Offshore Oil & Gas Upstream Production Hubs, a Way to Success in Fields Development

Abstract

The paper intends to review the most recent offshore oil & gas field developments where production hubs have been introduced and technical solutions are being developed in order to produce all reservoirs of a same block or area towards a central hub facility. Different success stories among the most recent developments will be analyzed in the paper both for oil developments and gas developments: particular attention to the design basis, design envelopes and expected flexibilities will be highlighted, planning for future tiebacks will be discussed and their design and features will be addressed. The paper will touch process, safety and plant design aspects for a central processing floater or plant as well as subsea and wellhead platform tiebacks to the Hub. At the present time and with the today qualified technologies, as far as oil developments are concerned, it is deemed possible to develop from a central hub an area exceeding 100 km of radius even in deepwater and probably more in conventional waters. As far as gas developments are concerned and with the adequate design provisions and technics it is probably possible to develop from a central hub a complete basin covering distances above 250-300 km and boosting production up to distant midstream facilities. Combined oil and gas offshore hubs in areas where both oil and gas assets are to be developed demonstrate to be very interesting and efficient ways of developing an extended area through efficient synergies in tie backs and processing facilities. Please explain how this paper will present novel (new) or additive information to the existing body of literature: The paper is based on real case studies and both: extensive work ongoing intended to further utilize the recently developed hubs as well as extensive design activities for the upcoming greenfield developments.