James E. Outlaw, Randy Guliuzo, S. Lehrer, Bob Barney
{"title":"Three Successful Black Oil Foamer Applications in Deepwater GoM","authors":"James E. Outlaw, Randy Guliuzo, S. Lehrer, Bob Barney","doi":"10.4043/29394-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29394-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Deepwater Gulf of Mexico wells that exhibit liquid loading and subsea flowlines that suffer fluid slugging are both common issues that have historically been difficult to mitigate without expensive hardware changes or deferral of production. A novel black oil foamer (BOF) chemical technology has shown to be able to mitigate liquid loading, increase production, and reduce fluid slugging in both dry tree wells, subsea wells, and subsea flowlines.\u0000 This presentation will detail three example cases where the black oil foamer technology was utilized successfully. For the first example case, liquid loading was the primary issue leading to shortened production time between shut-ins, causing slugging, and reduced overall production rates. For the second example, significant slugging was experienced in an 18-mile subsea tieback to the point that the field would be shut in for topside vessel level controller issues. The final case trialed different well lineups that would historically cause severe slugging in an 11 mile subsea tieback.\u0000 In the first example, the benefits of using the black oil foamer included increased oil production and greatly improved well uptime, as well as significantly reducing slugging. The benefits demonstrated in the second and third examples were a significant reduction in slugging, allowing the field to operate with minimal shut-in risk and reducing equipment damage.\u0000 Novel & Additive Information\u0000 All three examples have proven the concept of using the black oil foamer chemistry to manage liquid loading and slugging risks in deepwater applications in an economically advantageous way.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88514056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Maximize the Recovery Factor of Offshore High Water Cut Reservoir","authors":"Kuiqian Ma, Zhaobo Sun, Hongfu Shi","doi":"10.4043/29279-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29279-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 As the Offshore oilfields enter the high water cut stage, it encounters new and prominent problems such as difficulty in developing remaining oil, increased water breakthrough and rapid decline in production. How to maximize the recovery of high water cut offshore reservoirs and improve economic efficiency is a challenge.\u0000 This paper reviews the lessons learned on how SZ field improves water injection to stable reservoir pressure. Architecture unit-based well pattern improvement, Increasing injection and big-pump enhanced liquid production including renovation and capacity expansion of Water treatment system; Polymer flooding, Modifying reservoir flow pattern with Gel Treatment, Polymer Microspheres.\u0000 The wells display positive responses from the water injection. The responses include stable reservoir pressure, slower production increase, and slightly water cut increase. Enough and high quality water injection is extremely essential to maximize the recovery of a mature offshore heavy oil.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85762125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Niels Vernes, Stephan Donia, Anthony van Ginkel, J. D. Jonge, Henning Selstad, Bjørn Krokeide
{"title":"Aasta Hansteen Hull-Topsides Dry Transport and Dual Barge Mating Operations","authors":"Niels Vernes, Stephan Donia, Anthony van Ginkel, J. D. Jonge, Henning Selstad, Bjørn Krokeide","doi":"10.4043/29410-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29410-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The Aasta Hansteen Field development in 1300m water depth is the deepest field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) and is developed using a Truss Spar FPSO. The platform was made ready with platform mooring chains after which Topsides were installed by float-over method in a fjord before the complete platform was being towed to the field vertically in summer of 2018.\u0000 The Topsides of 25,300 t and the hull of 46,000 t were both constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea and transported to Norway on Boskalis heavy transport vessels. Due to its size and weight, the Truss Spar FPSO had to be transported by the largest heavy transport vessel in the world, BOKA Vanguard.\u0000 Topsides mating onto the Spar hull was carried out by Boskalis in a Norwegian fjord by a dual barge float-over operation. The Topsides was first transferred from HTV White Marlin to two S-class vessels, then from the two S-Class vessels to the Spar hull. Load transfer was obtained by simultaneous ballasting of the dual barge hulls and de-ballasting of the Spar hull.\u0000 The paper will focus on the engineering and design process of the dual barge float-over operation and the subsequent translation to a real time simulation model followed by the actual dual barge float-over and mating operation. The information and discussion provided in the paper can be used for planning and design of other large floater applications.\u0000 There were several firsts in the execution of this scope ranging from transporting the world's largest Spar platform on the world's largest heavy transport vessel to executing a dual barge float-over and mating operation using two heavy transport vessels. The use of real time simulation as validation and training tool has been a highlight of this scope.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91112023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Un-Locking Subsea Reserves Through a System-Based Approach for Tie-Back Solutions","authors":"Kristian Mikalsen, C. Loper","doi":"10.4043/29647-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29647-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Offshore developments must evolve if the industry is to unlock subsea reserves and increase recovery. A novel method of achieving these goals is through use of a systematic approach to subsea tiebacks that combines new technologies with minor modifications to the existing topsides equipment.\u0000 The tieback strategy is a system-based approach with a combination of qualified disruptive technologies and field-proven solutions that will improve costs, reduce the number of interfaces, minimize the modifications needed on the topsides, critical for platforms with space and weight limitations, and maximize the use of existing assets. Significant investment was made to qualify disruptive and groundbreaking technologies to make this possible. The following summarizes the main components of the subsea system: –Seabox subsea water treatment and injection provides higher quality water for reservoir injection and increased recovery–Subsea chemical storage that allows longer subsea tiebacks and mitigates weight and space limitations on topside structures; only power and communication are needed from the topside–Subsea treatment of produced water subsea for either discharge directly to sea or to re-inject–Subsea automatic pig launcher combined with a single pipeline that ensures continuous flow at a lower capex–All-electric controls and valves eliminate the need for utility pipelines and expensive umbilicals–Applying field-proven tie-in systems integrated with flexible pipe solutions and customized subsea structures\u0000 In addition to exploring the above components, this paper also explores combining the components into a comprehensive system. The system-based approach will unlock previously uneconomical reservoirs.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91139096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Maximizing Tax Incentives for Offshore Exploration and Production Efforts Following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017","authors":"Craig S Riebe, A. R. Sánchez, J. Windhorst","doi":"10.4043/29386-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29386-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The tax changes introduced under the newly-enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the \"Act\") are complex, but various provisions can be leveraged to produce direct financial benefits for innovative companies in the energy industry. Cutting edge technologies and innovations related to offshore renewable energy, robotics, automation, oilfield digitalization, geotechnical engineering, and other technical areas are critical to the growth of the energy industry. Understanding how the new provisions interrelate is essential to maximizing the Act's valuable tax incentives for offshore exploration and production companies in the United States.\u0000 The Act maintains the permanency of the Research and Development Tax Credit in § 41 of the Internal Revenue Code (\"IRC\"), reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, eliminates the alternative minimum tax for certain entities, limits the net operating loss deduction to 80% of taxable income, and repeals the existing carryback and carryforward provisions under IRC § 172. This paper will discuss the legal implications of the new Act and provide methods and tax strategies that will directly impact energy companies’ return on investment and strengthen offshore exploration and production efforts.\u0000 Perhaps most notably, since the Research and Development Tax Credit (\"RTC\") remains permanent, companies in the industry may recover qualified research expenditures related to the development of new or improved products, processes, formulas, inventions, techniques, and software. The RTC is a highly valuable incentive that directly impacts a company's tax liability both at the federal level and in certain states. Because of the reduced corporate tax rate, the changes related to net operating losses, and the elimination of the alternative minimum tax for certain entities, this credit provides a powerful incentive for many energy companies. In addition, since the Act will soon require taxpayers to capitalize and amortize expenditures related to qualified research conducted outside of the United States over a period of 15 years, companies performing critical research in the United States may soon be able to realize an additional current year deduction if certain expenditures are characterized differently under IRC § 162. Creating a tax strategy that incorporates the RTC and related provisions in the Act may result in a valuable benefit to energy clients creating and utilizing intellectual property throughout the world.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81901023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Driving Down Cost: A Case Study of Floating Substructure for A 10MW Wind Turbine","authors":"I. E. Udoh, J. Zou","doi":"10.4043/29344-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29344-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Power generation costs must be competitive for the offshore wind industry to survive and advance consistently. It is widely believed that adopting high-capacity wind turbines (10 MW or higher) is an effective approach to reduce levelized costs of energy. Industry trends indicate that use of high-capacity turbines is imminent, and the suitability of existing floating substructure concepts is being challenged. This paper assesses characteristics of a floating substructure for supporting high-capacity turbines. A 10 MW wind turbine application with the floating structure concept in 100m water depth is investigated and verified by using aero-hydro-servo-elastic dynamic simulations. Environmental loads considered are wind, wave and current, and simulations are performed in time domain to capture interactions and non-linear responses. Wind loading on the RNA is modeled using turbulent wind fields, with turbulence intensities representative of offshore environments, whereas wind loads on the platform are captured using reliable wind load coefficients. Effects of a 10MW turbine on the nacelle, tower, platform and moorings are highlighted, and correlations between the responses are discussed. The responses are quantified and compared using power spectral densities (to delineate low, wave and high frequency effects) and extreme statistics. Comparisons discussed in this paper underscore the importance of adaptability of platform features to maintain favorable responses of floating substructures for high-capacity turbine applications. A hull steel efficiency indicator is adopted for the quick and simple measure of substructure hull efficiency. Findings of this study offer one solution to drive down the cost dramatically and provide insights for future developments.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79135479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Seabed Seismic Motion in Presence of Seismic Induced In-Profile Liquefaction","authors":"D. Bertalot, Simone Corciulo","doi":"10.4043/29505-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29505-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Cyclic loading caused by earthquake in sandy soils often leads to the development of positive pore pressures. In extreme conditions, the pore pressure may increase until reaching a state of zero effective stress associated with a dramatic reduction of the soil shear stiffness and strength. Even when liquefiable soils are found at depth, and capped by a non-liquefiable crust, once liquefied they can act as a seismic isolator, significantly modifying both amplitude and frequency content of the vertically propagating shear waves. As a result, seabed seismic motions at offshore sites characterized by the presence of liquefiable layers within the soil stratigraphy may change considerably with respect to a non-liquefied scenario. Non-linear Seismic Site Response Analyses (SSRA) are often used for site-specific evaluation of seismic input for offshore projects. Severe earthquake motions induce non-linear soil response associated with significant stiffness reduction for soft soils. The hysteretic non-linear soil behavior leads to modifications in terms of magnitude and frequency content compared to the postulated stiff soil input. This is even more important where pore pressure build-up and liquefaction may occur, leading to further modification of the seismic accelerations at mudline. However, standard industry practice consists in performing total stress SSRA that are not able to model the softening response in presence of liquefiable soil layers. This paper compares the seabed seismic motion assessed by means of total and effective stress SSRA in order to evaluate the effect of the soil stiffness degradation in liquefied layers within the soil profile, building upon the findings of Ardoino et al. (2015), who observed in-profile liquefaction to have a limited effect on mudline response spectrum. In particular, it is shown how modelling methodologies able to replicate the transient nature of excess pore pressure build-up during earthquake excitation (i.e. time-domain analyses), are better suited to capture seismic motion modifications in presence of in-profile liquefaction, with respect to response spectrum analyses. The effects of deep foundations embedded across the liquefied layers, on the propagation of the seismic motion, is also investigated and discussed.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75018776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Critical Areas to be Aware of for Efficient Floater Operations throughout the Lifecycle of the Asset","authors":"J. Takei, Dyala Kumar Thavaratnam","doi":"10.4043/29271-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29271-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This paper investigates the critical areas at every stage in the lifecycle of the floater that may have been overlooked by classification bodies as well as owners and operators. These areas result in compromise of safety, integrity and operational capability leading to direct costs and opportunity loss costs, from cost for revenue deferment, repairs, third party engagement and risking the reputation and integrity of the COMPANY. The findings reveal the primary cause of breach in critical areas is the lack of a check and balance mechanism that should be imposed by owners and operators of the floaters to Classification deliverables instead of completely depending on Classification Society. Certain optional certification by Classification Society should be made mandatory to avoid such failures.\u0000 Based on research and analysis of past floaters’ failures, a set of floaters’ integrity and assurance guideline should be developed and adopted by owners and operators to ensure safety, integrity and operational capability is always maintained and continuously monitored throughout the lifecycle of the Asset. Investigation on a number of case studies was conducted by collecting various data at all phases of the project (i.e. development, front end engineering, detail engineering, construction, transport and installation, hook up and commissioning, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning and demobilization & preservation).\u0000 This paper emphasizes the need for Classification Society, owners and operators to conduct mandatory internal reviews, as a form of check and balance to avoid instances of overlooked critical areas. Ensure cohesive decision making by classification society, owners and operators of floaters to circumvent instances of overlooking the identified critical areas resulting in hazardous work environment and revenue deferment that have caused operators to be accountable and owners to be responsible. The Floaters’ Integrity and Assurance Guideline should provide an accountable process for all phases of the project throughout the life cycle of the asset.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83117099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Process Improvement Based on a Gap Assessment of NASA and O&G Risk Management Processes","authors":"J. Mayfield","doi":"10.4043/29510-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29510-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 What can the aerospace safety and systems engineering community teach the commercial Oil and Gas (O&G) industry about streamlining risk management processes when NASA is not known for its streamlined practices and how much improvement can be realized by the O&G industry, if any? Addressed in this paper are these basic questions. This assessment identifies improvements to risk management requirements for an O&G company. The methods of performing the assessment and developing recommendations for improvements are provided. These recommendations clearly show the benefit of incorporating these processes for O&G communities.\u0000 Through the mishap investigation reports due to lost Space Shuttles and other similar incidents, NASA has developed mature processes associated with risk management. In a similar manner, the O&G industry has had to develop its own processes through mishaps they likewise have encountered. A detailed and holistic examination was conducted of a major O&G company’s risk management procedure requirements, starting with risk planning, then risk assessment, risk response, monitoring and control of the risk, risk learnings and closure, and finally, risk governance. Upon completing the assessment, recommendations for improvement to the company’s risk management procedure requirements were made.\u0000 NASA’s risk management process and Systems Engineering handbook were used to examine the O&G company’s risk management procedure. Each requirement within the procedure was placed into a spreadsheet and examined for appropriateness, with roles and responsibilities mapped to each of the requirements. Areas of benefit were identified and examined for feasibility, with recommendations for improvement presented to the company’s risk management personnel.\u0000 The paper presents the findings of the assessment, and recommends improvements based on this assessment. Experts within both the O&G and aerospace industries, with extensive experience in mishap investigations, reviewed the results of the assessment and the recommended improvements. Feasibility of implementation was determined by examining the recommendations from a cost, resource and technical perspective.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84714978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using Augmented Intelligence to Automate Subsea Inspection Data Acquisition, Processing, Analysis, Reporting and Access","authors":"H. Ferguson, M. D. Gordon, A. Cameron","doi":"10.4043/29335-MS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4043/29335-MS","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Augmented Intelligence (AI2) involves fusing Analyst Intuition with Artificial Intelligence to deliver an optimised combination of human-machine decision support.\u0000 AI2 is being incorporated by i-Tech Services / Leidos into the physical inspection of offshore Oil, Gas, and Renewables assets, delivering valuable data driven insights that contribute to greater efficiency, enhanced condition monitoring, improved asset integrity and asset life extension.\u0000 The deployment of vehicular and diver assets to obtain such inspection data, with associated support vessels, remains a major cost challenge for Operators.\u0000 We believe the industry needs to approach this challenge from two key directions. Firstly, through the application of autonomous systems for data acquisition and delivery, reducing vessel reliance, and secondly through automating the acquisition and processing of data and maximising the insight provided by the data.\u0000 This paper will examine the use of Augmented Intelligence to optimise the Subsea Inspection data workflow as a key use case, to demonstrate the principles.\u0000 The historic paradigm consists of a fragmented evolving approach, with insufficient consideration and design across all the sensors, processing analytical engines and data visualisation. The approach being adopted is to closely link all aspects of the data workflow, within the context of delivering the data and beyond in terms of harvesting additional insight and value.\u0000 To achieve the optimum workflow a number of developmental initiatives are being knitted into a modular platform, each element providing standalone value but the sum of the parts generates the most significant value and cost reduction.\u0000 The elements being combined are automatic data quality control at acquisition source and through the full workflow, automated processing, machine vision for object recognition and reporting and machine learning to optimise the system intelligence. All of these are designed to augment the expertise of the analyst / user, detecting change to learnt parameters, by using real time data and critically by referencing large historical data sets and as-built data.\u0000 The outputs from a system holistic approach will be improved data acquisition with more efficient high quality right first time data reporting. In addition layers of analytics, with smart, intuitive data access and retrieval will optimise delivery of key information within large data sets, together with maximising value and insight.","PeriodicalId":10948,"journal":{"name":"Day 2 Tue, May 07, 2019","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86919613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}