Offshore Marine Operations
07 March, 2012
Offshore Marine Operations
7 March 2012 Aberdeen Branch Evening Meeting
Chairman Mike Hawkyard, Technip
Overview
Offshore marine operations are a key part of the subsea oil and gas industry. Offshore activity represents a huge element of life-cycle costs of a project, from early construction activity, through to operational support and eventually decommissioning. Offshore activity also carries significant risks through the cost of delays, unplanned activity, and the ever-present health, safety and environmental risks when working subsea. This evening meeting presented an overview of marine operations. Three experienced speakers presented on three different aspects of marine operations, including discussion of areas of particular, personal interest. The meeting provided a valuable and educational overview for both experienced and new entrants to the industry.
Presentations
History of Implementation: Health, Safety and Environment
Paul Marshall, Sineumbra
Health and safety has been a difficult issue for many years, trying to get the balance right between being too restrictive and too liberal. It all seemed to start off in the marine area with Samuel Plimsoll and ever since then the problem of profit versus people has gone on. This presentation was not intended to make health and safety experts of anyone, oh and don’t forget the environment (how could we!!). It was intended to try and raise awareness of how serves us all well and protects the interests of the majority and attempted to inhibit the practices of those with, shall we say fewer scruples, than most would consider proper.
Well Intervention
Fraser Finlay, BP
Light well intervention has been a part of the subsea marine environment for some time now. It has often been perceived to be a cheaper but somewhat less effective means to intervene on the more accessible and less challenging types of operation. This presentation was intended to give some insight into recent advances that have opened up new horizons for well work. The presentation included case studies covering rapid response to integrity threats, pushing depth thresholds for open water wire, and operational risk reduction on an HPHT gas well.
Construction and Decommissioning
Eamon Sheehan, BP
This presentation presented an overview of the wide and varied construction and decommissioning tasks being addressed in the North Sea. We looked at case studies in repair, installation and decommissioning of assets in the North Sea, including installation of a subsea fibre optic network in the UK sector, decommissioning a large fixed platform, and installation of a long pipeline bundle system.
Mike Hawkyard, Technip