Technology Focus: Offshore Facilities (February 2011)

Abstract

Technology Focus Our industry continues to make great progress in creating and qualifying new technical solutions to meet the need for cost-effective offshore oil-/gas-production facilities in evermore-challenging environments. In last year’s Offshore Facilities Focus, we reviewed some of the more-prominent recent examples, and in this edition we cover some further updates on progress. There is, however, a particular theme running through these latest examples, which are perhaps worthy of some special attention. The E&P industry is renowned for its ability to generate impressive technical solutions for just about any well-defined offshore challenge it may face. In my experience, it has been less able to demonstrate a similar global consistency across cultures in the manner in which the supplier and the client go about achieving the potential of the technology in practice. In one recent firsthand exposure, there even appeared to be a deliberate mind-set of challenge and contractual standoff from the outset between the two parties. The intended aim was to bring about rapid execution at lowest possible cost. It is questionable whether this approach ever can be sustainable beyond the particular project in question, and whether either party’s best interests can thereby be served in practice. What shines through in the examples covered in the following pages is how a purposefully collaborative approach can make a positive difference to the benefits for both parties. These benefits often can be enhanced further by establishing a broader constructive and collaborative framework with a wider group of stakeholders that typically can include installation contractors and classification/certification agencies. The success of individual-project collaborations leads to a sustainable contracting environment into the future. Also, it can, in some cases, lead to global frame agreements, which can enable both parties to harvest expanded economic and schedule benefits from building on the culture of mutual respect and aligned objectives. I hope you enjoy these case studies as much as I have. Offshore Facilities additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. OTC 20762 “Demonstrating the Feasibility of Steel Catenary Risers From a Cylindrical FPSO in Harsh Deepwater Locations” by Jan V. Aarsnes, Sevan Marine ASA, et al. OTC 20506 “Deepwater-Pipeline and -Riser Installation by the Reel-Lay Method” by S.N. Smith, Subsea 7, et al. OTC 21024 “Top-Tensioned-Riser Systems for a New Floater Type” by David L. Garrett, Stress Engineering Services, et al.