As seen in the July 2010 issue of

Artificial Lift

Seabed production boosting systems push the limits

Baker Hughes production solutions were chosen to boost fluids from deepwater subsea fields. The seabed AUTHORS booster systems minimize design comBen Gould and Carla Loaiza, plexity and offer higher efficiency and Baker Hughes pressure boost capacity than alternative artificial lift methods. Flow rates s subsea development water up to 150,000 b/d and boost pressures depths and step-out lengths in excess of 5,000 psi are achievable. increase, operators require High gas fractions also can be accommore technologically advanced and modated with a suite of multiphase cost-effective methods to produce pump designs. reserves over the life of deepwater In May 2010, Baker Hughes installed fields. The objective, of course, is to Centrilift XP enhanced run-life ESP maximize production and minimize systems in two vertical subsea boosting costs, and ultimately to expand the stations at Shells Perdido field in the economic development limits of subGoM. The setting in 8,000 ft (2,438 m) sea technology. of water is a world-record water depth for ESP installation. The Perdido sysThe challenge tem is unique in that it has In January 2007, Shell direct vertical access for awarded the contract for two installation and retrieval of major deepwater seabed prothe ESP systems. duction boosting systems for The six systems installed subsea projects Perdido in in vertical subsea boosting the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) stations at Shells Parque das and BC-10 offshore Brazil Conchas (BC-10) field in the to Baker Hughes. The Campos Basin offshore Perdido system marks the Brazil are located approxifirst project using electrical mately five miles (8 km) submersible pumping (ESP) from the floating producsystems in seabed vertical tion, storage, and offloading booster stations in the GoM. (FPSO) facility in 5,250 to The vertical booster sta6,250 ft (1,600 to 1,905 m) tions require installation of of water and are designed to a large 36-in. conductor boost up to 100,000 b/d of pipe on the seafloor by fluid, which is the maximum drilling or suction pile, if capacity of the FPSO. The the seafloor is muddy. The systems installed on BC-10 ESP system is encased in a do not allow direct vertical pressure vessel with a conaccess and will require a rig nection system on top. The or a light intervention vessel system is lowered into the for retrieval. dummy well by a light conThe Perdido vertical Caisson cross-section from Argonauta B-West, part of the BCstruction vessel or rig. The booster stations handle pro10 field, shows gas re-blending ports just below the ESP. (Image duction from three subsea booster station can be located at any point between courtesy of Shell) satellite fields (Great White,

Two landmark projects have laid the groundwork for subsea production systems of the future.

the well and host facility. If more than one field is connected to the host production platform, the booster station may be closer to the platform and can boost production from several fields. In developments where several wells are in one seabed location, the booster station may be needed closer to the wells. The vertical configuration of these installations makes gas separation easier, and the pump encapsulation in the pressure vessel onshore decreases installation costs. While several wells can be produced through one vertical booster station, this setup eliminates the ability to optimize flow from each well. The same pressure boost is applied to each well, which limits the system by the lowest-producing well.

The solution

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July 2010 | E&P

Artificial Lift

Baker Hughes installed ESPs in caisson on the seabed to boost several production wells in commingle with a single unit. (Image courtesy of Baker Hughes)

Silvertip, and Tobago) tied back to the spar host facility. This is the deepest spar production facility in the world, moored in approximately 8,000 ft of water. The booster stations are directly beneath the spar and are connected to the platform via top tensioned risers.

Pushing the ESP envelope

Centrilift standard ESP systems have higher pressure boost capabilities than most traditional surface systems. ESP systems, by design, are intended to be immersed in fluid, whether it is in the well or on the seabed. ESP motors are pressure balanced with the environment, whether that is downhole pressure or water pressure, in subsea applications. Basically, ESP systems are designed for the subsea environment, unlike traditional surface pumps that must be re-engineered to overcome pressure and penetration issues. A major issue for any field development is economics, and ESP seabed booster systems offer several advantages over other alternatives: Seabed ESP systems can be deployed with vessels of opportunity instead of via semisubmersible rigs, which reduces both the overall cost of installa-

tion and intervention and deferred production resulting from a waiting period for a rig; Seabed ESP systems can be configured to provide a backup system to maximize run-life and minimize deferred production. Some seabed ESP systems use existing infrastructure to house the systems, which also reduces overall development costs; and Seabed ESP booster systems are not as space-constricted as in-well systems. Production from several wells can be boosted with only one seabed ESP booster system. Centrilift XP production systems extend the capabilities of ESP system technology to increase proven reserves. Historically, harsh fluid conditions, including high temperatures, CO2 levels, extreme abrasives, free gas content, and hydrogen sulfide levels limited the application range for ESP systems. The Centrilift Performance series pump designs maximize vane openings, optimize flow paths, and include patented particle swirl suppression technology as the first line of defense against abrasive downhole environments. The extra-wide vane openings boost performance in the

presence of gas, sand, viscosity, and scale. The technology advancements built into the Centrilift XP systems also improve reliability in difficult operational challenges, such as hard starts and uncertain or changing downhole conditions. These tasks are achievable because the design uses carbide bearings, high torsion rated shafts, and a special motor insulation process. Nearly all of the features have been upgraded, such as mechanical seals, motor oil, elastomers, and couplings. The pumping systems at Perdido and BC-10 consist of two pumps that produce 700 and 1,000 gal/m at their best efficient points, and a tandem motor capable of generating 1,600 hp. Centrilift Xtreme performance motors offer high-horsepower for technically challenging applications where downhole conditions and high intervention costs dictate robust, long-lasting solutions. These motors have been globally field-proven to increase ESP system run life in harsh well applications, allowing operators to increase production, reduce operating expenses, and decrease HSE incidents at the well site. Baker Hughes project management teams consulted with Shell engineers regarding Perdido and BC-10 system details at all stages of production and delivery. Throughout the process, from project award until installation and commissioning, Baker Hughes and Shell engineering staffs collaborated to ensure that the delivered project met expectations. After the units were installed, the companies worked together to ensure continued success by the use of monitoring and automation systems, both on the host vessels and at the Shell onshore offices. This teamwork will continue through the life of the project, as both Shell and Baker Hughes continue to apply operational learnings to the equipment as the field matures.

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