating
production systems. The digital twin model provides opportuni-
ties to maximize production, help plan future events, and reduce
downtime and instrumentation and data analysis demands. It also
helps in the development of risk-based inspection (RBI) and condi-
tion-based maintenance (CBM) programs, provide fault detection,
and enhance continued service evaluation efforts.
The digital twin model provides continuous monitoring and
simulation of the FPS generating a virtual data stream for all com-
ponents, including areas that cannot be instrumented. Key perfor-
mance indicators (KPIs) are generated and tracked automatically
for immediate performance feedback. Continuous monitoring
and automated data analysis can identify instrumentation fail-
ures, anomalies, and responses above identified threshold values.
Extreme values of some responses can be used to verify regulatory
compliance. For example, extreme mooring tensions for synthetic
mooring systems can be compared to allowable levels to ensure
additional insert testing is not required. Automatically generated
fatigue damage accumulation, which can be determined using a
combination of simulated response and measured response, can be
leveraged for integrity management assessments, tieback/expan-
sion assessments, and continued service assessments.
APPROPRIATE IM AND MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES
The recent release of API RP 2RIM, Integrity Management of Ris-
ers from Floating Production Systems, in September 2019 provides
further guidance for appropriate IM and maintenance strategies.
The generic IM process described by RP 2RIM is shown in the first
figure. Data describing the condition of the riser system is gathered
and then evaluated to identify anomalies. A strategy is developed to
address any concerns identified and then a program is developed
to implement any necessary mitigations. The cycle is continuous
for the life of the riser system. The data describing the condition of
the riser system can be:
• Documentation and drawings from the design, fabrication,
installation, or operations phase
• Inspection data and findings
• Instrumentation data from sensors
• Analysis data from design or assessments.
The fully developed digital twin referenced above can contain or
provide all of the data required for the integrity management process.
EFFECTS ON RISER DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT
Many of the advancements made in the software used to evaluate
riser behavior consist of refinements to better capture nuances of
behavior. For example, capturing non-linear flex joint rotational
stiffness behavior instead of assuming a constant stiffness or better
modeling of the interaction between the riser and the seafloor. Addi-
tional advances have been made in software user-friendliness with
respect to model creation, review of results, and ease of performing
multiple analysis types. Examples of this include incorporation into
primary riser analysis packages of previously separate software to
evaluate vortex induced vibration. Unfortunately, the specialized
56
1911OFF55-57.indd 56
nature of riser software and its inherently limited customer base
have caused advancement of riser design software to naturally lag
behind the general state of the art in engineering analysis tools.
The new technology being developed as part of the industry’s
digitalization efforts can be used to implement some well-estab-
lished tools to increase the versatility and efficiency of performing
riser assessment.
LIFE EXTENSION CONCERNS
Many of the floating production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico were
installed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These facilities are rap-
idly approaching the end of their design life (typically 20 years). The
strategy for justifying continued service past the end of the origi-
nal design life (so-called “life extension”) is similar to the strategy
defined in an integrity management program. Thus, the integrity
management benefits of digital twins are directly applicable to life
extension concerns as well. In addition to providing the history of
the design, fabrication, installation, inspection and maintenance
programs, the analytical capabilities of the digital twin allow for
accurate assessments of riser fatigue damage accumulation. The
second figure shows typical parameters used to define sea states,
wave height and wave period. A comparison is provided between
the typical design and assessment assumption (shown in red) and
the data available to a digital twin model (shown in blue).
Case studies have shown an increase in calculated fatigue life
of 30%-400% when using actual measured conditions instead of
the typical assessment assumptions. It is noteworthy that these
improvements leverage the same analysis methodologies that have
been verified over decades of industry use. The fatigue life increase
in these case studies is recognized solely by performing a large num-
ber of analysis cases that more accurately represent the day-to-day
conditions experienced by the riser system. Additional refinements
can be realized by revisiting other typical assessment assumptions
regarding hydrodynamic coefficients, effectiveness of vortex-in-
duced-vibration suppression, and marine growth characterization.
HURRICANE SEASON PLANNING ACTIVITIES
Most operators rely on a marine operations manual containing
information largely generated during the design phase of a float-
ing facility. The design phase typically considers a range of condi-
tions meant to represent the lower and upper bounds of the asset
configuration. For example, a minimum riser and maximum riser
condition may be evaluated. Or a minimum topsides vertical center
of gravity (VCG) and maximum topsides VCG may be evaluated.
The operational guidance is then developed based on the worst-
case response of all these various conditions. However, the as-is
condition of a facility is seldom well represented by the extreme
bounding conditions. These assumptions directly affect predicted
motion behavior, therefore affecting the predicted response of all
other components, including the riser systems. A digital twin rep-
resents the best-known (and up-to-date) condition of the facility
and can be used to determine the system response to expected
or historical environmental and operational loads. This capability
can be leveraged in many ways to provide operational guidance
during hurricane season:
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11/4/19 1:12 PM
 SUBSEA •

1. Evaluation of response due to extreme event conditions based
on pre-determined metocean criteria (e.g., a 100-yr hurricane as
defined in API RP 2MET)
2. Predicted response due to named storms (e.g., using forecasted
conditions of a hurricane moving into and through the Gulf of
Mexico)
3. Measured response of a hurricane event experienced by the
facility.
The operator can use the response of the as-is system to hur-
ricane events to optimize asset integrity management and opera-
tional plans. The response due to pre-determined metocean criteria
can guide long-term plans, while the response for particular events
will guide short-term plans. The primary benefits are derived from:
1. Determining the ideal evacuation condition of the facility to
minimize loading of components
2. Understanding the strength and fatigue utilization of the float-
ing system and components during hurricane events.
Evacuation procedures typically consist of adjusting mooring
line or tendon tensions, re-positioning the floating system, adjust-
ing top-tensioned riser tensions, securing a drilling rig (mechanical
lockdown), and re-ballasting or offloading equipment to maintain
desired weight and VCG conditions. These procedures can be opti-
mized based on expected environmental conditions and as-is facility
conditions, allowing those activities that are necessary to maintain
asset integrity to be prioritized.
Determining which components and locations are critical in
terms of strength and fatigue utilization is a long-term asset integ-
rity management activity. Determining system response during
hurricane events is a portion of this activity. Identifying the actual
utilization of components during hurricane events experienced by
the system allows for more accurate understanding asset behavior.
This understanding then informs the development of risk-based
inspection plans and condition-based maintenance programs.
CONCLUSIONS
While the industry’s fundamental understanding of the physics of
riser behavior has not significantly changed over the past decades,
we have greatly improved our ability to perform assessments and
manage data. One tool for doing this is a fully developed digital
twin capable of providing all the data that is required in the integ-
rity management process. Digital twins can provide system infor-
mation not only for real-time conditions, but also for past and
future conditions. The large computational effort represented by
requiring robust physics-based modeling in the digital twin can be
accomplished in near-real-time by incorporating time-tested anal-
ysis techniques and leveraging advances in computing technology.
These capabilities can be leveraged for many benefits, one of which
is maintaining riser integrity during hurricane events. •

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Knowledge
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OGIBks12h_Petro_130605 1 6/5/13 2:00 PM

1911OFF55-57.indd 57 11/4/19 1:12 PM

 • EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING

Halliburton introduces new

downhole cutting technology
HALLIBURTON HAS ANNOUNCED an asset acqui-
sition of a new portfolio of electro-mechanical
downhole cutting tools and tubing punches
from Westerton (UK) Ltd. These services
are said to provide operators with a
safe and reliable alternative to tradi-
tional pipe recovery and interven-
tion across the well lifecycle from
exploration to abandonment.
The electro-mechanical down-
hole cutting portfolio includes
single and rotating blade config-
urations that perform precision
cuts on oilfield tubulars. Hallibur-
ton says that operators can achieve
single blade cuts in less than two min-
utes with real-time downhole data that
reduces uncertainty.
This new technology is said to eliminate the
need for traditional explosive charges and chemi-
cals, resulting in improved safety and easier transportation.
Each cutting operation requires minimal surface equipment
to enable faster deployment from any wireline unit.
“The ability to deploy cutting services rap-
idly and efficiently is important for pipe
recovery,” said Trey Clark, vice president
of Wireline and Perforating. “This new
technology complements Hallibur-
ton’s extensive well intervention
portfolio, helping operators reduce
the cost to construct new wells
and extend the life of old wells.”
On a recent campaign in the
North Sea, an operator used the
electro-mechanical downhole cut-
ting service for a well abandonment
program. The technology success-
fully saved one and half days of rig time
per well—a substantial reduction from
the initial plan. •
The electro-mechanical downhole cutting tools are
designed to perform precision cuts on oilfield tubulars.
(Courtesy Halliburton)

Trendsetter expands connector product line

TRENDSETTER ENGINEERING INC. reports that it has been connection system to be designed, qualified, and delivered to
awarded a contract for the design, qualification and delivery of the API 17TR8 HPHT standard. •
a 20K Hydraulic Intervention Connector by HWCG.
The 20K connector is designed to interface with the HWCG
20K capping stack and would be used to conduct flowback
or intervention operations after the capping stack has been
installed.
“We are thrilled by this recent award from HWCG and look
forward to delivering a great product. Trendsetter has been a
market leader in developing and delivering products for HP/
HT applications, and this project represents yet another mile-
stone for the Trendsetter’s subsea connection system product
line,” said Antony Matson, Vice‐President of Projects.
The TC11/7 Hydraulic Intervention Connector will be the
latest addition to the company’s connectors portfolio. The
TC11/7 Hydraulic Intervention Connector is said to leverage
the company’s hub and gasket profiles to provide 7-in. bore
access and emergency disconnect capability for service up to The TC11/7 Hydraulic Intervention Connector is designed to provide
20,000 psi. Trendsetter says that this order marks its fifth unique 7-in. bore access and emergency disconnect capability for service
up to 20,000 psi. (Courtesy Trendsetter Engineering Inc.)

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 EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING •

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PPG introduces next-generation

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NOVEMBER 2019   OFFSHORE | WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM59

Dpep13v_petro_150723 1 7/24/15 3:51 PM

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 • EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING
New P&A tool being developed
through collaborative effort
A TRANSFORMATIONAL TOOL which could significantly
reduce the cost of decommissioning is being developed by
Aberdeen-based oil and gas technology company Deep Casing
Tools (DCT) in collaboration with the Oil and Gas Technology
Centre (OGTC) and Total.
The UK is expected to spend more than £15 billion ($19 bil-
lion) on oil and gas decommissioning over next decade with
the global figure for the same period estimated at £84 billion
($105 billion).
Plugging and abandonment (P&A) typically accounts for
about 45% of projected decommissioning costs.
Current technologies used for P&A – cut and pull, perforate
and wash and, as a last resort, section milling – can create signif-
icant challenges with research revealing that around 20% of all
pulling operations take longer and cost more than anticipated.
Early trials have
shown that DCT’s
C a si n g C e m e n t
Breaker can make these
operations more pre-
dictable and reliable
and can have a major
impact on the length of
an operation.
“Early results show that up to
90% less force is required to pull a casing
following a run with the Casing Cement Breaker,”
said David Stephenson, DCT’s chief executive.
“One company told me they are currently taking up to 70 days
to cut and pull some casing in the Norwegian North Sea. It is
too early to say how much we could reduce that by, although
we hope it will ultimately be 90%, but even if it were only 10%
that would be a huge reduction given rig rates of up to £350,000
[$450,000] a day.”
This idea for this latest innovation came after a brainstorm-
ing session with an inventor and former colleague of Stephen-
son. “We started with some ideas, did some sketches and then
built a small model tool to test the principle,” he said. “We built
a load of samples, ran the tool, and even in those early work-
shop tests we reduced the force required to pull a piece of cas-
ing by 90% using Casing Cement Breaker.”
DCT then built a larger workshop prototype and approached
the OGTC for assistance. The OGTC canvassed members and
it attracted the interest of Total who offered in-kind funding
and the OGTC offered cash support.
“We now have a three-way partnership with the OGTC and
Total and the tool will be trialled on wells in Total’s Alwyn and
Franklin fields in the first quarter of next year, with the aim of
60
1911OFF58-60.indd 60
it being fully commercial by the end of 2020,” he said.
“In the meantime, Equinor carried out a trial in the Huldra
field, using the workshop prototype which confirmed the poten-
tial of what might be achieved. It reduced the force required
to pull a piece of casing by about 40%, which would mean a
10-day job would take six days, and that tool had really only
been designed for workshop testing. We have taken the learn-
ings from that trial, looked at how we can make it even better,
addressed those issues and are now building a second-genera-
tion prototype. By partnering with the OGTC and Total through
the development we know we will end up with a fit-for-purpose
tool when we go to market.”
Malcolm Banks, Wells Solution Centre Manager of the OGTC,
said: “Reducing well P&A costs is a key area of the OGTC Wells
Roadmap. The Casing Cement Breaker has the potential to
significantly reduce the
Early trials indicate that Deep Casing time and cost of casing
Tools’ Casing Cement Breaker can recovery to allow well
make decommissioning operations barrier placement, so
more predictable and reliable.
(Courtesy Deep Casing Tools) is well aligned with our
strategic objectives. The
role of the OGTC is to
accelerate technology
development to bring
value to the indus-
try.  This can only be
achieved with appro-
priate industry collab-
oration, therefore the
active participation of
Total and Equinor in
the development and field trialing of this innovative technol-
ogy is vital.”
Martyn Fear, Total’s Offshore Wells Manager, said that Total
in the North Sea is progressing a technology and operational
program designed to cut well P&A cost by 50%.
Similar efforts are under way to improve slot recovery options,
to reduce the cost of recovering incremental reserves with-
out investment in new facilities. As part of these goals, Total
is constantly searching for relevant innovations and suitable
partners. “One such innovation is the Casing Cement Breaker
which holds great promise for improving casing recovery oper-
ations,” he said. “The potential of this invention is sufficient for
the OGTC to support this as relevant to the wider industry, and
hence to enter into a partnership with Total, and DCT, to prog-
ress it. This brings the best of the industry together, focused on
making the North Sea oil and gas industry a leader in these late
life technologies.” •
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:12 PM

PEOPLE
BP Group chief executive Bob
Dudley will retire on March 31,
2020. The company has named
Bernard Looney as his
successor.
The National Ocean Indus- Dudley
tries Association has appointed Erik Milito as
president. He succeeds Randall Luthi.
The King in Council has appointed Ingrid
Sølvberg as director general of the Norwegian
Petroleum Directorate (NPD). She will succeed
Bente Nyland. The Ministry of Petroleum and
Energy has not yet set the date for the transition. Milito
The director general position in the NPD is post-
ed as a fixed term engagement of six years, with
the option of an additional six-year period.
Nyland’s second term period expires at the end
of the year.
US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has
resigned.
Craig Mueller, vice president and chief com- Solvberg
mercial officer of American
Gilsonite Co., will succeed Da-
vid G. Gallagher as president
and CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2020.
Gallagher will transition to
special advisor and remain a
board member. Mueller
Pål Kibsgaard has been
formally appointed as chairman of the board of
Borr Drilling Ltd. Kibsgaard succeeds Tor Olav
Trøim, who will continue to serve as a director
and has been appointed as deputy chairman.
Wood has appointed Stephanie Cox as CEO
of its Americas business. She succeeds Andrew
Stewart, who has been appointed executive Cox
president of strategy and development for the
global business.
Tidewater Inc. has appointed Daniel A. Hud-
son as vice president, general counsel, and cor-
porate secretary. He succeeds Bruce D. Lund-
strom, who has resigned. In addition, Jeffrey
A. Gorski has resigned as executive vice pres- Hägg
ident and COO.
AFBE-UK Scotland chair Dr. Ollie Folayan
has joined the OGUK’s Diversity and Inclusion
Task Group.
Robert N. Ryan Jr. has joined the Murphy
Oil Corp. board of directors.
Jo Wetz, CFO of Element Materials Technol-
ogy, will succeed Charles Noall as CEO, effective Fanning
Dec. 31, 2019.
ONE SEA has appointed Riku-Pekka Hägg as chairman of
NOVEMBER 2019   OFFSHORE | WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM61
1911OFF61-64.indd 61
BUSINESS BRIEFS •
its Management Board.
Expro has appointed Quinn Fanning as CFO.
Martin Greenslade has joined the Tullow Oil board and
Audit Committee as a non-executive director.
Proserv has appointed David Currie as Group CEO; Davis
Larssen as CEO of Proserv Controls; and David Nemetz as
Looney
president of Gilmore, a Proserv Company.
Neptune Energy has appointed Pete Jones as vice president
of operations for Europe.
Petrobras has elected Nicolás Simone as digital transfor-
mation and innovation executive officer.
Fugro has appointed Erik-Jan Bijvank as group director for
Europe and Africa. He will start on Jan. 1, 2020.
T.D. Williamson has appointed Bill Rees as vice president,
Western Hemisphere, and has promoted Chuck Harris to vice
president, marketing and product management.
TDI-Brooks International
Inc. has hired Richard Byno
as director of Marine
Operations.
Alex Goude has joined En-
erMech as business develop-
Goude Lichon ment director for Europe. The
company has also appointed
Joe Lichon as president for the
Americas region.
Dave Curtis has joined SPL
Inc. as executive vice president
Gallagher of Corporate Strategy.
Kyle McClure has joined
Curtis McClure
Airswift as CFO.
Zander Thornton has
joined MDE Group as regional
manager in Scotland.
Sulzer has appointed
Marcelo Alves as president of
Rotating Equipment Services
Thornton Hunt in South America.
RelyOn Nutec has appointed
Bob Donnelly as managing director for its UK
business.
Ben Hunt has joined Siemens Gamesa as
global head of corporate affairs leading the Cor-
porate Communications & Public Affairs
department.
Caez Phoenix International Holdings Inc. has pro-
moted Kent VanHorn to vice president for
Global Submarine Rescue.
Crowley Shipping has hired Jorge Caez as
director of chartering.
Tiger Rentals has appointed Paulo Silva
Curto as business development manager for
Curto the Middle East.
11/4/19 1:12 PM
 • BUSINESS BRIEFS

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT,

AND CIRCULATION COMPANY NEWS TechnipFMC has awarded Motive
1. Publication title: Offshore. 2. Publication number: 403-760.
3. Filing date: September 27, 2019. 4. Issue frequency: Dec/ Total plans to open a ‘Digital Factory’ Offshore Group a three-year global off-
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun/Jul, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov. 5. Number of
issues published annually: 10. 6. Annual subscription price:
in central Paris early next year. The 5,500- shore inspection and wire rope services
Free to Qualified Subscribers. 7. Complete mailing address sq m (18,044-sq ft) facility will bring to- contract, with extension options. To ser-
of known office of publication: Endeavor Business Media, LLC,
1233 Janesville Ave, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. 7a. Contact person: gether up to 300 developers, data scien- vice the project, which involves work
Amanda Landsaw. 7b. Telephone: 918-831-9592. 8. Complete tists, and other specialists to devise onboard 16 vessels, the company plans
mailing address of headquarters or general business office
of publisher: Endeavor Business Media, LLC, 1233 Janesville Ave, solutions to speed up the digital trans- to expand its spooling and inspection
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. 9. Full names and complete mail-
ing addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor:
formation throughout the company’s team.
Publisher: Paul Westervelt, 10300 Town Park Drive, S1000, Houston, businesses. Total’s goals are to improve RPS has acquired seismic software
TX 77072. Editor: David Paganie, 10300 Town Park Drive, S1000,
Houston, TX 77072. Managing Editor: Bruce Beaubouef, 10300 operations in terms of availability and services consultancy Reservoir Imag-
Town Park Drive, S1000, Houston, TX 77072. 10. Owner: Endeavor
Business Media, LLC, 331 54th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37209;
cost; offer new services to customers, ing Ltd. (RIL) for £4 million ($4.9 mil-
Endeavor Media Holdings I, LLC, 905 Tower Place, Nashville, TN including better management and con- lion). Based in Edinburgh, RIL employs
37205; Endeavor Media Holdings II, LLC, 905 Tower Place, Nashville,
TN 37205; Resolute Capital Partners Fund IV, LP, 20 Burton Hills Blvd, trol of energy consumption; extend its its Osprey software suite to support plan-
Suite 430, Nashville, TN 37215; RCP Endeavor, Inc, 20 Burton Hills reach to new distributed energies; and ning and acquisition of offshore marine
Blvd, Suite 430, Nashville, TN 37215. 11. Known Bondholders,
Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding reduce its environmental impact. seismic surveys. Its service includes man-
1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Subsea 7 has acquired 4Subsea, a aging seismic interference to avoid time-
Other Securities: None. 12. N/A. 13. Publication Title: Offshore.
14. Issue Date for Circulation Data: September 2019. provider of technology and digital ser- share and reducing the likelihood of
15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: vices to offshore oil and gas and offshore aborted lines or costly re-acquisition.
Average No. No. copies of
copies each single issue
wind operators. The company will func- Aberdeen Drilling School plans to
issue during
preceding
published
nearest to
tion autonomously within Subsea 7, open global training centers in Houston,
12 months: filing date: maintaining its independent brand. It Bergen and Stavanger in Norway, and
a. Total number of copies 20,629 21,303
will also support Subsea 7’s efforts to Cuidad del Carmen in Mexico.
b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution
1. Outside county paid/requested 16,894 17,248 provide digital solutions to customers Dolphin Shipping Co. Pte Ltd., a
mail subscriptions stated
on PS form 3541 within its Life of Field and field develop- Sembcorp Marine subsidiary, has
2. In-county paid/requested mail
subscriptions stated on PS form 3541
0 0 ment contracts. agreed to divest its 50% shareholding
3. Sales through dealers and 1,892 2,296 TÜV SÜD National Engineering interest in the capital of Pacific Work-
carriers, street vendors, counter
sales, and other paid or requested Laboratory has opened its new £16-mil- boats Pte Ltd. to PACC Offshore Ser-
distribution outside USPS®
4. Requested copies distributed 0 0
lion ($19.6-million) advanced multiphase vices Holdings Ltd. for $679,464.
by other mail classes
through the USPS®
facility. KOTUG International B.V. and
c. Total paid and/or 18,786 19,544 Fugro has signed a memorandum of Horizon Maritime Services Ltd. have
requested circulation
d. Non-requested distribution understanding with Underwater Survey formed KOTUG Canada, a joint venture
1. Outside county nonrequested
copies stated on PS form 3541
910 940 Technology 21 to deliver marine site company which will offer terminal and
2. In-county nonrequested copies 0 0 characterization services to the South harbor towage services across Canada.
stated on PS form 3541
3. Nonreqeusted copies distributed 0 0 Korean offshore wind farm market. Cyberhawk Innovations Ltd. has
through the USPS by other
classes of mail
Rockwell Automation and Schlum- acquired Arum’s cloud-based software
4. Nonrequested copies distributed 551 391 berger have completed their joint ven- development team in Edinburgh.
outside the mail
e. Total nonrequested distribution 1,461 1,331 ture, Sensia, which is said to be the oil Proserv has established two separate
f. Total Distribution
g. Copies not Distributed
20,246
382
20,875
428
and gas industry’s first digitally enabled, divisions – Proserv Controls and Gilm-
h. Total 20,629 21,303 integrated automation solutions provid- ore, a Proserv Company.
i. Percent paid and/or requested 92.8% 93.6%
circulation er. Sensia will operate as an independent James Fisher Offshore has estab-
16. Electronic Copy Circulation entity, with Rockwell Automation owning lished bases in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies 29,321 28,604 53% and Schlumberger owning 47%. of Gulfstream Services International
b. Total requested and paid print copies 48,107 48,148
+ requested/paid electronic copies the joint venture. has moved into its new Aberdeen
c. Total requested copy distribution + 49,568
requested/paid electronic copies
49,479 Element Materials Technology has headquarters.
d. Percent paid and/or requested 97.0% 97.3% opened its expanded Center of Excellence MOL O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has joined
circulation
for oil and gas materials testing in Hous- the International Windship Associa-
x I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are
legitimate requests or paid copies. ton. Following the integration of the tion as a full member.
17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed Houston Exova laboratory and a $5-mil- Oilfield Helping Hands (OHH) has
in the November 2019 issue of this publication.
18. Signature and title of Editor, Publisher, Business lion upgrade in technologies and tech- now shared $5 million with oilfield fam-
Manager, or Owner: Amanda Landsaw, Team Lead Audience Devel- nical expertise with ISO 17025 and Nad- ilies in need. Since 2003, OHH’s mission
opment. Date: 09/27/2019.
cap accreditation, the company’s has been to provide financial assistance
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and
complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or Houston site now hosts 150 experts to oilfield workers in financial crisis, who
misleading information on this form or who omits material or
information requested on the form may be subject to criminal across eight departments. live or work in the designated territories
sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanc-
tions (including civil penalties). Baker Hughes, a GE company has of an OHH chapter through corporate
changed its name to Baker Hughes Co. memberships and fundraising events.

62 WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019

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 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX •

The index of page numbers is provided as a service.

The publisher does not assume any liability for error or omission.

Boysenblue Celtec 45

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ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA Ppg Industries Inc 47
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FOR ASSISTANCE WITH • How they are consumed in the
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 • BEYOND THE HORIZON
Making the commercial case
for new downhole technologies
THE WORLD OUTSIDE is wireless. Your phone is wireless, car
keys have almost ceased to be, and “fly by wire” is old hat. Why is
the oilfield often reluctant to look beyond the horizon at new
technologies that other industries have adopted for years?
There is much talk of digitizing the oil field, production 2.0 and
Big Data. These efforts tend to focus on data that has already been
collected. The development of downhole electromechanical tools
has progressed apace over the last five to 10 years; they have been
adopted in formation evaluation and drilling applications for years,
yet they have been slow to gain traction in well completions and
construction applications. In some cases this is understandable,
as most industries, and especially safety critical ones, are reluctant
to make changes, instead preferring time proven solutions. The oil
industry is no different. However, if “necessity is the mother of
invention,” then the sustained lower-oil-price environment is the
necessity that the industry needs to drive it toward innovative
technologies. Rather than focusing on pushing down the cost of a
given product or system, it has pushed operators to look at the
overall cost of delivering the well.
In the past, the industry placed self-imposed barriers to adopting
these technologies. These barriers included concerns over reliability,
battery life, cost and contingency options.
All new technologies have a learning curve, and comple-
tion-based interventionless tools have had a learning curve steeper
than many. This is partially because the tools are never normally
planned to come back to surface. Therefore, it is very difficult — if
not impossible — to diagnose any failures in a tool that is 3 to 4
mi (5 to 6 km) underground. The main learning points have been
from deployment in test wells or from tools recovered to surface
following an operation. Now, as the technology has begun to mature,
reliability in recent years has increased to a near-perfect deployment
rate.
Battery life is of course another key consideration. Currently,
most interventionless tools have found their home as commis-
sioning tools: that is to say, they are used in the initial installation
and setup of a well. In this application most tools can be setup to
change their mode of operation to optimize the use of their available
battery power. This gives a useful battery life of typically six to 18
months in hole. But depending on the application, it could be
further extended.
Contingency options have also occupied the discussion over
whether these types of tools are suitable for downhole deployment.
Given that once their batteries are exhausted most interventionless
tools default to becoming traditional mechanical tools, this is
This page reflects viewpoints on the political, economic, cultural, technological, and environmental issues that shape the future of the petroleum industry.
Offshore Magazine invites you to share your thoughts. Email your Beyond the Horizon manuscript to David Paganie at dpaganie@endeavorb2b.com.
64
1911OFF61-64.indd 64
probably the wrong question to be asking. The question should
be: What additional functionality could they bring to my well before
they become mechanical tools?
Cost to deploy these tools has to make commercial sense. These
tools cost more than traditional mechanical tools. However, their
commercial viability can be quantified in two ways: direct – the
amount of opex the tool saves; and indirect – beneficial operations
that can only be performed with the new tool.
Downhole electromechanical tools bring two primary benefits
to completion and well construction applications. Firstly, they can
address existing issues; remotely functioned tools are currently
being used successfully in the Middle East, where previous me-
chanical solutions were deemed too risky to isolate extended-reach
drilling liner applications of 20,000 to 30,000 ft (6,096 to 9,144 m)
or more. RFID-activated ball valves are being deployed globally in
offshore wells to address well-known reliability issues around
opening barrier valves.
The other primary benefit is that they can offer entirely new
functionality that enables operations to be optimized to a specific
scenario. In the case of well testing, multi-cycle tools can test
discrete reservoir sections with no intervention. Electronic delays
can trigger the sequenced opening of individual zones, to enable
the optimal staged clean up methodology of liner sections and
multi-laterals.
Fundamentally these types of tools can be used to change
completion methodology entirely. SNEPCO (Shell Nigeria) has
adopted an RFID-based technical solution to deploy single trip
completions in its deepwater Bonga field. It was found that by
adopting the RFID-enabled single trip concept, rig time savings of
up to 60% could be realized. In an offshore environment where
spread costs are larger, this effect is typically magnified, and the
return on investment has typically been shown to be in the order
of 500 to 600%.
While the industry has been slow to adopt electromechanical
tools in downhole applications, now that their reliability and com-
mercial case has been proven, they are gaining traction at an ex-
ponential rate. In the last couple of years, they are being adopted
by major operators in multiple deepwater fields across the globe.
They have both conquered previously unsolvable technical prob-
lems and turned marginal projects into commercial certainties.
The question has now become: Can you afford not to use them?
 EUAN MARTIN MURDOCH, RFID COMPLETIONS PRODUCT LINE
MANAGER, WEATHERFORD
WWW.OFFSHORE-MAG.COM | OFFSHORE   NOVEMBER 2019
11/4/19 1:12 PM
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Simpler. Leaner. Smarter.

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