Qualification and Case Studies Subsea Chemical Storage and Injection Unit

Abstract

This paper summarizes results and lessons learned from qualification of a full scale subsea chemical storage and injection system. It also presents compelling findings from case studies that demonstrate the system can deliver significant savings compared to host platform chemical storage and umbilical delivery. Successful deployment of this new technology will initially provide, in brownfield applications, a very attractive alternative to an umbilical replacement, particularly later in field life when production rates and percent oil tend to be much lower, where economics may all together preclude installing a new umbilical and result in pre-mature field abandonment. The need for umbilical replacement might be triggered by a number of situations such as umbilical tube plugging or damage, or changing production composition requiring additional/different chemical treatments. In greenfield applications remote chemical storage and injection will greatly facilitate development of hundreds of smaller deepwater resources and billions of barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) by enabling safe, cost-effective long distance tie-backs to existing infrastructure out of traditional reach of umbilicals. Current shallow water deployment case studies indicate that transferring chemical storage and injection equipment weight from host facility deck to subsea and eliminating the need for on-deck personnel to maintain equipment generates positive economics and help achieve industry objects of ‘de-manning’ offshore facilities.