Subsea Long-Distance Tie-Back

Abstract

Subsea deep-water oil and gas developments are characterized by the need for long term planning and large capital allocation with delayed returns. Reduced time to first oil dramatically improves field economics and enables the efficient application of capital. Shorter project durations can be achieved by implementing a phased approach to field development. Phased developments allow for reduced upfront Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and moderate returns, followed by the future investment from earned revenues to expand the field. The result can be dramatically improved capital efficiency, substantially reduced financial exposure and maximized utilization of common production facilities across the life of the field. Each subsequent phase can become technically more challenging, as offsets become longer, and reservoir properties begin to differ from those of the initial production fluids. This paper provides an overview of the technologies that can be deployed for such a phased development approach, ultimately enabling the economic exploitation of long tie-backs and discusses the status of the required technologies.