The first subsea multiphase boosting system was installed in 1994 and it is today a proven technology with a global track record. In addition to bringing increased production and recovery, multiphase boosting may also reduce flow assurance issues, reduce project CAPEX and OPEX, improve operability and safety as well as reduce the greenhouse gas emissions when compared to gas lift, the default lifting solution. A review of the evaluation process and drivers during subsea artificial lift evaluations over the last three decades indicates that in general only a few of the actual upsides of subsea multiphase boosting have been considered, suggesting that there is a need for a more complete overview of the advantages and an approach to uncovering and quantifying the actual value. This paper discusses the different aspects of subsea multiphase boosting through a comprehensive list of tangible benefits that may support the field development decision process towards identifying the potentially significant and hidden value of subsea multiphase boosting. Referencing experience from more than 30 installations it also provides a historical summary of the various aspects of subsea boosting and which drivers were and were not considered during the decision making process.

Field development is a complicated process involving a multitude of disciplines, technologies and workflows. The typical approach to field development is long, fragmented and costly. This is due to set process and work flows with limited flexibility, inefficient tools and transfer of information, uncertainty of required scope for each phase and the management of multiple contractors. An example of this is a stage gate process, where regardless of the size of the prospect the same set work tasks and deliverables are required to pass to the next phase, generally no assurance is performed upfront to determine the actual requirements. Another example is field development tools, which are used in isolation from reservoir simulation to flow assurance/facilities design with limited integration, which leads to the inefficient transfer of data and a reduction in accuracy. The above causes unnecessarily long schedules, repetition in scope and results in sub-optimal technical solution and project economics. The requirement to transfer and interpret information between multiple parties and stages (internal and external) creates unnecessary complexity and introduces additional risk to the final technical solution. This paper will demonstrate the value of an Integrated Field Development approach for a large Deepwater gas condensate development offshore Australia, and how this approach can dramatically reduce duration, improve accuracy, lower contingency and maximize the economics of a project. It shows the clear advantages of facilities engineers working closely with subsurface, drilling and completions and will highlight some of the key features that make the Integrated Field Development approach a success.