Subsurface Buoy Configuration for Rigid Risers in Ultra Deepwater

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Franciss
Keyword(s):  
Model Test ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Production System ◽  
Field Trial ◽  
Production Department ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
Production Platform ◽  
Exploration And Production

The Exploration and Production Department of Petrobras asked the R&D Center the development of a production system for 1800 m water depth, in Campos Basin, which would allow the installation of Steel Caterany Risers (SCR) in the starboard side of a production platform. The subsurface buoy concept was chosen as one of the alternatives. This concept has being developed since the preliminary studies conducted in the first phase of JIP Deepstar. This concept has an advantage of uncoupling the movements of the platform from the risers, reducing the loads due to the risers in the platform and allowing the installation of this system before the installation of the production vessel, anticipating the production of the field. This article shows the main characteristics of the buoy, its sizes, results of structural analyses and installation procedures for a buoy which sustains 14 SCR and 5 umbilicals in one side and 14 flexible jumpers and the same 5 umblicals in the opposite side. This concept was tested in two model test tanks, where it was verified that this concept is feasible. Also, information related to a field trial with a prototype installed in Brazilian waters will be presented.

Advantages of Polyester Mooring for Deepwater Floaters

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lixin Xu ◽  
Jieyan Chen
Keyword(s):  
Water Depth ◽  
Production System ◽  
Steel Wire ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Mooring System ◽  
Restoring Force ◽  
Production Platform ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Lock In

Since first installed at a water depth of 4,660 feet in 1997, polyester mooring systems have now been used on floating platforms in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Brazil and other regions. The Mad Dog Spar was the first floating production system (FPS) with permanent deepwater polyester moorings in the GOM. After the Mad Dog Spar, the deepest water depth is 7,800 feet in which a polyester mooring system was installed on the Perdido Spar. The polyester mooring systems have performed favorably, e.g., in the GOM, experiencing hurricanes without incident. The polyester rope in general is more advantageous than steel wire in deeper water due to reduced weight (and tension), high strength, durability (better fatigue and no corrosion), and improved floater global performances (less offset, etc.). Moreover, while a floating production platform is designed to support riser systems, fatigue damage of risers due to Vortex Induced Motions (VIM) of the platform are important design drivers particularly in the GOM. The polyester mooring system has a higher restoring force in horizontal (thus a higher lateral stiffness) in currents resulting in a significantly better fatigue performance (less current bins with VIM lock-in) than the steel mooring system does. The paper herein presents a comparative study with two kinds of mooring systems (polyester ropes and steel wires) for the same platform. Differences between the polyester and steel mooring systems are evaluated for various aspects, such as the mooring system configuration and performance, installation risks, operations, and impact on hull and riser system design and performance. The results also indicate cost savings for the polyester mooring equipment and the overall production system.

Installation of a Submerged Buoy for Supporting Risers (BSR) System in Campos Basin Site

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairo Bastos de Arau´jo ◽  
Jose´ Carlos Lima de Almeida ◽  
Antonio Carlos Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Analysis ◽  
Model Test ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Water Model ◽  
Floating Platform ◽  
Mooring Lines ◽  
Sea Bottom ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
Steel Catenary Risers ◽  
Field Location

The BSR (Buoy for Supporting Risers) concept is composed by a submerged buoy anchored to the sea bottom by tethers and intended to support risers coming from the bottom (probably SCRs — Steel Catenary Risers) and going to the floating platform (probably with flexible jumpers). For the case under analysis here, the main dimensions of the BSR prototype are 27.2 m length × 27.2 m width × 5.0 m depth. The paper describes all final full scale installation step so that the BSR may be considered a suitable technology. The installation indeed was the great challenge of this design due the size of the hull. The present work also evaluates numerically and experimentally a specific new manner to install the BSR with the support of auxiliary mooring lines among with the four tethers connected to it. One of the installation premises was to make use of Anchor Handling Supply Vessels instead of Crane Vessels. After this numerical analysis, the work went on by performing model tests that simulates the operation in a deep water model basin using 1:40 scale. The model test anticipated several problems such as the chain stopper weakness in the operation and others as discussed in this paper. As a conclusion the work was devised the most important parameters during the system installation and suggested ways to improve the methodology. In November 2009 the BSR was installed in 500 m of water depth at Congro field location, Campos Basin, offshore Brazil. The tethers were adjusted in January 2010 and in March 2010 two risers were installed. Thenceforward the last edge of this knowledge was considered over passed.

scholarly journals VIV Excitation Competition Between Bare and Buoyant Segments of Flexible Cylinders

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhibiao Rao ◽  
J. Kim Vandiver ◽  
Vikas Jhingran
Keyword(s):  
Model Test ◽  
Practical Problem ◽  
Excitation Frequency ◽  
Ocean Basin ◽  
Recent Model ◽  
Total Amplitude ◽  
Vortex Induced Vibration ◽  
Pipe Model ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Different Diameters

This paper addresses a practical problem: “Under which coverage of buoyancy modules, would the Vortex Induced Vibration (VIV) excitation on buoyant segments dominate the response?” This paper explores the excitation competition between bare and buoyant segments of a 38 meter long model riser. The source of data is a recent model test, conducted by SHELL Exploration and Production at the MARINTEK Ocean Basin in Trondheim Norway. A pipe model with five buoyancy configurations was tested. The results of these tests show that (1) the excitation on the bare and buoyant regions could be identified by frequency, because the bare and buoyant regions are associated with two different frequencies due to the different diameters; (2) a new phenomenon was observed; A third frequency in the spectrum is found not to be a multiple of the frequency associated with either bare or buoyancy regions, but the sum of the frequency associated with bare region and twice of the frequency associated with buoyancy region; (3) the contribution of the response at this third frequency to the total amplitude is small; (4) the power dissipated by damping at each excitation frequency is the metric used to determine the winner of excitation competition. For most buoyancy configurations, the excitation on buoyancy regions dominates the VIV response; (5) a formula is proposed to predict the winner of the excitation competition between bare and buoyant segments for a given buoyancy coverage.

Stability of offshore structures in shallow water depth

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 320-333
Author(s):  
F. Van den Abeele ◽  
J. Vande Voorde
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Structural Response ◽  
Offshore Structures ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Subsea Pipelines ◽  
Wave Induced ◽  
Shallow Water Depth

The worldwide demand for energy, and in particular fossil fuels, keeps pushing the boundaries of offshoreengineering. Oil and gas majors are conducting their exploration and production activities in remotelocations and water depths exceeding 3000 meters. Such challenging conditions call for enhancedengineering techniques to cope with the risks of collapse, fatigue and pressure containment.On the other hand, offshore structures in shallow water depth (up to 100 meter) require a different anddedicated approach. Such structures are less prone to unstable collapse, but are often subjected to higherflow velocities, induced by both tides and waves. In this paper, numerical tools and utilities to study thestability of offshore structures in shallow water depth are reviewed, and three case studies are provided.First, the Coupled Eulerian Lagrangian (CEL) approach is demonstrated to combine the effects of fluid flowon the structural response of offshore structures. This approach is used to predict fluid flow aroundsubmersible platforms and jack-up rigs.Then, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis is performed to calculate the turbulent Von Karmanstreet in the wake of subsea structures. At higher Reynolds numbers, this turbulent flow can give rise tovortex shedding and hence cyclic loading. Fluid structure interaction is applied to investigate the dynamicsof submarine risers, and evaluate the susceptibility of vortex induced vibrations.As a third case study, a hydrodynamic analysis is conducted to assess the combined effects of steadycurrent and oscillatory wave-induced flow on submerged structures. At the end of this paper, such ananalysis is performed to calculate drag, lift and inertia forces on partially buried subsea pipelines.

High Holding Power Torpedo Pile: Results for the First Long Term Application

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jairo Bastos de Araujo ◽  
Roge´rio Diniz Machado ◽  
Cipriano Jose de Medeiros Junior
Keyword(s):  
Water Depth ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Free Fall ◽  
Mooring System ◽  
Holding Power ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
Anchoring System ◽  
Very High

Petrobras developed a new kind of anchoring device known as Torpedo. This is a steel pile of appropriate weight and shape that is launched in a free fall procedure to be used as fixed anchoring point by any type of floating unit. There are two Torpedoes, T-43 and T-98 weighing 43 and 98 metric tons respectively. On October 2002 T-43 was tested offshore Brazil in Campos Basin. The successful results approved and certified by Bureau Veritas, and the need for a feasible anchoring system for new Petrobras Units in deep water fields of Campos Basin led to the development of a Torpedo with High Holding Power. Petrobras FPSO P-50, a VLCC that is being converted with a spread-mooring configuration will be installed in Albacora Leste field in the second semester of 2004. Its mooring analysis showed that the required holding power for the mooring system would be very high. Drag embedment anchors option would require four big Anchor Handling Vessels for anchor tensioning operations at 1400 m water depth. For this purpose T-98 was designed and its field tests were completed in April 2003. This paper discusses T-98 design, building, tests and ABS certification for FPSO P-50.

Validation of Wave Propagation in Numerical Wave Tanks

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Bunnik ◽  
Rene´ Huijsmans
Keyword(s):  
Shallow Water ◽  
Model Test ◽  
Water Depth ◽  
Linear Potential ◽  
Intermediate Water ◽  
Numerical Wave Tank ◽  
Wave Tank ◽  
Type Wave ◽  
Wave Generator ◽  
Numerical Wave

During the last few years there has been a strong growth in the availability and capabilities of numerical wave tanks. In order to assess the accuracy of such methods, a validation study was carried out. The study focuses on two types of numerical wave tanks: 1. A numerical wave tank based a non-linear potential flow algorithm. 2. A numerical wave tank based on a Volume of Fluid algorithm. The first algorithm uses a structured grid with triangular elements and a surface tracking technique. The second algorithm uses a structured, Cartesian grid and a surface capturing technique. Validation material is available by means of waves measured at multiple locations in two different model test basins. The first method is capable of generating waves up to the break limit. Wave absorption is therefore modeled by means of a numerical beach and not by mean of the parabolic beach that is used in the model basin. The second method is capable of modeling wave breaking. Therefore, the parabolic beach in the model test basin can be modeled and has also been included. Energy dissipation therefore takes place according to physics which are more related to the situation in the model test basin. Three types of waves are generated in the model test basin and in the numerical wave tanks. All these waves are generated on basin scale. The following waves are considered: 1. A scaled 100-year North-Sea wave (Hs = 0.24 meters, Tp = 2.0 seconds) in deep water (5 meters). 2. A scaled operational wave (Hs = 0.086 meters, Tp = 1.69 seconds) at intermediate water depth (0.86 meters) generated by a flap-type wave generator. 3. A scaled operational wave (Hs = 0.046 meters, Tp = 1.2 seconds) in shallow water (0.35 meters) generated by a piston-type wave generator. The waves are generated by means of a flap or piston-type wave generator. The motions of the wave generator in the simulations (either rotational or translational) are identical to the motions in the model test basin. Furthermore, in the simulations with intermediate water depth, the non-flat contour of the basin bottom (ramp) is accurately modeled. A comparison is made between the measured and computed wave elevation at several locations in the basin. The comparison focuses on: 1. Reflection characteristics of the model test basin and the numerical wave tanks. 2. The accuracy in the prediction of steep waves. 3. Second order effects like set-down in intermediate and shallow water depth. Furthermore, a convergence study is presented to check the grid independence of the wave tank predictions.

Ultra-Deepwater Production System: Model Test Study of Cylindrical FPSO in GoM Hurricane Conditions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Vidic-Perunovic ◽  
L. Lee ◽  
E. B. Glomnes ◽  
R. S. Mercier ◽  
W. J. Head
Keyword(s):  
Model Test ◽  
Production System ◽  
System Model ◽  
Test Study

Field Trial Results of an Innovative Heavy Oil Production System

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan McAleese ◽  
Richard McCann ◽  
Michael James Rushby
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Production System ◽  
Field Trial ◽  
Oil Production
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