Application of a Geographic Information System (GIS) for the Management and Analysis of Subsea Assets

17 October 2013 London Evening Meeting

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The need for intelligent data management for subsea pipeline projects has identified the importance of proper data management practices and the conservation of data integrity throughout the project life cycle. A Geographical Information System (GIS) has been used to store, manage and analyze the digital design, moving away from a paper centric to a more data centric environment.

The early implementation of a GIS system secures a rigid foundation for pipeline data throughout the project data life cycle and integrates data management systems using a widely adopted common platform. The leveraging of data access through third party management systems, such as the industry standard Pipeline Open Data Standard (PODS) model and Subsea Survey Data Model (SSDM), enables a fully functional platform to aid in greater decision support.

The use of GIS functionality and built in analysis tools, enables greater support for Asset Integrity Management (AIM), providing a greater degree of decision support to clients, through means of dynamic visual representation and bolt-on integrity tools. There is an increasing need in the Oil and Gas industry to ensure data is current, accurate and meaningful to ensure the integrity of assets through the full life of field.

 

 

 

 

Pipeline Inspection and Repair

9 October 2013 Aberdeen Evening Meeting

Chairman David Kaye, Aquamarine Power

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Fast Reaction Bespoke Solutions for Subsea Repair
Paul Booth, Engineering Manager, Intervention and Autonomous Systems, Subsea 7

Despite all the pre-planning, engineering and stockpiled hardware, there are occasions where a high quality bespoke solution has to be engineered in the minimal possible time. This presentation looks at a number of bespoke, deep water pipeline repairs carried out over the past 18 months. The deep water application brings added complexity due to the need for ROV installation. The repairs were designed, tested and proceduralised by Subsea7 in conjunction with client/operator requirements, and with input from third parties where additional specialised fabrication or equipment was required.

Subsea Digital Radiography of a Blocked Pipeline
James McNab, Global Technology Manager, Oceaneering International Inspection

Subsea transmission pipelines periodically require internal operations with mechanical “pigs” and “plugs”. These pigs and plugs can become stuck inside the pipeline for various unexpected reasons. It is unusual for operators to track the pig or plug along the full length of the subsea pipeline due to cost and access and the only positioning information usually available is by estimates of the volume of fluid pumped. The difficulty in finding the pig or plug can be compounded if the pipeline is heavy-walled, buried or coated. This paper describes a successful operation for locating a stuck plug and confirming its exact position within a buried 30pipe-in-pipe system. The plug was located using a combination of pressurisation/depressurisation sequences to calculate the approximate distance to the blockage, cleaning pigs with acoustic transponders to refine the location, and finally computed radiography.

Reinstatement of Foinaven Riser-Pullhead Bolted Connection
Neil Stagg, BP Subsea and Pipelines Team, Subsea Projects

Often solutions to unique problems are driven by outside constraints such as availability of specialist vessels, replacement time for main system elements and maximising summer weather opportunities. presentation discusses execution of a concept that evolved through lateral thinking to solve a West of Shetland pipeline-riser bolted connection requirement – and without specialist construction spreads or long lead times. This opens up capabilities for a new approach to subsea bolted connections.

SUT+ Pre-Talk, Pipeline Inspection and Repair
David Kaye, Chief Engineer, Aquamarine Power

Offshore pipelines represent a significant investment and a critical part of an operator’s export infrastructure. A significant amount of effort and expenditure is spent each year in inspecting offshore pipelines, and occasionally, much more effort is spent on repairing damaged pipelines and bringing them back into service. This presentation gives a beginner’s guide to the different pipeline inspection techniques and approaches to pipeline repair.

 

 

 

Branch AGM & Life Extension Presentations

20 November 2013 Newcastle Evening Meeting

Chairman Dr Ian Frazer

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Jonathon Doyle, Senior Engineer, Atkins
At the end of design life, the operators of subsea equipment and pipelines face a choice between decommissioning or justifying the extension of the life of their assets. Factors such as commodity price, enhanced recovery techniques, and the economic viability of new infrastructure all contribute to the decision. In recent years Atkins has worked on a number of subsea and pipeline life extension projects, ranging from major infrastructure to small subsea tiebacks. Jonathon will discuss the motivations we have seen for life extension, the techniques that we have employed, and some of the challenges that we and our clients have experienced.

Life in the Old Dogs Yet—An Evaluations of the North Sea’s Remaining Petroleum Resources
Prof Jon Gluyas, Head of Department, Dong/Ikon Chair in Geoenergy Carbon Capture & Storage, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University

In mid-1975 the Argyll Field became the first UK North Sea oilfield to produce oil. Seventeen years later in 1992 the then operator deemed life was over for this modest sized field and the expectation was that many more fields would follow suit. Indeed by the turn of the millennium it was anticipated that many of the large fields in the North Sea would be abandoned, the expected 30-35% yield factor of oil would have been met. Yet today in 2013 very few fields have been abandoned and many continue to produce oil economical albeit with reduced rate. Professor Gluyas will discuss some of the more likely enhanced oil recovery methods – those which modify the properties of the connate water or the viscosity of the oil and will also examine reservoir contributions to OPEX reduction by examining the value in co-produced fluids.

The sky is not the limit but there are good technical reasons to believe tertiary recovery could add 10% to the ultimate yield of oil in the UK.