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October 2013
World Trends and Technology for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations
Deepwater
field reports
MPD update
FLNG design
Hybrid BOPs
SCR installation
E: ster
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1310off_1 1
10/2/13 4:26 PM
International Edition
Volume 73, Number 10
October 2013
Celebrating Over 50 Years of Trends, Tools, and Technology
DEEPWATER FIELD REPORTS

Gulf operators advance plans
for deepwater development .................................................... 32
CONTENTS
32
As operators and E&P frms seek to develop and produce oil and
gas further out into the Gulf of Mexico, vendors and suppliers are
facilitating these projects with a range of new and proven technologies
designed to perform in harsh, deepwater environments.
PEMEX prepares for frst development project

in deepwater GoM.................................................................... 38
Mexico is keen to open up its fedgling deepwater sector to foreign
players. At the same time, the country is looking to build domestic
expertise in deepwater production engineering, starting with the
subsea-shore Lakach project. Senior PEMEX executives outlined progress to date and future plans at the recent Offshore Europe conference
in Aberdeen.
Industry gears up for new round

of activity offshore Brazil ........................................................ 44
With the depths at which offshore operators in Brazil are forced to
work becoming ever greater and conditions more extreme, equipment
capacity is being stretched to the limit. To increase effciency, technological innovation has never been more important not just to maintain
productivity, but also viability.
Shell sets the FLNG agenda as Prelude takes shape ............. 46

When Shell sanctioned the Prelude foating liquefed natural gas project
in 2011, the company emphasized that it intended to use the massive
foater design as a template for a series of FLNG units. Offshore spoke
with Marjan van Loon, vice president LNG in the Projects and Technology division of Shells Global Solutions Upstream group, about Prelude
and the companys plans for FLNG in Australia.
46
Tullow continues to ride

West Africa offshore success crest ........................................ 48
Tullow Oil is one of the big players in the offshore West Africa oil and
gas exploration and production venue. It has operations off Gabon,
Ghana, and Cte dIvoire, in particular, and holds interests in Congo
(Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal,
and Sierra Leone. Going further east, Tullow is involved in Uganda,
Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya, and Namibia.
BRAZIL
Presalt Libra prospect offers opportunities, challenges ........ 50
Brazils frst exclusive presalt licensing round will be held in late October, with one production-sharing contract on offer for the deepwater
Libra prospect. The Libra prospect is potentially huge, both for the
Brazilian oil and gas industry and the global industry. Libra could
hold reserves equal to almost two-thirds of Brazils current proved oil
reserves, and production could reach as high as 1 MMb/d.
MIDDLE EAST
Saudi Arabia dramatically increases rig count,
accelerates offshore development ......................................... 52
Saudi Arabia has massively increased the total number of drilling rigs in
recent months; this year, the total number of rigs is set to hit a record of
170, nearly double the 88 rigs in October 2012. The spike in the number
of rigs as well as the exploration and development of more costly
offshore felds signify a troublesome trend: it is becoming increasingly
diffcult to maintain stable output from the existing wells amidst growing domestic and international demand.
GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS

Seismic processing advancement
continues to push envelope .................................................... 56
Along with the massive amounts of data resulting from todays offshore
seismic acquisition approaches comes the challenge of fnding the correct
data when it is needed, and developers are working to take data management tasks off the geoscientists list to free time for interpreting that data.
Offshore (ISSN 0030-0608) is published 12 times a year, monthly by PennWell, 1421 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74112. Periodicals class postage paid at Tulsa, OK, and additional offices.
Copyright 2013 by PennWell. (Registered in U.S. Patent Trademark Office.) All rights reserved. Permission, however, is granted for libraries and others registered with the Copyright Clearance
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POSTMASTER send form 3579 to Offshore, P.O. Box 3200, Northbrook, IL 60065-3200. To receive this magazine in digital format, go to www.omeda.com/os.
DEEPWATER
CHALLENGES
Deepwater drilling uids and services

leadership By far, for years
M-I SWACO drilling uids technology, engineering and drilling waste management services have
helped deliver an average of 139 deepwater wells per year for the last 7 years. This is more than
twice the number of any other provider, and includes 290 wells classied as ultra-deepwater.
Its an unrivalled track record that demonstrates the proven performance of our deepwater-certied
specialists and our technical portfolio in the most challenging drilling environments.
miswaco.com/deepwater
October 2013
Celebrating Over 50 Years of Trends, Tools, and Technology
CONTENTS
ENGINEERING, CONSTRUCTION,
& INSTALLATION
Deepwater steel catenary risers
require attention to fatigue factors ......................................... 74
Steel catenary risers are an attractive technology for deepwater
feld developments. SCRs are simple in design with few complicated
components. They require high fatigue performance, especially at
the top end and at sag bend. Increasingly, risers are wet stored on the
seabed before the foating facility is moored. When SCRs are installed
in deeper waters, their top tensions increase beyond the capabilities of
many existing vessels. This makes the installation of SCRs in deepwater
challenging.
Technology and economics align to boost FLNG.................... 80

As a concept, foating liquefed natural gas has been around for nearly
four decades long enough for many to question, only a few years ago,
whether circumstances would ever push the technology beyond that
stage. Now, with two major projects in the works and many more under
consideration, FLNGs place in the energy mix of the future seems
assured.
60
DRILLING & COMPLETION

Tight control of equivalent circulating
density offers benefts............................................................. 60
It is clear that the ability to measure precisely and monitor continuously

the equivalent circulating density of drilling fuid at the bit is crucial to
success. This single ability has allowed major strides in drilling technology that have affected safety, cost effectiveness, and effciency. Cuttingedge techniques, sustained by innovative technology, are increasing the
industrys ability to safely and effciently drill unstable formations in
deep- and ultra-deepwater. Two of the latest innovations are dual-gradient drilling and pressurized mud-cap drilling.
Managed pressure drilling used to mitigate

kick and loss in extreme wellbores ........................................ 64
The complex pressure challenges presented by deepwater and highpressure/high-temperature wells are a major source of risk and NPT.
Kicks and losses often pose challenges that exceed the capabilities of
conventional drilling and standard well control measures and methods.
To achieve the high level of safety and effciency needed to drill these
wells, wellbore construction is increasingly turning to MPD monitoring
and control methods to mitigate drilling hazards and reach total depth.
BOP technology advanced through hybridization .................. 70

The future of offshore drilling and workovers will continue to be shaped
by ongoing technical and engineering reforms. Hybridized methods
and techniques from external felds will further enhance BOP operability. The amount of infusion from different felds into BOP technology will ultimately be determined by the results delivered from ongoing
feasibility studies and research and development.
4 Offshore October 2013 www.offshore-mag.com
PRODUCTION OPERATIONS
High throughput a high value
in deepwater communications ............................................... 82
The value of improved offshore communications lies in remote asset
monitoring and subsea sensing; video and telephonic conferencing; the
ability to stream videos of operations from the oil rig or ocean foor;
improved quality of life for offshore personnel; and increased employee
retention. The ability to perform these capabilities, even when in
remote locations, demands higher than ever throughput.
SUBSEA
Dedicated connectivity critical
for harsh subsea operations ................................................... 86
As offshore oil and gas operators extract hydrocarbons at increasing
depths, subsea operations depend on advanced equipment to perform
without fail under extreme conditions. Central to this development is
the increasing use of dedicated subsea connectivity solutions for more
effcient, reliable, and safe operation of vital equipment on the seabed,
including subsea control and safety systems.
FLOWLINES & PIPELINES

New welding center addresses harsh
environment demands............................................................. 90
Earlier this year, Subsea 7 opened its new Global Pipeline Welding Center in Scotland. The 10-million ($15.9-million) base is designed partly
to further research and development into new welding techniques for
laying and protecting pipes in harsher offshore environments. It will
also test processes to improve accuracy and productivity of welding
high-strength steel and corrosion-resistant alloy pipes on the companys
pipelay vessels, and at its various onshore spool bases.
Weatherford delivers an uncompromising commitment to well integrity. We ensure

Design Proven well-engineering and project-management expertise
Drill Managed pressure drilling and extensive technology to mitigate
risk in all conditions

completion systems for lifetime well integrity

and safety valve repair
Evaluate Casing inspection and cement integrity evaluation

and peace of mind.
Contact and collaborate with us at wellintegrity@weatherford.com
Formation Evaluation
2013 Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Well Construction
Completion
Production
October 2013
COVER: Shells Olympus tensionleg platform, centerpiece of the Mars

B development, has been installed in
3,000 ft (914 m) of water in the Green
Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico,
about a mile from Shells original Mars
platform, seen in the background.
Said to be the largest TLP installed in
the Gulf, Olympus is being prepped
for a projected startup in early 2014.
The unit will draw production from
the West Boreas and South Diemos
felds. Shell is also moving ahead
with the Stones FPSO project in the
Walker Ridge area, one of several Gulf
of Mexico deepwater developments
described in this issues special report.
(Photo courtesy Shell)
EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING

Statoil, Baker Hughes run frst large-diameter Kymera bit in Logan appraisal ..........94
Baker Hughes has successfully deployed its Hughes Christensen Kymera hybrid drill bit for
Statoil at an appraisal well in the Logan feld, the frst time a large-diameter Kymera bit has been
run in the Gulf of Mexico.
Schlumberger introduces new moment tensor inversion service............................ 94

Schlumberger has rolled out a new moment tensor inversion service that is designed to provide
enhanced analysis of the dynamics of hydraulic fracture propagation.
Bluefn delivers upgraded AUV to Phoenix ................................................................ 94

Bluefn Robotics has completed a depth upgrade on a Bluefn-21 autonomous underwater vehicle for subsea services company Phoenix International Holdings, increasing the AUVs depth
capability from 1,500 m to 4,500 m (4,921 ft to 14,764 ft).
BWA introduces biodegradable antiscalant for reverse osmosis systems .............. 96

Specialty chemicals supplier BWA Water Additives has introduced Flocon 885, a biodegradable,
phosphorus-free, and nitrogen-free antiscalant that the company describes as the frst polymer
to provide a biodegradable option for cost-effective control of carbonate and sulfate scales on
reverse osmosis membranes.
Viking extends service agreements to offshore operators ....................................... 96

Marine and fre safety equipment manufacturer Viking Life-Saving Equipment is offering an
adaptation of its successful Viking Shipowner Agreement to offshore owners and operators.
D E P A R T M E N T S
Online .................................................... 8
Comment ............................................. 10
Data ..................................................... 12
Global E&P .......................................... 14
Offshore Europe .................................. 18
Gulf of Mexico ..................................... 20
Subsea Systems ................................. 22
Vessels, Rigs, & Surface Systems ...... 24

Drilling & Production .......................... 26
Geosciences ........................................ 28
Offshore Automation Solutions .......... 30
Business Briefs ................................... 98
Advertisers Index............................. 103
Beyond the Horizon .......................... 104
Connections made simple.

Ensuring your production platform and other offshore assets stay in constant communication
during operations might seem like a difcult task, but not when you understand subsea
communications like we do.
At Harris CapRock, we leverage our expertise in offshore communications to provide fully managed,
end-to-end subsea solutions utilizing ber optics, radio frequency, VSAT, and offshore buoy technologies.
Custom-engineered seaoor networks support these systems to meet a wide range of communication
requirements. But more than that, our deployed systems enable the real-time command and control of
any equipment on the network from anywhere around the globe through power and ber-optic cables.
Well design the hybrid solution best suited to meet your needs, and youll get the reliable, world-class
communications service that Harris CapRock is known for and that your operations demand.
No matter what your mission is in energy exploration and production, Harris CapRock has the expertise to
design, deploy and sustain a complete, end-to-end solution for you.
Subsea connections just dont get any easier.
harriscaprock.com
marinesystems@harris.com
2013 Harris CapRock Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
RELIABILIT Y NEVER REACHED SO FAR
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Latest news
The latest news is posted daily for the offshore oil and gas industry covering
technology, companies, personnel moves, and products.
New Videos
PSVM
The BP-operated PSVM development in block 31 offshore Angola started

production on Dec. 6, 2012. The projects frst phase comprises three wells in
the Plutao feld, where BP expects to ramp up production to 70,000 b/d. Additional wells will boost PSVMs output to 150,000 b/d as wells go onstream in
the Saturno and Venus felds this year and in Marte in 2014.
When complete, PSVM will include a total of 40 production gas and water
injection wells connected to a 1.6-MMbbl storage capacity FPSO via 15 subsea
manifolds and associated equipment.
http://www.offshore-mag.com/topics/video-index
New webcast
Enabling Real-time Operation with Security in Mind
Real-time operating centers and collaboration/training centers have become

standard for day-to-day operations in the oil and gas industry. These centers
are used to address operating disciplines such as monitoring offshore drilling
and production, visualization and well planning, drilling simulation and training, disaster recovery, and more.
With real-time data access and exchange, cyber security becomes paramount for operating centers, and a system must be in place to ensure the integrity and security of this data, no matter where its destination or application.
Speakers from Thinklogical discuss how secure fber-optic KVM and video
extension and switching solutions can address the ongoing challenge of data
security for all disciplines within real-time operating centers.
http://www.offshore-mag.com/content/os/en/webcasts/offshore/2013/10/enabling-real-time-operation.html
OFFSHORE EVENTS
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David Paganie Houston
Caspian Sea giant Kashagan flowing first oil

The North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC) has offcially tapped the super-giant
offshore oilfeld, Kashagan, in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea. The feld has
an estimated 35 Bbbl of oil in-place, of which 9-13 Bbbl could be recoverable. For context, this represents most of Kazakhstans offshore proved oil reserves and is roughly
equivalent to Brazils entire proved oil reserves, both onshore and offshore, according
to the US Energy Administration. The recent start of the frst of the 40 wells in the
initial phase of production comes eight
years later than originally anticipated.
Since the felds discovery in 2000, NCOC
and partners have invested more than
$40 billion in the project. This solidifes
its ranking as not only one of the largest
oil felds in the world, but also one of the
most expensive. Perhaps even more impressive is the complexity of the project.
The Kashagan reservoir is about 14,000 ft
below the seabed with high pressure (770
bar initially), elevated levels of hydrogen Kashagan artificial island. (Courtesy North
sulfde (15% H2S), and some carbon diox- Caspian Operating Co.)
ide (4% CO2 ) in shallow, ice-prone water.
This eliminated the feasibility of traditional drilling and production facilities. Instead,
the consortium opted for a series of artifcial islands to host the drilling and production
facilities. Partner Eni says production from the initial phase of development will reach
180,000 b/d of oil and then rise to the full phase-one target of 370,000 b/d of oil.
Oil transport to market is another challenge. A mix of new and existing pipelines
will be required to move product from the land-locked Caspian. One possible route is
subject to the development of the Kazakhstan Caspian Transportation System (KCTS).
This export option would transport oil primarily from Kashagan and Tengiz via pipeline
on the eastern side of the Caspian to a new terminal at Kuryk. From there production
would ship to Baku to enter the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline or other routes
to international markets. KCTS is expected to supply 300,000 b/d through BTC and
gradually increase to 800,000 b/d. The cost of the new pipeline is currently estimated
at $4 billion.
NCOC operates Kashagan on behalf of seven partners: KMG (KazMunayGas) 16.81%,
Eni 16.81%, ExxonMobil 16.81%, Shell 16.81%, Total 16.81%, ConocoPhillips 8.40%, and
INPEX 7.56%.
Deepwater review
Deepwater currently accounts for 7% of regional offshore production, but this is expected to increase to 17% by 2020, according to Douglas Westwood. The frm forecasts
$223 billion in deepwater capex during the next fve years. And spend on the drilling and
completion of deepwater development wells, it adds, is expected to increase from $400
million in 2012 to more than $2 billion by 2017.
Inside this issue, the Offshore editorial team updates the path to incremental growth
from deepwater with a review of activity in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, West Africa, and
Australia.
The report begins on page 32.
These and other emerging deepwater markets, such as Mozambique and Israel, will
be highlighted at the upcoming Deep Offshore Technology International conference
and exhibition, Oct. 22-24, 2013, at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center.
For more information, visit www.deepoffshoretechnology.com.
To respond to articles in Offshore, or to offer articles for publication,

contact the editor by email (davidp@pennwell.com).
G L O B A L D ATA
Worldwide day rates
Worldwide offshore rig count & utilization rate
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$50,000
$180,000
$180,000
$430,950
$430,077
$431,308
$442,619
$435,829
$450,497
$446,309
$454,179
$459,139
$464,190
$466,067
$469,997
$671,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$678,000
$40,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$30,000
$112,170
$112,613
$115,006
$115,766
$118,646
$119,641
$120,598
$119,747
$122,229
$122,788
$123,648
$124,889
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$368,000
$130,000
$130,000
$130,000
$130,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$145,000
$358,541
$358,657
$363,683
$364,937
$364,144
$362,117
$363,654
$373,113
$380,790
$379,355
$383,394
$386,279
$675,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
$648,000
Drillship
2012 Sept
2012 Oct
2012 Nov
2012 Dec
2013 Jan
2013 Feb
2013 Mar
2013 Apr
2013 May
2013 June
2013 July
2013 Aug
Jackup
2012 Sept
2012 Oct
2012 Nov
2012 Dec
2013 Jan
2013 Feb
2013 Mar
2013 Apr
2013 May
2013 June
2013 July
2013 Aug
Semi
2012 Sept
2012 Oct
2012 Nov
2012 Dec
2013 Jan
2013 Feb
2013 Mar
2013 Apr
2013 May
2013 June
2013 July
2013 Aug
Source: Rigzone.com
September 2011 August 2013

Contracted fleet utilization
No. of rigs
Maximum
Source: IHS
Average
Total fleet
Contracted
Working
950
100
850
90
750
80
650
70
550
60
450
50
40
350
11
pt
Se
Fleet utilization rate %
Minimum
De
11
ch
ar
12
12
n
Ju
Se
2
t1
De
12
ch
ar
13
13
n
Ju
Deepwater capex (%) 2008-2017 (West Africa, Brazil, US GoM, Australia)

1,000-1,499 m
500-999 m
>1,499 m
100
90
80
70
60
%
Year/Month
50
40
30
This month Infield Systems examines the deep and

ultra-deepwater markets across Brazil, West Africa, the
Gulf of Mexico (US GoM), and Australia. The largest
growth in terms of capital expenditure since 2008 has
been witnessed in the ultra-deepwater market (greater
than 1,499 m/4,818 ft). Driven by developments offshore
Brazil, which accounted for 51% of expenditure at these
depths during the previous five years and the US GoM,
holding a 38% share of the market, the ultra-deepwater
sector has grown by a CAGR of some 11% between
2008 and 2013. During the same period, water depths
of between 1,000 m (3,281 ft) and 1,499 m, which have
been traditionally driven by West African activities, witnessed a decline in capex. This is predominately a result
of a reduction in investment offshore Nigeria, which
experienced a decline in CAGR of 38% between 2008
and 2012 within developments at these depths.
Going forward to 2017, Infield Systems expects Brazil
to hold a 44% share of deep and ultra-deepwater capex,
20
10
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Source: Infield Systems OFFPEX
with key developments expected to include the Iracema Sul, Lula Central, and Franco multi-phase projects.
Elsewhere, the US GoM is expected to form a 24% share of the deep and ultra-deepwater market, with
leading operators including Shell, Chevron, and leading independent Anadarko. Angola is forecast to hold a
56% share of deepwater and ultra-deepwater capex within the West African region over the next five years,
with key projects including Totals Kaombo I and II developments and BPs Platina. Development offshore
Nigeria is also expected to pick-up, increasing to a forecast peak spend in 2017. Australia is expected to
hold just a 2% share of deep and ultra-deepwater expenditure. Infield Systems expects deepwater capex to
be led by the Scarborough and Laverda developments. Operators Woodside, ExxonMobil, and Chevron are
expected to dominate the Australian deepwater sector over the next five years.
Catarina Podevyn, Analyst, Infield Systems Ltd.
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GLOBAL E&P
is 104 km (65 mi) offshore Aracaju. In the same region and in similar
water depth, the Mun 1 well encountered a 24-m (79-ft) thick reservoir, which Petrobras views as an extension of another discovery.
In the presalt Santos basin, another well found oil in the Iguacu
Mirim structure in the prolifc BM-S-9 block, 34 km (21 mi) south of
the Carioca discovery and 303 km (188 mi) offshore So Paulo state.
Sinochem has offered the company $1.54 billion for its 35% stake
in the offshore BC-10 concession, where operator Shell plans further development of the Parque das Conchas feld. Petrobras hopes
to sell further assets offshore Brazil and in the Gulf of Mexico.
West Africa
Seadrills semisub West Aquarius drilled the Bay du Nord discovery.

(Photo courtesy Seadrill)
North America
Statoil has scored its second oil discovery this year offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. The semisubmersible West Aquarius drilled
the well on the Bay du Nord structure in 1,100 m (3,609 ft) of water in
the EL 1112 concession. The location was 500 km (310 mi) northeast
of St Johns, 10 km (6.2 mi) from the earlier Harpoon fnd, and 20 km
(12.4 mi) south of Statoils 2011 Mizzen discovery, thought to hold
100-200 MMbbl of oil. The company plans follow-up appraisal drilling.
Caribbean Sea
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has made six blocks

available under the islands Deep Water Competition Bid Round
2013, all off the north and east coasts. Bids are due in by the end of
January 2014.
In the shallow-water sector, Trinity plans to spud two exploratory
wells this quarter. The jackup Gorilla III will drill the GAL-25 prospect on the Galeota license targeting an extension to Trinitys producing Trintes feld, which could contain 32 MMbbl of oil. On the
western fank of the producing Brighton feld, the mat-supported
jackup WS-152 is due to drill the smaller El Dorado structure.
South America
The Eni/Repsol joint venture Cardon IV has contracted Foster

Wheeler to provide project management for the Perla feld production
facilities in the Gulf of Venezuela. These are under construction in more
than 15 countries Foster Wheeler will supervise the EPC process
from engineering centers in London, Madrid, and Rijeka, Croatia.
Perla holds in-place gas of 17 tcf (481 bcm) and around 170 MMbbl of condensate. Eni has agreed to form a new venture with state oil
company PDVSA to exploit the condensate reserves.
Petrobras has confrmed three new ultra-deepwater fnds off Brazil.

The Farfan 1 well in the Sergipe basin proved an extension of the earlier Farfan discovery well, in 2,476 m (8,121 ft) of water. The location
Afren has sanctioned fabrication of a new 12-slot wellhead platform for the shallow-water Okoro Further Field Development offshore Nigeria. This will be designed to accommodate up to 24 wells
and accommodate wireline and coil tubing systems. The platform
will be bridge-linked to the existing Okoro Main complex, with a
new mobile offshore production unit stationed nearby.
Totals Diaman-1B gas condensate discovery offshore Gabon has

opened a new deepwater presalt play. The well was drilled in 5,673 ft
(1,729 m) of water in the Diaba license G4-223, 60 mi (96 km) from
the nearest other presalt commercial discovery. It intersected up to
180 net ft (55 m) of hydrocarbon pay, according to partner Marathon.
In Gabons shallow-water Dussafu license, Harvest Natural Resources is working on a development concept for three oil discoveries
with potential resources close to 50 MMbbl. This would involve stationing an FPSO on the Tortue feld with subsea tie-ins for the Ruche
and Walt Whitman structures. Production could start in March 2015.
The Murphy-operated Azurite feld offshore Republic of Congo

(Brazzaville) is set for a premature termination, according to partner PA Resources. Continuing reservoir issues have kept production way below original expectations, and abandonment will start
later this year.
Mediterranean Sea
Work on the Elyssa feld offshore Tunisia should move forward

once EnQuest is confrmed as the new operator. Following recent
3D seismic interpretation an appraisal well is expected to be drilled
early next year, according to current operator PA Resources. Elsewhere in the sector, PA says the partners in the various licenses
containing the Zarat feld are working on a joint development. This
could involve re-injection of gas to allow production of oil and condensate prior to frst gas sales.
Montenegros Ministry of Economy has invited bids for the countrys frst offshore licensing round. This takes in 13 blocks over an
unexplored area totaling 3,191 sq km (1,232 sq mi). Companies that
have viewed the data room include Eni, ExxonMobil, and Total. Bids
must be received by the end of February 2014.
Greeces sole offshore oil producer, Energean Oil & Gas, has initiated a new development drilling campaign on the Prinos and Prinos
North felds.
This includes one injection well to raise pressure in Prinos and
one horizontal extended-reach well on Prinos North. The jackup
GSP Fortuna is drilling the wells, which should more than double
current production to 4,500 b/d. Energean plans further drilling
next year on the offshore Epsilon feld.
Middle East
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have reportedly halted development

planning for the offshore Dorra gas feld after failing to agree on
GLOBAL E&P
how to share production and where to send it. The original plan and Mineral Resources for a foating storage and regasifcation
called for a joint development via two offshore pipelines.
unit. The FSRU Golar Eskimo, capable of storing 160,000 cu m (5.65
However, Saudi Aramco is looking to boost its offshore construc- MMcf) of LNG, will be moored at a newly-built structure off the
tion capability, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba, and will deliver up to 500 MMcf/d
Sembcorp Maritime and National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia (14 MMcm/d) via a connection to the countrys gas transmission
(Bahri). This would involve developing a new yard in Saudi Arabia pipeline.
providing engineering, manufacturing
and repair services for rigs, platforms,
East Africa
Block L9 offshore Kenya.
and offshore service vessels.
Australian company FAR is looking
(Image courtesy FAR)
to farm out part of its 30% stake in the

Kubwa-1
ADMA-OPCO has awarded Technip
oil-prospective block L9 in the Lamu baand NPCC a $1.69-billion EPC contract
sin offshore Kenya. The company and
Interpreted Limit
for the Umm Lulu Full Field developoperator are looking to drill their frst
of Early Tertiary
Kifaru
Oil Source
ment project offshore UAE. The scope
well on the permit in late 2014.
Kifaru Tembo
West
includes engineering, construction, and
installation of a complex comprising six

Eni has discovered more gas in Area
Mbawa
bridge-linked platforms. Technip will
4 offshore Mozambique in the Agulha
deploy its foatover technique for the
prospect. The company estimates poinstallations. All work is expected to be
tential resources in the 5-7 tcf (142completed during the frst half of 2018.
198 bcm) range. Three appraisal wells
could follow next year. The location was

Masirah Oil has reportedly con80 km (49.7 mi) offshore Cabo Delgatracted the cantilever jackup Aban VI
do, in 2,492 m (8,174 ft) of water.
for exploratory drilling offshore Oman.
Statoils second well off Mozambique
At least two wells will be drilled on offwas a dry hole, according to partner
Kiboko-1
shore block 50, targeting prospective
Tullow Oil. The drillship Discoverer
resources close to 160 MMbbl.
Americas drilled Buzio-1 in a water
depth of 1,534 m (5,033 ft). The main

Golar Nor has agreed to a time chartargets were Tertiary and Upper Cretater with Jordans Ministry of Energy
ceous stratigraphic traps.
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PetroSeychelles has received two new applications for petroleum exploration blocks
offshore the Seychelles, in Application Areas 1 and 2. Earlier, the islands president
James Michel held talks with offcials from
Japans JOGMEC over a possible joint oil
and gas exploration program.
Indian Sub-Continent
Reliance Industries and BP have a second deepwater discovery in block CY-DWN

2001/2 in the Cauvery basin offshore India.
The well, drilled in 1,743 m (5,717 ft) of water, was targeting Mesozoic reservoirs. It
fowed just over 35 MMcf/d (991,090 cm/d)
of gas and 413 b/d of condensate.
Sri Lankas Petroleum Resources Committee is offering six ultra-deepwater blocks

around the countrys coastline on a joint
study basis. These range in area from 18,000
to 26,000 sq km (6,950 to 10,039 sq mi).
They will be awarded outside the current
Sri Lankan bid round.
around Sakhalin. The new facility could

have capacity of 5 MM tons/yr, and should
start operating in 2018.
Australasia
The Browse joint venture partners have

accepted Woodsides recommendation of
foating LNG to develop the three Browse
gas felds offshore northwest Australia, using Shells FLNG technology. Woodside
will lead the basis of design work, which
will determine the main parameters for the

front-end engineering and design for the
proposed subsea and FLNG facilities and associated infrastructure.
Anadarko Petroleum reportedly plans to

drill a deepwater exploration well off New
Zealands Otago Peninsula. The location is 60
km (37 mi) offshore in the Canterbury basin
in water depths of more than 1,000 m (3,280
ft). Drilling should start early next year.
Asia/Pacifc
PTTEP has proven more gas in the Aung

Sinha feld in the Gulf of Moattama, offshore
Myanmar. The company drilled four successful appraisal wells, with three fowing
more than 34 MMcf/d (962,773 cm/d) in
total with more than 2,000 b/d of associated
condensate in two of the wells. PTTEP plans
more drilling on the feld next year, and is
looking to bring in Mitsui Oil Exploration as
a partner on the block.
Mubadala Petroleum and partner KrisEnergy have committed to the Nong Yao oil
development in the G11/48 contract area in
the Gulf of Thailand. The initial phase calls
for 23 wells, a wellhead processing platform
and a minimum facility wellhead platform,
with oil exported via an FSO. Production
capacity will be 15,000 b/d of oil and 30,000
b/d of fuids. Start-up is scheduled for the
frst half of 2015.
AWE is set to transfer 50% of the Northwest Natuna PSC offshore Indonesia to a
subsidiary of Santos for $188 million, subject
to approval from the Indonesian authorities.
The concession includes the 2000 Ande Ande
Lamut oil discovery, which will likely be developed via a wellhead platform and an FPSO.
Rosneft and ExxonMobil have started the

contractor selection process for a new LNG
project on Sakhalin Island offshore eastern
Russia. They aim to complete design work,
including preferred liquefaction technology,
next year, with gas supplied from Rosnefts
offshore reserves in various structures
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Jeremy Beckman London
OFFSHORE EUROPE
UK needs development
drilling upturn
Investments across the UK continental shelf
this year could total a record $21.2 billion, according to Oil & Gas UKs 2013 Economic
Report. Much of the outlay is on new projects,
with 15 felds set to enter service this year with
combined reserves of 470 MMboe. Yet at the
same time, production from the sector continues to fall, declining 14.6% last year to 1.54
MMboe/d, with a further dip predicted this
year to 1.2-1.4 MMboe/d.
More needs to be done to stimulate further
development of mature felds, said Economics and Commercial director Mike Tholen at
Offshore Europe last month. In his speech at
the keynote session on North Sea drilling, he
pointed out that UK development well activity is less than half what it was a decade ago.
And unless we get more drilling, we wont
get the most out of whats left in the sector.
The main building blocks are in place, he
said, including continuing high oil prices and
the governments new Brownfeld Tax Allowance. However, there are also deterrents.
One is the high cost of reactivating old derricks on some of the platforms and other general overhaul/maintenance work, which has
caused prolonged shutdowns on numerous
older UK felds. Another is the risk of drilling
a dry hole when trying to access one of the
myriad targets close to these felds.
Rod Hutton, senior manager, Petrodata-IHS,
said problems accessing suitable rigs are also
holding back the sector. With day rates at alltime highs in many parts of the world, contractors can deploy elsewhere rigs previously allocated to the UK North Sea. What is seriously
lacking are conventional semisubmersibles and
jackups for programs in the central and southern North Sea, whereas most of the newbuilds
coming onto the market are higher-spec, heavyduty jackups and deepwater semisubmersibles
more suited to the Norwegian sector or in the
latter case, frontier programs west of Shetland.
Earlier, during the conferences plenary
session, BG chairman Andrew Gould said investors on the UKCS were looking above all
for consistency in the fscal regime, however
heavy the tax burden may be, to assist longterm planning. This would help attract more
new players to increase recovery from older
felds and develop new ones in the frontier
regions, he maintained. But the industry also
needs to implement new technologies for this
to happen, he said, and to fnd ways of reducing the costs of UK feld abandonment.
Gould called for new approaches that would
make better use of skilled resources in the
sector rather than deploying key personnel
on just one platform or rig they could serve
multiple projects, he suggested. Other issues
include the high cost of subsea well interventions and the need for new materials to resist
Nighttime view of the Hummingbird Spirit.

(Photo courtesy Centrica)
Centrica sees
further life in Chestnut
The FPSO Hummingbird Spirit will remain in service on the Chestnut oil field
in the UK central North Sea through
March 2016. Operator Centrica agreed
to the extension with Teekay, owner
of the cylindrical, Sevan-designed
platform.
Venture Production commissioned
the facility and expected no more than
7 MMbbl of production over a threeyear period. However, since acquiring
Venture, Centrica has managed to
produce 13 MMbbl, and studies suggest
18 MMbbl can be recovered via a water
injection side track well and production
efficiency measures. Wood Group PSN is
duty holder for the platform, which can
store more than 200,000 bbl of oil from
two production wells.
the geomechanical loads incurred during drilling of high-pressure/high-temperature wells

in more hostile conditions, along with more
ruggedized electronics in high-pressure logging tools.
Barents Sea drilling

extends oil plays
Northern Norway is emerging as a serious
oil province following two discoveries in quick
succession in the Barents Sea. Lundins Gohta
is relatively close to Statoils Johan Castberg
(Skrugard and Havis) oil felds, currently under review for a joint development via a semisubmersible platform. OMVs Wisting Central
is 170 km (105 mi) northeast of Skrugard and
is the countrys northernmost oil fnd to date.
The Wisting Central well, drilled by the Leiv
Eiriksson on license PL537 in 373 m (1,224 ft)
of water, was also the frst in the prospective
Hoop High area. It encountered a 50 to 60-m
(164 to 197-ft) oil column in Mid-Early Jurassic
reservoir rocks. OMV estimates recoverable
reserves for the drilled segment in the 60-160
MMbbl range, with small quantities of associated gas. The rig was then due to spud the
Wisting Main well, targeting the deeper Kobbe

structure.
Partner Tullow said the result had opened a
new shallow play in the region, and had proven the importance of combining shallow seismic and electromagnetic survey data in drawing up drilling targets. Statoil, another partner,
said it would test the same geological formations next year with its two frst operated wells
in the Hoop area, on the Atlantis and Apollo
prospects 50 km (31 mi) to the north in PL537.
The semisub Transocean Arctic drilled Gohta in PL492 in slightly shallower water, 35 km
(15.5 mi) northwest of the producing Snhvit
gas/condensate feld. The well intersected a
75-m (246-ft) oil column overlain by a gas/
condensate cap in dolotomized and karstifed
carbonate, and established the oil-water contact. Lundin planned a drillstem test to investigate fow properties.
To the south in the Norwegian Sea, the
semisub Transocean Leader has discovered gas
condensate for Statoil via a high-temperature
well on the Smrbukk North structure. This
was the frst new fnd in the area since the
1980s.
Surprise results
from latest Tolmount well
German operator E.ON is looking to fasttrack development of its Tolmount gas discovery in UK southern North Sea. Results from a
recent appraisal well and side track indicated
much higher volumes than the original estimate. The feld is in block 42/28d, 50 km (31
mi) from the Yorkshire coast, and close to offshore infrastructure serving the companys
Johnston and Babbage felds.
This is an area undergoing intensive E&P
activity, with two second-phase production
wells being drilled on Babbage, and Phase 1
starting up on the Breagh project, operated by
another German company, RWE Dea. To the
south Dana Petroleum, E.ONs partner in Tolmount, has contracted the jackup Noble Lynda
Bossler to drill the Pharos structure, close to
the West Sole Area complex. According to
Hansa Hydrocarbons, currently negotiating
a farm-in to the surrounding license, Pharos
could be one of the regions largest undrilled
Leman sandstone accumulations.
Elsewhere in the southern North Sea,
Wintershalls self-installing P6-S gas platform
in the Dutch sector, designed by KCI in the
1990s for original operator Clyde Petroleum,
has been relocated for new service on the Q-1
D feld. Another leading Dutch North Sea operator, Total, has produced frst gas from the
K45-Z feld via a two-well subsea completion
17 km (10.6 mi) west of the K5 Central complex. The feld had lain fallow since discovery
in 1974 until new fscal initiatives introduced
by the government in 2010 for marginal developments allowed the project to go forward.
Bruce Beaubouef Houston
GULF OF MEXICO
Massive towing operation

gets Olympus platform
to deepwater site
Crowley Maritime Corp. reports that four
of its ocean-class tugboats Ocean Wind,
Ocean Wave, Ocean Sky , and Ocean Sun recently completed the successful delivery of
the offshore oil production and drilling platform Olympus to the US Gulf of Mexico. The
project was signifcant because it provided
the frst opportunity for all four of the companys new high-bollard-pull, ocean-class tugboats to work together on a single job. The
rig, owned by Shell, is considered the largest
tension-leg platform ever to be developed for
the US Gulf of Mexico.
The Crowley ocean-class tugs worked together in both nearshore and offshore waters
to relocate the 120,000-ton, 406-ft tall TLP from
Ingleside, Texas, 425 mi to its deepwater location in the GoM. During the nearshore phase,
the Ocean Wind and Ocean Wave provided assistance in pushing the Olympus away from
the Kiewit facility dock in Ingleside, through
the Port of Aransas, Texas, and out to deeper
waters. During this initial phase, the Ocean
Sky was also available and equipped to provide
push assistance, if needed.
Once safely outside of the port, Ocean Wave,
Ocean Wind, and Ocean Sun towed the vessel
to its fnal location in more than 3,000 ft of
water. During this offshore phase, Ocean Sky
took on the role of escort tug, which helped
to ensure the towing vessels and platforms
safety. Providing additional support was the
Crowley-contracted, offshore tugboat Harvey
War Horse II.
In the fnal stage, called the positioning
phase, the Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave, and Ocean
Sun vessels helped position the platform in its
fnal location and remained on site in a star
pattern to provide support as the platform was
attached to tendons and made storm safe. The
Ocean Sky remained on site as a stand-by vessel and to provide additional security.
This successful project is a testament
to the capability, station-keeping and power
of these vessels, said Crowleys John Ara,
vice president, solutions. The design of the
ocean class has allowed us to participate in
the full scope of marine transportation, including nearshore, offshore, and positioning
work. From the initial push-off to securing it
as storm-safe, these tugs were critical assets
in the relocation of the Olympus platform.
Now that the Olympus has been delivered
safely, the Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave, and Ocean
Sun are already at work on another project, this
time transporting the Lucius spar platform for
Anadarko. The 80,000 b/d of oil capacity spar is
now under tow with Crowley for more than 300
mi to its fnal location in the deepwaters of the
US GoM. Once delivered, it will be installed in
about 7,100 ft of water to produce oil and natural
In the final/positioning phase, the Ocean Wind, Ocean Wave and Ocean Sun vessels helped position
the Olympus platform in its final location and remained on site in a star pattern to provide support.
The Ocean Sky remained on site as a stand-by vessel and to provide additional security. (Photo
courtesy Crowley Maritime Corp.)
gas from beneath the seafoor.
Western GoM lease sale high

bids total $102 million-plus
Western Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 233,
which took place in late August, drew more
than $102 million in high bids for 53 tracts
on the OCS. Bids covered 301,006 acres of
the nearly 21 million on offer.
The highest bid on a single tract was
$30,583,560 by ConocoPhillips for Alaminos
Canyon block 475. ConocoPhilips also submitted the highest total amount in bonus
bids, $50,323,180 on 29 tracts.
Chevron submitted the next two highest
bids: $19,102,687 and $13,111,191 for East
Breaks blocks 499 and 500, respectively.
Chevron submitted the second-highest total
amount at $32,323,180 with just three bids,
while Maersk Oil placed third at a total of
$6,823,281 in seven bids.
This sale offered all unleased and nonprotected areas in the Western Gulf of Mexico planning area, including 3,864 tracts from
nine to more than 250 mi off the coast, in
depths ranging from 16 to more than 10,975
ft. BOEM estimates the lease sale could result in the production of 116 to 200 MMbbl
of oil and 538 to 938 bcf of natural gas.
BP begins appraisal
drilling at Tiber prospect
BP has begun appraisal drilling on its
Tiber oil prospect in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to a Reuters report, BP confrmed
that drilling began on Aug. 3. ConocoPhillips
CEO Ryan Lance disclosed the status to analysts during a webcast presentation at the Barclays Energy-Power Conference in New York.
ConocoPhillips is a minority partner in Tiber.
In 2009, BP touted what it called a giant oil
discovery in the Tiber feld next to its Kaskida

feld that could hold up to 3 Bbbl of oil. Both
felds are in the Lower Tertiary trend, the
Gulfs deepest, most challenging, and most
promising deposit that is estimated to hold up
to 15 Bbbl of oil.
BP had planned in 2010 to drill appraisal
wells in the Tiber feld to help gauge how
much oil was there. The companys Macondo rupture and spill prompted the shutdown
that delayed those plans.
That drilling plan resumed last month with
the start of the new well in Tiber. BP had already begun exploratory drilling at another
prospect near Tiber, called Gila, and that
work is continuing.
Prospects in Mexico for

IOCs show positive signs
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico exploration and
production may prove to be the lever that
opens Mexico to international oil company
(IOC) participation.
Mexico currently is seeing a drop in production that could be alleviated by success in the
GoM, but the state-owned Petrleos Mexicanos does not have the technical experience to
operate in such deepwater, said George Baker,
managing principal, Baker & Associates, speaking at BNamericas LatAm Oil & Gas Summit.
That, coupled with the current push by Mexicos President Enrique Pea Nieto to change
the national rules to permit companies outside
of Mexico to enter proft-sharing agreements,
could succeed in changing the operating agreements suffciently to permit IOCs to enter.
That does not necessarily change the prevailing national narrative about ownership of the
reserves, however, Baker pointed out. Whether
the reforms are adopted and, if so, in what form,
remains to be seen.
Were here
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Advancing Reservoir Performance
Gene Kliewer Houston
SUBSEA SYSTEMS
Congo brownfeld
tiebacks awarded
Total E&P Congo has awarded Technip an
engineering, procurement, and supply contract for the Moho Nord project, the largest
development ever in the Republic of Congo.
The Moho Nord project, 75 km (47 mi)
offshore Pointe Noire, consists of two developments, Moho Phase 1bis and Moho Nord.
This contract is part of the Moho Phase 1bis
development. It is a brownfeld development consisting of tiebacks to the existing
deepwater Alima FPU and the shallow-water
NKossa platform.
The contract covers the project management, detail engineering, procurement, and
supply for the modifcations of the Alima
FPU, with two new subsea tiebacks.
Technip in Paris will manage the contract,
which is scheduled to be completed in the
frst semester of 2015.
Technip will also assist Total for the offshore construction phase to be spread from
2014 to 2016.
Subsea 7 extends pipelay

support for Petrobras
Subsea 7 has won a contract with a value
of around $450 million from Petrobras for the
operation of the pipelay support vessel (PLSV)
Seven Phoenix on a day rate basis for fve years,
with operations starting in this quarter.
The vessel has operated for Petrobras for
several years and is under contract with this
client.
The work scope of the contract is similar
to that of other PLSVs Subsea 7 currently operates offshore Brazil, and comprises project
management, engineering, and installation of
fowlines, umbilicals, and equipment supplied
by Petrobras.
DOF to moor FPSO

off Norway
DOF Subsea Norway has won a contract
from Teekay Petrojarl Production AS in Norway for work involving a newbuild FPSO.
The scope of work includes mooring preinstallation, tow-out, and hook-up for Teekay
Petrojarl Productions new FPSO to be installed on the BG-operated Knarr feld in the
Norwegian North Sea.
DOF Subsea Norway will mobilize its
Skandi Skolten vessel for this project, with six
additional vessels from its global feet being
utilized in support.
The project will be completed in three
phases; the frst phase is pre-installation of
the complete mooring system consisting of
12 mooring lines taking place in 2013. DOF
Subsea has already started with the planning, engineering, and offshore management of the project.
The FPSO will be kept at a fjord on the
Prototype AUV advances deepwater inspection

A research project directed by Lockheed Martin through the US National Energy
Technology Laboratory is testing an AUV capable of equipment inspection and monitoring in deepwater. The project recently tested the AUV on structures in the Gulf of
Mexico.
The operational concept is to have an AUV autonomously inspect with minimal
user input an offshore structure. The user chooses the facility, and specifies how
much of the platform is to be inspected using a command and control user interface.
The AUV autonomously plans the inspection path around the platform, executes
this path to collect sonar data, builds a 3D model of the platform in real-time, and
executes change detection to identify anomalies.
Autonomous response guides the vehicle through the mission. The response
system provides mission planning, high-level guidance and contingency detection,
assessment, and response capabilities for the AUV.
The testing verified the systems ability to build a model of a platform and detect
anomalies in an operational environment. This combination of technologies is an improvement over current state-of-the-art offshore inspection capabilities, says NETL.
west coast of Norway when it is delivered in

2014 until the feld is ready for the FPSO to
be installed later in the year. At that point it
will be towed to the location and connected
to the pre-laid mooring system.
Chevron turns
to WorleyParsons
for Buckskin/Moccasin
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. has selected WorleyParsons to provide engineering services
for the Buckskin and Moccasin oil and gas
production facility in the Lower Tertiary
outer continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico.
Buckskin is owned by Chevron, Maersk Oil,
Repsol E&P USA Inc., and Samson Offshore
LLC. Moccasin is owned in part by Chevron
and Samson.
Under the contract, WorleyParsons and its
subsea division INTECSEA will execute the
pre-front-end engineering design preliminary
phase for the deepwater subsea architecture,
riser interface, and topside facility design for
an oil and gas production semisubmersible.
WorleyParsons will also manage a hull
subcontractor to execute the hull preliminary
design.
Statoil, ABB to cooperate

on long-distance power
Statoil and ABB have agreed to develop
solutions for subsea electrical power transmission, distribution, and power conversion
for water depths to 3,000 m (9,840 ft) and
over long distances.
The agreement is a cost-shared joint
industrial program (JIP) led by Statoil on
behalf of other participating oil companies,
with ABB as the technology developer.
The agreement follows a large subsea
electrifcation study executed jointly by
Statoil and ABB during 2012.
The JIP will develop technologies needed to provide electrical power to subsea
pumps, electrical submersible pumps, and
subsea gas compressors for projects on the
Norwegian continental shelf, in the Gulf of

Mexico, and other places around the world,
said Karl Johnny Hersvik, Statoil senior vice
president for research, development, and innovation.
The technology is intended to enable
transmission of electrical power over long
distances, important for the development of
remote felds including Arctic areas.
The total cost for the program, which has
a duration of fve years, is $100 million, including ABB funding.
Subsea electrical power distribution enables supply of all electrical loads using a
single power cable. This reduces the cost of
the electrical system compared to existing
solutions that require one dedicated cable
for each consumer (pump or compressor).
Cables are a major cost driver for subsea
processing systems, and that cost can be reduced with subsea power distribution. The
cost reduction depends on distance and required electrical power. For example, in a
case with eight consumers and a distance
of 200 km (124 mi) from infrastructure, the
electrical power distribution solution would
reduce capex by more than $500 million,
says Statoil.
BC-10 rigless
intervention progressing
Doedijins will deliver part of the rigless
intervention system for SBM Offshore Malaysia destined for installation at Shells BC10 deepwater production facilities offshore
Brazil.
The rigless intervention system facilitates
replacement of a worn or failed caisson
based artifcial lift systems used at BC-10.
The entire electrical submersible pump/
caisson assembly will be recovered to the
surface and landed out in an intervention
facility. The scope comprises the complete
hydraulic drive and control system plus the
skidding system for the RIS, all to be certifed according to ABS.
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VESSELS, RIGS, & SURFACE SYSTEMS
Russell McCulley Houston
Pacifc Khasmin delivered

Pacifc Drilling has taken delivery of the ultra-deepwater drillship Pacifc Khamsin, a Samsung 12000 dual gradient-capable, DP-3
equipped rig. The drillship has mobilized to Nigeria under a twoyear contract with Chevron.
New Ocean Rig drillship bound for Brazil

Ocean Rig has taken delivery of the newbuild drillship Ocean Rig
Mylos, the frst in a series of three ultra-deepwater drillships scheduled
for delivery this year. The rig has been mobilized to Brazil to begin
a three-year contract with Repsol Sinopec Brasil. The company also
said it has signed a $600-million contract with Samsung Heavy Industries for an additional drillship, which will be a sister ship to the three
rigs currently under construction at SHI: Ocean Rig Skyros, Ocean Rig
Athena, and Ocean Rig Apollo. The new vessel is scheduled for delivery
in December 2015. Ocean Rig has an option for an additional newbuild drillship, which must be exercised by November 2013.
Fifth Ensco drillship delivered

Ensco took delivery of ENSCO DS-7, the ffth in a series of eight ultradeepwater DP-3 drillships being built by Samsung Heavy Industries.
The vessel is under contract to Total for three years at an initial day rate
of more than $610,000. Total will deploy ENSCO DS-7 in West Africa in
4Q 2013. Like the other rigs in the series, DS-7 can be modifed to drill
and complete wells in water depths up to 12,000 ft (3,658 m).
EXMAR to supply Canadas frst FLSU

EXMAR will design, contract, and deliver a foating liquefaction
and storage unit (FLSU) to serve the BC LNG project in British Columbia, Canada.
EXMAR signed a letter of intent and term sheet with LNG Partners,
LLC and LNG BargeCo BVBA for the unit, which will be moored on the
west bank of the Douglas Channel near Kitimat.
The foating barge will be equipped with an air-cooled PRICO liquefaction plant with a capacity of 0.7 MM tons/yr. EXMAR expects
delivery in 1Q 2016, one year after a similar project the company is
supplying for Pacifc Rubiales Energy is scheduled to begin production offshore Colombia. Both projects receive production from onshore felds; the Colombia project includes a regasifcation unit for
domestic gas.
EXMAR will charter the FLSU, designed to remain on location
without dry-docking, to the BC LNG project for a frm 20 years, with
options to extend by 10 years.
BC LNG will be the frst operational LNG export terminal in Canada and has an excellent location to serve the growing Asian markets,
said Nicolas Saverys, CEO of Exmar.
Ensco has taken delivery of ENSCO 120, the first in its series of three
enhanced KFELS Super A harsh environment jackup rigs. The rig is
scheduled to go to work for Nexen in the North Sea in 4Q 2013 at a day
rate of about $230,000. Built by Keppel FELS in Singapore, the ENSCO
120 series jackups will have the capacity to operate in water depths up
to 400 ft (122 m) and to drill to a total depth of 40,000 ft (12,192 m). In
a jackup trial (pictured), the new rig was raised to 539 ft (164 m), a new
record for the Singapore shipyard. Keppel FELS is scheduled to deliver
the second rig, ENSCO 121, in 4Q 2013. The jackup has been contracted
to Wintershall for projects in the North Sea. (Photo courtesy Ensco)
Scottish shipping and energy services firm Craig

Group has contracted Spains Balenciaga Shipyard to
build six new vessels at a cost of about $109 million.
The order includes four D class IMT 950 and two F
class IMT 958 emergency response and rescue vessels, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2014. The D
class vessels will be 50 m (164 ft) in length and will be
outfitted with at least one daughter craft and fast rescue craft. The F class vessels, at 58 m (190 ft) in length,
will also have limited cargo storage capacity. (Image
courtesy Craig Group)
DRILLING & PRODUCTION
Dick Ghiselin Houston
Condition-based maintenance helps identify, prevent failure

We have heard it a million times. If it aint
broke, dont fx it! This is the argument for
reactive maintenance. And in some cases, it
makes sense. Run things until they break;
then fx them. We are all guilty of performing reactive maintenance. For example,
we typically wait until light bulbs burn out
before we replace them. The downside is a
minor inconvenience; the upside is we get
maximum life out of the light bulb. Imagine
what it would cost over time if we systematically replaced our light bulbs every year.
Or if we kept track of the on hours and
replaced them when they reached some arbitrary limit. Since we have little chance of
predicting with accuracy when a lamp is going to burn out, it is unreasonable to implement some kind of preventive maintenance
plan for light bulbs.
another story. Maintaining electrical power

on a rig is vital, and tearing down a diesel
engine is a non-trivial activity. Can we afford
to wait until they fail before doing something
about it? What should be done? Change the
oil and flters at regular intervals like we do
on our car? The answer might surprise you.
Time is not the answer

For items where failure is an unacceptable
risk, performing preventive maintenance on
an arbitrary time schedule miles, operating
hours, etc. is both costly and risky. Do engines have some sort of built-in weak point
that we know will fail after a specifed time? Of
course not. The engine manufacturers have
run exhaustive tests of their products and
have determined the least common denominator of acceptable risk. This established the
gases are captured at regular intervals and

subjected to detailed chemical analyses to
the molecular level. Not only is the oil condition determined, which tells if it is losing its
lubricity or mobility, but also trace elements
of engine metals can be recovered from the
oil that indicate wear of critical components.
Cylinder walls, piston rings, valve stems,
turbine bearings, and blade erosion leave
tell-tale residue in the oil that signals when it
is time to take the component out of service
for maintenance. These tattle-tales are valid
regardless of the operating environment, so
they are not time-dependent.
For non-lubricated components, other parameters can be measured that indicate when
they are about to fail. For electrical submersible pumps, shaft vibration, and increased
motor-winding temperatures warn that the
Monitoring the condition of all critical components

has the highest likelihood of identifying failure
modes before failure occurs.
Naturally, most folks minimize the inconvenience factor by keeping a few spare bulbs
on hand. The added cost is hardly worth
counting, and only amounts to the cost of
maintaining an inventory and storage. For
light bulbs, this is infnitesimal.
Another example is your car. If you run
your car until it quits, the cost and inconvenience can be considerable. And we all know
about Murphys Law. The chance your car will
break down across from the dealership is also
infnitesimal. The breakdown is more likely to
occur on a country road, on dark night, in a
blizzard, as you are rushing your wife to the
delivery room. This is why most people follow
a prescribed preventive maintenance program
of systematic checks and oil changes. The cost
and risk of an unexpected breakdown far exceed the cost of the maintenance program.
But what about an offshore rig? Maybe we
can follow the wait-and-see program for the
light bulbs, but there are dozens of items onboard where failure is not an option. For example, most rigs have an extra mud pump, so they
can activate it when one of the operating mud
pumps indicates it needs refurbishing, usually
by a reduction of output pressure. By performing repairs offine, downtime is eliminated, and
the risk that both operating pumps will fail at
once is very low. Even so, the risk can be minimized by systematically taking a pump out of
service and rebuilding the fuid ends after a
certain number of operating hours.
The engines that drive the generators are
manufacturers recommended maintenance

interval. For most cars these days, the number is 5,000 mi (8,000 km). This means that
almost all engines are expected to last longer,
and if the oil and flter are changed at 5,000
mi, the engine should not fail. However, one
major manufacturer determined that 80% of
its engines could last 10,000 mi (16,093 km)
or more without maintenance. But they were
unwilling to risk the bad reputation they
would get if the remaining 20% failed prematurely. So changing oil at 5,000 mi costs a majority their customers a lot of money they did
not need to spend.
Anything can cause premature failure.
Operating in dusty or sandy desert areas
shortens engine life. Operating at ambient
temperature extremes of heat or cold for
long intervals shortens life. Salt spray, vibration, or shock loading can all contribute to
shorter lifespans. How can we be sure we
are really preventing failure?
Help from above

The solution to the maintenance problem
comes from the airline industry and the military air forces. In a situation where failure
is not an option, these entities have adopted
condition-based maintenance (CBM). Rather
than depending upon arbitrary time or distance schedules, these people systematically
measure the condition of their engines and
vital sub-assemblies. Samples of crankcase
oil, transmission fuid, gear oil, and exhaust
pump is in failure mode. Spares can be staged

on-site and a switch can be performed with
minimal downtime. In many cases the pump
can be retrieved before permanent damage
occurs. These can be refurbished to like-new
condition and re-deployed.
Rigs of all types have one-of-a-kind components that are critical to the drilling operation. Top drives are an example. Using
CBM techniques can give early warning
that they are in incipient failure mode in
time to schedule a change-out at the most
convenient time. Repairs conducted offine
eliminate costly feld failures, rig downtime,
or critical loss of production.
There is a better way

The If it aint broke mantra still works
for some things, but adopting a time-based
maintenance program amounts to overkill in
many cases and can be quite costly. Even so,
it does not prevent all breakdowns. Monitoring the condition of all critical components
has the highest likelihood of identifying
failure modes before failure occurs. CBM is
relatively inexpensive, both from the cost of
the analysis to the time it takes rig personnel to catch the samples. By identifying components before they fail, collateral damage
is avoided and often the component can be
refurbished and returned to service. Then
switch-outs can be scheduled for the most
convenient time from an operational standpoint.
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GEOSCIENCES
Gene Kliewer Houston
TGS reports several

new surveys
TGS has recorded several new offshore
seismic surveys scheduled for completion before the end of this year, and all are in northern latitudes.
Rona Ridge 2013 (RR13) is a 2,420-sq km (934sq mi) 3D survey that will generate the frst-ever
3D data in the prospective UK West Shetland basin. Data processing will be performed by TGS
with initial data available to clients in 4Q 2013
ahead of the UK 28th Licensing Round.
The Labrador Sea Deep basin 2D survey covering 3,000 km (1,864 mi) and the Labrador Sea
2D Infll survey covering 7,100 km (4,412 mi)
will complement and infll the existing 22,167 km
(13,774 mi) of 2D data acquired in 2011 and 2012.
These surveys should further defne and delineate the Henley, Chidley, and Holton basins.
Both surveys will be acquired in partnership
with PGS and use the PGS GeoStreamer technology. Initial data is scheduled to be available
to clients in 2Q 2014. All three surveys are supported by industry funding.
TGS also has started to expand a 2D multi-client survey off northeast Greenland. The NEG13
survey is in anticipation of the announced Greenland Licensing Round in 2013/2014.
Due to favorable ice conditions, TGS expects
to acquire 4,200 km (2,610 mi) of 2D multiclient seismic data. This new data will provide
companies with dense data coverage over the
licensing area and will be a signifcant addition
to TGS existing data library in the area.
The seismic data is being acquired by the
M/V Akademik Shatskiy supported by the ice
breaker M/V Balder Viking. A helicopter is being utilized for ice density monitoring. Data
processing will be performed by TGS and
should be available to clients in 1Q 2014.
The survey also is supported by industry
funding. The accompanying map from TGS
shows the planned survey lines offshore
Alaska in the Chukchi Sea.
TGS is in the process of acquiring a new 2D multi-client survey in the Chukchi Sea off the northwest
coast of Alaska. The Chukchi Sea 2D 2013 survey covers approximately 8,000 km (4,971 mi) and builds
on the existing Chukchi Sea (CSR-06) survey acquired in 2008. Data is being acquired by the M/V
GeoArctic. Data processing will be performed by TGS and will be available to clients in 2Q 2014.
Environmental agreement
reached for GoM
There is settlement of a suit involving the
use of airguns for seismic surveys in the Gulf of
Mexico. The suit was fled by a group of organizations including the Natural Resources Defense
Council, Sierra Club, Gulf Restoration Network,
and others. The settlement would require a number of steps by industry that the International
Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC)
notes include mitigation measures voluntarily
used around the world and others that have
been used in the GoM for several years.
The purpose of the suit was to protect whales
and dolphins from airgun seismic surveys. The
IAGC notes that NOAA Fisheries, charged by
the US Congress to enforce the Marine Mammal
Protection Act, has found no evidence of serious
injury to marine mammals by airgun pulses.
PGS surveys Russian Barents and Kara seas. In even more survey work in far northern waters,
Petroleum Geo-Services has acquired 8,840 line km (5,493 mi) of 2D data in the Russian Barents
Sea and Kara Sea in partnership with Geology Without Limits. The scientific research project is part
of a multi-year program of long-offset data using the vessel Akademik Lazarev. The overall program
began in 2012, and PGS says the first datasets indicate that the Kara plate has strong possibilities
for oil-dominated hydrocarbons. The area is ice-bound most of the year and therefore is one of the
least explored areas of the Barents-Kara shelf. The first data are available from PGS and show a
complex set of basins and platforms with many-kilometer thick Palaeozoic carbonate complexes.
This makes the Kara plate similar to the Timan-Pechora plate, one of Russias main oil producing
regions. The Kara plate also has additional promising features including the thickness of carbonate
cover and diversity of facies settings. Deposits of deepwater back-reef depressions are potential oil
source rocks, while reefs themselves are promising reservoirs. In the context of the current overall
exploration in the region, PGS says there are many encouraging structures in deposits of all Palaeozoic systems, with potential anticlinal and stratigraphic and lithological traps.
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O F F S H O R E A U T O M AT I O N S O L U T I O N S
Multi-phase measurements improve

production allocation, effciency, safety
fractions, normally calculated from models
of the density of the different process fuids,
and the overall velocity. Since mass equals
density times volume, we can calculate actual production rates from this information
and the principles of conservation of mass.
Traditional measurement techniques,
which require a single-phase fuid, need
separation of the three fuid phases (gas, hydrocarbon, water), and then recombination
of at least the gas and hydrocarbon streams
for transmission to onshore production/
processing facilities. However, three-phase
separators require suffcient real estate on
the platform to separate the hydrocarbon
and water phases, which depending on the
specifc gravity of the hydrocarbon phase
and the large range of fow profles that can
develop from the individual wells can sometimes be quite large.
The development of online water cut measurement now makes it possible to separate
the gas only for measurement purposes (a
much simpler and smaller separator requirement) and then use the resulting measurements of gas and calculated water/oil
content based on the water cut for oil and
water production rates.
Additional measurement techniques have
been developed for in-line meters, which do
not require a separator. Due to the high capital and maintenance costs associated with
these meters, there is an increasing reliance
on software models both in the meters them-
Ian Verhappen
Industrial Automation Networks Inc.

Multi-phase fuid measurement is a diffcult yet important component of any offshore production process. If you do not
know what is being produced in terms of
gas, hydrocarbon liquids, and water, it is
almost impossible to be able to control the
process and allocate production to the correct wells. Allocation is the basis on which
all accounting and hence revenue is based
so getting it right has signifcant incentive. Accuracy requirements for metering
multi-phase fuids are approximately 5% to
10% for reservoir management, 2% to 5% for
production allocation, and 0.25% to 1% for fscal metering.
Composition of the hydrocarbon streams
is normally determined from laboratory
samples as it tends to change slowly over
time from each well or location. Other
stream characteristics such as water cut
and gas/liquid ratio change rapidly and are
therefore normally measured continuously,
hence the reason for multi-phase fow meters.
The preferred measurement technique is
to eliminate the need to separate phases using only a single fow measurement device.
As a result, one technique is to modify the
fow so that it becomes well mixed enough
to appear homogeneous. The measurement
then simplifes to a determination of phase
selves and as the basis for virtual measurements to confrm the validity of the results.
Eliminating the need for meters entirely is
an active area of development.
There are about 20 companies that sell
in-line multi-phase meters for use either onshore/on platform or subsea. These in-line
meters commonly employ a combination of
two or more of the following measurement
technologies and techniques: electromagnetic measurement principles (microwave
technology, capacitance, conductance, magnetic resonance); gamma ray densitometry
or spectroscopy; neutron interrogation; differential pressure using venturi, V-cone or
other restriction; positive displacement; ultrasonic; or cross-correlation of electromagnetic, radioactive, and ultrasound signals.
One of the challenges with many of the
microwave water cut meters is that they are
sensitive to changing salinity. However, for
most offshore operations from a single reservoir this should only change slowly with
time and be captured as part of the regular
calibration processes.
Recent market forecasts indicate there
are approximately 1 million producing wells
worldwide with about 3,000 of these wells
using multi-phase fow meters. This number
is forecast to at least double this decade as
the technology and market evolves and as
producers gain more experience with this
form of measurement device. Because many
of these devices are more complex than the
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typical feld instrument, a closer analogy

in terms of complexity would be a process
analyzer -- availability of the required level
of feld support is still in development, and
the brunt of the load falls back to the manufacturer or in some cases the development
teams. It is largely for this reason that the
annual operating expense for a multi-phase
meter is about 25% of the cost of the meter
itself for the frst year, then $10,000-$40,000/
year for both onshore and topsides applications.
The same market study documented that
the incentive for developing these systems
is substantial, since a subsea multi-phase
meter in a tieback development 10 km (6 mi)
from the host platform could reduce capex
by an estimated 62% because of the elimination of test lines. The meter also would
improve production system management,
increasing the amount of oil recovered by
6%-9%.
The incentive is certainly there; however,
the conservative nature of the oil and gas
industry, and especially the offshore component, where the risk of error is so high,
means that everyone tends to wait for someone else to prove it works before trying
it themselves. Therefore, the time between
good idea, product, and market can be as
much as a decade or more. Multi-phase
meters were initially developed in the 1990s
and at present have less than 5% market penetration, thus showing we are true to our
history, despite the potential rewards.
As the technology continues to evolve,
and the need to better and more quickly
understand the nature of the offshore production process so that it can be more
controlled to optimize production, increase
safety, and reduce environmental risk, the
author is confdent that multi-phase fow and
its measurement will be a key contributing
factor to that success.
The author
Ian Verhappen, P.Eng. is an ISA Fellow, ISA Certifed

Automation Professional, and a recognized authority
on Foundation Fieldbus and industrial communications technologies. Verhappen provides consulting
services in the areas of feld level industrial communications, process analytics and hydrocarbon facility
automation. Feedback is always welcome via e-mail at
iverhappen@gmail.com.
Reference
Gioia Falcone, Texas A&M University, Bob Harrison, Soluzioni Idrocarburi srl, Forecast expects
continued multiphase fowmeter growth, Oil & Gas
Journal, 03/07/2011 http://www.ogj.com/articles/
print/volume-109/issue-10/drilling-production/
forecast-expects-continued-multiphase-fowmetergrowth.html (2013-08-11)
D E E P WAT E R F I E L D R E P O R T S
Gulf operators advance plans

for deepwater development
Proven technologies facilitating projects in extreme environments
s operators and E&P frms seek to develop and produce oil and gas further
out into the Gulf of Mexico, vendors
and suppliers are facilitating these
projects with a range of new and proven technologies designed to perform in harsh,
deepwater environments.
On the drilling front, Statoil recently employed the Hughes Christensen Kymera
drill bit for the frst time in the Logan feld,
located in Walker Ridge blocks 925 and 969,
in more than 8,700 ft (2,650 m) of water. A 26in. Kymera hybrid bit with 19-mm cutters and
premium metal face seals was used to drill
the 26-in. vertical section through sediments
and salt to section total depth, enabling 22-in.
casing to be set 450 ft (137 m) deeper than
the wells original objective.
The Kymera bit is a hybrid that combines
PCD and roller cones. Baker Hughes says
that the technology can achieve a rate of penetration of 57 ft (17 m)/hour through 1,995 ft
(608 m) of salt, as well as 123 ft (37 m)/hour
through 1,131 ft (345 m) of sediments. On this
particular drill, overall ROP was said to improve by 26% compared to the nearest offset.
Many of the technologies being deployed
are for feld development, and efforts are
under way on a number of fronts. One of the
more notable projects planned for the deepwater Gulf is the Stones project developed
by Shell, which involves the deepest water
FPSO unit in the world and Shells frst
FPSO in the GoM.
Bruce Beaubouef
Managing Editor
(Above) Shell reports that its Olympus tension leg platform, said to be the largest TLP
ever developed for the GoM, is expected to
start production in 2014 at a rate of 100,000
boe/d. (Courtesy Shell)
Shell plans to develop Stones using an

FPSO and subsea infrastructure with eight
production wells ultimately tied back to the
vessel. Tankers will take the oil to shore and
the gas will go via pipeline. The feld is in
the Walker Ridge area some 320 km (200
mi) offshore Louisiana, at a water depth of
approximately 2,900 m (9,500 ft). First production is scheduled for 2016.
In July, Shell contracted SBM Offshore
to supply and lease an FPSO for the project. The initial contract is for 10 years with
options to extend the agreement to 20 total
years. The total asset value of the FPSO will
be about $1 billion.
The converted Suezmax FPSO will have
a turret with a disconnectable buoy to allow it to weathervane in normal conditions
and disconnect upon the approach of a hurricane. The buoy turret mooring will be confgured with steel lazy-wave risers, a frst for
a disconnectable FPSO. The mooring system will also incorporate the ability to adjust
line tension during operations by use of an

in-line mooring connector.
More recently, Shell awarded Technip an
engineering, procurement, and installation
contract for subsea infrastructure for the project. Under the agreement, Technip will install
the subsea production system and Stones lateral gas pipeline, and also will provide associated project management, engineering, and
stalk fabrication. The production system design calls for dual 8-in. insulated fowlines associated with pipeline end termination (PLET),
and dual 8-in. steel lazy wave riser (SLWR).
The Stones lateral gas pipeline will comprise a
single 8-in. gas pipeline associated with PLET,
in-line sled, and a single 8-in. SLWR.
Technips Houston offce will perform the
overall project management. The fowlines
and risers will be welded at the companys
spoolbase in Mobile, Alabama. The offshore
installation is expected in the second half of
2014 by Deep Blue, Technips deepwater pipelay vessel.
For the subsea equipment, Shell has contracted FMC Technologies to supply eight
subsea trees, a subsea manifold, topside and
subsea controls, and associated equipment.
Shell is also making progress on Mars
B, another deepwater GoM project. In early
August, Shell announced that the Olympus
TLP reached its destination at the deepwater
Mars feld and was safely secured in place at
the end of July.
The 120,000-ton structure, said to be the
Shell has contracted SBM Offshore to supply and lease an FPSO for the
Stones deepwater project, and the converted Suezmax FPSO will be the
deepest water FPSO unit in the world and Shells first FPSO in the GoM.
(Courtesy SBM Offshore)
Subsea 7 reports that the Seven Borealis vessel will begin pipeline installation for Anadarkos Heidelberg field development project in late 2014.
(Courtesy Subsea 7)
largest TLP ever developed for the GoM, is expected to start production in 2014 at a rate of 100,000 boe/d. Olympus, the centerpiece of
the Mars B development, will be moored in 3,000-ft (914-m) water
depths in the Mississippi Canyon area, about 1 mi from the existing
Mars platform, which has been producing since 1996.
During a June 5 tour of the TLP at the Kiewit Offshore Services yard
in Ingleside, Texas, Shell offcials said the Mars B project is the frst
in the region to employ an additional foating production system in a
producing deepwater feld. At that event, John Hollowell, Shells executive vice president for deepwater, said that this is the frst time in the
Gulf of Mexico that a company has built another host structure to go in
an existing feld, rather than using subsea tiebacks to expand a feld.
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The new TLP hosts 24-slot drilling unit supplied by Nabors Industries and includes capacity for six subsea wells to gather production
from the nearby West Boreas and South Diemos felds. Noble Corp.s
Noble Bully I has drilled the top sections of the 24 wells at Mars B, and is
on location to drill the satellite wells at West Boreas and South Diemos.
The project is expected to extend the feld life of Mars to at least
2050, Hollowell said. Shell has said the feld could contain recoverable reserves of 1.1 Bboe. Shell operates the feld with 71.5% interest; partner BP holds the remaining 28.5% interest.
When Olympus begins production, the focus of the existing Mars
production platform will shift to the felds shallower reservoirs and
to water injection. Olympus, outftted with 15,000-psi rated trees furnished by FMC, will concentrate on high-pressure reservoirs that
range in depth from 20,000-22,000 ft.
Shell will install a third platform at its West Delta 143 gathering
hub to link production from Mars B with existing pipeline infrastructure. Heeremas Balder deepwater construction vessel will be used
to install the TLP.
Chevron is also advancing plans for the Buckskin/Moccasin project, located in Keathley Canyon blocks 785 and 872 offshore Louisiana
in 6,978 ft (2,127 m) of water. In July, WorleyParsons reported that it
had been selected by Chevron to provide engineering services for the
Buckskin/Moccasin production semisubmersible. WorleyParsons and
INTECSEA will perform the pre-front-end engineering and design for
the subsea architecture, riser interface, and topside facility design for the
oil and gas production facility. The development is in the Lower Tertiary
trend of the outer continental shelf. The Buckskin prospect is owned by
Chevron, Maersk Oil, Repsol E&P USA Inc., and Samson Offshore LLC.
The Moccasin prospect is owned in part by Chevron and Samson.
Meanwhile, ExxonMobil is also moving forward with plans for its
Julia tieback project in the Walker Ridge area, 265 mi (426 km) southwest of New Orleans, in water depths of more than 7,000 ft (2,133
m). Nexans will supply a power umbilical to OneSubsea for the project. The contract calls for design, manufacture, and supply of an integrated power umbilical and termination hardware. The 23-km (14-mi)
long umbilical will be installed in water depths reaching more than
2,000 m (6,560 ft) to tieback Julias subsea systems to a semisubmersible production unit. Julia is scheduled for a 2016 startup.
Elsewhere, Anadarko is making progress on its deepwater Heidelberg feld development project, about 140 mi (225 km) offshore
Louisiana. It is located in 5,300 ft (1,615 m) of water, and consists of
Green Canyon blocks 859, 860, 903, 904, and 948. The Heidelberg
project will be developed using a truss spar.
Recently, Anadarko awarded Subsea 7 a contract for engineering, fabrication, and installation of risers, pipelines, and fowlines in water depths
of 1,600 m (5,248 ft) and more. Project management is under way at Subsea 7s Houston offce with offshore operations scheduled for 4Q 2014,
and pipelay operations will be performed by the Seven Borealis.
Anadarko has also ordered a range of subsea hardware from
FMC for the Heidelberg project. FMC will supply fve enhanced
horizontal subsea trees, tree mounted controls, two manifolds, and
other associated tooling and equipment.
Further south in the Gulf, PEMEX Exploration and Production has
signed an $84-million agreement with GE Oil & Gas to supply and install subsea wellheads in deep and ultra-deepwater drilling projects. GE
will supply SMS800 and DWHC 700 high-capacity wellheads; similar
GE technology is installed at several other Mexican oil felds, including
Perdido, Lakach, and Kunah. Perdido is in water depths of 500 m (1,640
ft) or more. Kunah is 125 km (78 mi) northeast of Veracruz in 2,157 m
(7,077 ft) water depth. Lakach is in about 988 m (3,241 ft) of water.
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PEMEX prepares for first development

project in deepwater GoM
State-owned company plans more widespread frontier activity
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
exico is keen to open up its fedgling deepwater sector to foreign

players. At the same time, the
country is looking to build domestic expertise in deepwater
production engineering, starting with the
subsea-shore Lakach project. Senior PEMEX executives outlined progress to date
and future plans at the recent Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen.
Revenue from oil and gas production in
Mexico last year totaled $70 billion, around
one-third of the countrys total income,
said PEMEX CFO Mario Beauregard Alvarez. However, the countrys constitution
declares that the state must perform all
hydrocarbon functions, meaning that until
now, only PEMEX has been able to explore,
develop, and refne hydrocarbons. As a result, Mexicos oil production has fallen 26%
from the peak of 3.4 MMb/d in 2004 to 2.5
MMb/d at present. However, despite the
decline at Cantarell, the main offshore feld,
production has stabilized at Ku Maloob Zaap
and other felds in the southeastern basin.
At the same time, Alvarez said, gas production has diminished and consumption
is up, forcing the country to import more
than one-third of its national gas needs. The
growing number of gas discoveries in the
deepwater sector could address that shortfall, and yet the pace of drilling remains slow.
Last year, he pointed out, PEMEX drilled six
deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico, compared with a total of 137 deepwater wells on
the US side.
Mexicos economy is losing competitiveness versus its peers, and needs to revamp its energy model to strengthen both
the Mexican oil and gas industry and PEMEX, Alvarez observed. Reform could
lead to what has happened elsewhere in
Latin America, such as Colombia and Brazil,
where production has increased.
On Aug. 12, 2013, President Enrique Pea
Nieto proposed amending the constitution to
Location of the Lakach gas field offshore Veracruz.
allow participation of foreign oil companies in

E&P through proft-sharing contracts rather
than licensing rounds, with investors paid in
cash for production. Even though the state
would retain full ownership of reserves, it is
a step in the right direction, Alvarez claimed.
He was confdent that the Mexican senate would sanction the proposal within two
months, with the process fnalized by the end
of the year.
The changes would apply to new felds,
but not to existing offshore felds already
in production. Foreign companies would
be allowed to work either on their own or
in partnership with PEMEX. He added that
PEMEX already has good relations with numerous major oil companies, and is keen to
broaden its knowledge of deepwater geology in the Gulf of Mexico.
Resource potential
Guillermo Mora, Manager Deepwater
Exploration, said PEMEXs 2013-2017 plan
was to increase reserves through new discoveries and to accelerate Mexicos deepwater potential. Around 50% of the countrys
prospective GoM resources are thought to
reside in deepwater, which he classifed as
500 m (1,640 ft) and beyond, within seven
petroleum provinces.
To date the company has acquired 97,000
km (60,273 mi) of 2D seismic data across the

most prospective regions, including 15,000
km (9,320 mi) of long-offset data; and 130,000
sq km (50,193 sq mi) of 3D data. Around 65%
has been acquired using a dedicated ship on
a long-term contract, lowering costs by 40%
compared with previous contracts, Mora said.
Since 2004, he added, PEMEX has drilled 18
deepwater wells, some this year in close to
3,000 m (9,842 ft) of water. The companys
feet includes four sixth-generation rigs capable of drilling in up to 10,000 ft (3,048 m)
of water, and to a maximum depth of 35,000
ft (10,668 m).
In the northwest sector, the company is
pursuing light oil targets in the Perdido Fold
Belt province and the Salina del Bravo province. The Perdido Fold Belt comprises large
anticlines that extend into waters more than
3,000 ft (914 m) deep. Here the main plays
are Eocene and Oligocene turbidite deposits.
West of this structural belt, the Salina del
Bravo province is characterized by giant allocthonous salt bodies, with the main plays
underneath similar to those at Perdido. The
Cretaceous play contains Miocene deepwater deposits related to mini-basins. Here the
main challenges have been to improve subsalt image quality, and to defne the turbidity systems at reservoir scale. PEMEX has
acquired long-offset 2D seismic, gravity, and
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marine data over this area to improve its understanding of salt tectonics.
Following the success of wide-azimuth
seismic (WAZ) surveys on the US side,
the company acquired Centaur, one of the
worlds largest WAZ 3D surveys, to cover
24,000 sq km (9,266 sq mi) in the northwest
Mexican sector. The data have been used to
improve seismic imaging and processing,
and the results integrated with electromagnetic data to help delineate drilling candidates. Deepwater drilling costs are high, so
these studies are needed to give greater certainty to exploration prospects, Mora explained. One of the resultant success stories
was last years 350-MMbbl Trion oil discovery, one of the largest to date in the northern Mexican deepwater Paleogene play.
In the Mexican Ridges to the south, the
prospective plays are in Neogene-Paleogene
deepwater sediments. The Mesozoic remains a hypothetical play PEMEXs main
focus at present is on predicting the type
of hydrocarbons and the charge access to
the upper plays, as exploratory drilling has
demonstrated the presence of an associated
petroleum system.
Between the southern end of this province and the Catemaco Fold Belt province
the company has discovered a large gasprone area, including the Lakach feld, with
prospective resources in the 5.5-16 tcf (155453 bcm) range, Mora said. Main features
are anticlines with Neogene deepwater deposits at their crests. There is evidence that
the Neogene plays extend to the northeast,
with strong potential for liquid hydrocarbons in that direction.
In the Isthmus Saline province there is
strong oil potential in Neogene-Paleogene
subsalt plays and in mini-basins on the western fank. Here PEMEX is looking to sharpen seismic imaging using pre-stack depth
migration; to gain a better understanding
of the turbidity systems; and to improve
prediction of the oil type via geological
modeling. Toward the eastern part of this
province main plays are Mesozoic deepwater carbonate facies with a strong possibility of heavy or extra-heavy oil. To the north,
the plays are Neogene and Mesozoic in age
and include presalt to pre-Upper Jurassic
(hypothetical) plays. Finally, the Campeche
escarpment and Abyssal provinces remain
under evaluation.
Lakach
The Lakach gas feld is in 988 m (3,241

ft) of water, said Francisco Flamenco, design
manager deepwater projects. It was discovered in 2007 with a well drilled by the semisubmersible R Centenario. The location is 98
km (61 mi) southeast of the port of Veracruz
in the center of the Gulf of Mexico. Lakach
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The semisub R Centenario, which drilled

the Lakach discovery, is one of four
ultra-deepwater rigs
available presently
to PEMEX. (Courtesy
PEMEX)
holds 850 bcf (24 bcm) of recoverable gas

there is another discovery nearby almost as
large, and PEMEX plans further exploration
in the area.
This will be the countrys frst deepwater
development, and the gas is sorely needed.
Many industries in Mexico are transforming their source of energy to gas, Flamenco explained, but there is not enough gas
production at the moment to fulfll internal
demand.
Management decided to go for Lakach
as our frst deepwater project. It may not
be the biggest discovery in value terms,
but the experience gained will be very helpful for our future developments. Its a very
simplistic concept for deepwater a totally
subsea system tied back from the feld to the
shore, with a process plant onshore along
with feld control systems. This is also the
frst subsea-beach scheme anywhere in the
Mexican sector.
Flamenco described Lakach as a Lower
Miocene reservoir with a large package of
sands and sediments, interlaid with shales.
PEMEX expects high productivity: the company plans to drill seven development wells
delivering up to 400 MMcf/d (11 MMcm/d)
of gas, exported to the onshore Lerdo de
Tejada gas plant via a loop of one 18-in. and
seven 6-in. pipelines. A 60-km (37-mi) umbilical will transmit data to the wells from the
shore-based subsea control system and also
transport injection chemicals, with 2.5-in.
coiled tubing outside of the umbilical conveying services to combat hydrates.
A dedicated drilling rig has drilled the
frst development well. All seven Lakach
wells will feature horizontal production
trees. Since 1994, Flamenco pointed out, PEMEX has drilled 27 deepwater wells, in the
process building up knowledge which has
been factored into the current development.
We have improved a lot in terms of drilling
time and effciency, trying to incorporate

best practices. We did a lot of work on avoiding shallow hazards and on wellbore stability, and developed a team to perform detailed
assessments of the impact of geomechanical
loads on the wells.
Due to the risks associated with longdistance transport of gas from remotely
controlled wells, PEMEX is working on measures for temporary well abandonment at
Lakach. It has also performed very detailed
engineering on the completions to minimize
the need for, and the associated cost of, intervention. Another issue under review is
maintenance of the pipeline, particularly
managing hydrate formation following a
shutdown. Performing these tasks in deepwater is new to PEMEX, and the company is
currently training staff in smart feld operations and fow assurance tailored to Lakachs
needs, with the assistance of experienced international contractors such as Technip.
Last March PEMEX contracted Doris
Engineering in Houston and Petrofac Engineering and Consulting to supervise and assist construction, installation, commissioning, testing, and start-up of Lakachs subsea
wells and infrastructure, along with tie-ins to
onshore facilities. Mexican contractor Grupo R has put together a drilling team, with
Halliburton providing downhole equipment
and services including drillstem testing.
Further packages will be awarded over the
coming months for the subsea pipeline infrastructure and the onshore facilities. PEMEX
also plans to build a new onshore conditioning plant to handle supplies from future gas
feld developments in the area.
Pre-front-end engineering design is under
way for the Kunar wet gas discovery, and development of Trion will follow in the next few
years, Flamenco said. Our big challenge in
deepwater is to reduce the time between discovery and production, he added.
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Industry gears up for new round

of activity offshore Brazil
Doug Gray
Contributing Editor
ith the depths at which offshore

operators in Brazil are forced to
work becoming ever greater and
conditions more extreme, equipment capacity is being stretched
to the limit. To increase effciency, technological innovation has never been more important not just to maintain productivity, but
also viability.
Given that Brazilian law now states that
1% of a producers revenue must be invested
back into research and technology a key
element of the special participation of the
contracts for the top felds it is no surprise
that high-tech centers are springing up
throughout Brazil. At Rio de Janeiros Federal University Technology Park, Frances
Vallourec inaugurated their research center
off the back of a new contract with Petrobras
to supply tubing and well connectors over the
next fve years. The likes of Halliburton and
Schlumberger have also joined Petrobras
own impressive center on the same site as
the state looks to become a global center for
expertise in deepwater felds.
With its vast resources and investment program, Petrobras is naturally leading the way,
developing the worlds frst deepwater subsea
oil/water separation system in the world on the
P-37 platform in the Marlim feld. The system
separates water produced in the well and reinjects it to boost pressure, freeing up platform
space to enable the serving of more wells.
According to Petrobras, the technology
used in the prototype developed in partnership
with FMC Technologies is tubular separation,
where the multi-phase output from the well is
routed to a three-phase undersea separator,
which separates the water and pumps it to the
reinjection system. The fow containing oil, gas,
and residual water is taken to the platform for
processing, releasing liquid processing capacity. The prototype is currently in early operational phase involving checking and adjusting routines and parameters, and the basic sediment
and water (BSW) fraction currently stands at
63%, well shy of the projects minimum BSW of
70%.
FMC is delivering the second stage of a
$1.5-billion agreement with Petrobras by supplying 49 subsea trees and associated controls
to be manufactured in Brazil for use in presalt
operations. The company also announced
a contract with Petrobras for three subsea
boosting stations for the Parque das Baleias
Petrobras is developing what it

says is the worlds first deepwater subsea oil/water separation
system on the P-37 platform in
the Marlim field, offshore Brazil.
(Image courtesy Petrobras)
development in the Campos basin.

Last month, Shells Kent Stingl revealed
the latest efforts by Shell to maximize their
Parque das Conchas project with a pioneering full life-of-feld 4D seismic monitoring system, the deepest of its kind in the world. The
BC-10 block also required artifcial boosting
to improve production rates, leading to the development of the MOBO modules that cluster
together pumps on the seafoor.
Steel lazy-wave risers were frst introduced
on Shells turret-moored FPSO Espirito Santo,
and Wood Group Kenny recently won a contract to design a new system for the Petrobras-run Sapinhoa Norte feld. The risers
design is still somewhat of a novelty in the
industry, and extreme response and wave
fatigue analysis are just some of the checks
the technology must still go through during
development. Meanwhile, buoyancy supported risers (BSR) are also being developed by
Subsea 7 for Petrobras Guara-Lula NE feld.
The set-up sees a large subsurface buoy
anchored to the seabed by eight tethers,
supporting multiple SCRs connected to the
FPSO above by non-bonded fexible jumpers.
Honeywells UOP Technology has been
contracted by Petrobras subsidiary PNBV
to supply its Separex membrane systems,
to process natural gas aboard four FPSOs in
the Lula feld. According to Honeywell they
will remove carbon dioxide and water from 7
MMcm/d of gas, following successful use on
eight FPSOs in the Santos feld.
Much of the future success of the new felds

production also depends on Brazilian shipbuilding, which is once again thriving off the
back of huge investments. It is hoped that serial production of replicant hulls will speed up
the construction process and optimize costs.
The frst-ever platform built at the Rio Grande
shipyard Bicalho Honorius was also the largest
semisubmersible built in Brazil and the frst
time a deckbox all 17,000 tons of it lifted 57 m
(187 ft) in the air had been mated to a hull in
the country, thanks to Queiroz Galvo.
It is ambitious mega-platforms like this that
are fueling the demand in technology. At this
years Offshore Technology Conference in Rio
de Janeiro, ACOEM will premiere its new condition monitoring equipment deigned to offer
greater fexibility in turbine and motor management. To allow for deployment by less technically skilled users, the offine version, Falcon,
offers smart functionalities and results collection
and processing via portable devices. A new, wireless online version called Eagle, meanwhile, offers greatly simplifed and less costly installation
adapted to the demands of the industry.
Bertrand Wascat from the companys Lyon
headquarters told Offshore that by dispensing
with expensive cables, the new sensors are
now wireless and totally automatic, producing
dynamic raw data for expert analysis both on
and off-site. The equipment will detect defects
months or weeks before they could cause unexpected shutdowns or spread the damage to
other machines.
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Shell sets the FLNG agenda

as Prelude takes shape
Russell McCulley
Senior Technical Editor
hen Shell sanctioned the Prelude foating liquefed natural gas (FLNG) project in 2011, the company emphasized
that it intended to use the massive foater design as a template for a series of FLNG units. That strategy appears to
be playing out offshore Western Australia, where Shell,
operator Woodside, and partners in the Browse LNG development
are making plans for three FLNG units to serve the Brecknock,
Calliance, and Torosa felds in water depths up to 750 m (2,460 ft).
ExxonMobil recently submitted to Australian regulators a proposal
for a 495-m (1,624-ft) long FLNG vessel to serve the Scarborough
feld, with an eye to frst cargo around 2020. Prelude, the frst FLNG
project to reach sanction, is being assembled in South Korea by a
consortium of Technip and Samsung Heavy Industries. During a recent Houston visit, Offshore spoke with Marjan van Loon, vice president LNG in the Projects and Technology division of Shells Global
Solutions Upstream group, about Prelude and the companys plans
for FLNG in Australia.
Offshore: The Prelude foater is coming together in Samsungs
Geoje shipyard. Will subsequent vessels be built there as well?
Van Loon: We are going to build many, and they will all be built there.
As soon as you go with someone else, you lose a lot of the learning. I
think thats been the success not only of Prelude but of all of the developments in our foating portfolio that we had quite good certainty
about the capability, about the costs, and about schedules. Weve done
a lot of work, so we can now keep repeating that same design. (Prelude)
has a very large operating window, so it can ft on different felds.
At the moment, we are studying with Woodside for Browse. Thats
really based on Prelude and the Prelude design, and the reason that
the venture partners have an appetite for it is because we could give
them a lot of cost and schedule certainty, which de-risks the project.
They know where its going to be built, and what its going to look like.
Offshore: Was Shells involvement in Browse contingent on the
FLNG option, or in Woodsides decision to abandon plans for an onshore liquefaction plant at James Price Point?
Van Loon: No, we believed in Browse and the development. Its
a very attractive feld. We were very seriously committed to the onshore option. At the same time, of course, we were maturing Prelude,
so we got further and further insight on how the foater was looking.
And I think only when Woodside realized that it would become diffcult for Browse to get venture partner approvals, because economically it was a struggle, we looked at what FLNG could mean. It was
good that we had a scheme, so we didnt have to start from scratch.
Offshore: Since Shell decided to go ahead with Prelude, it seems
there has been a furry of FLNG pre-front-end engineering and design (FEED) and pre-FEED announcements, as if a lot of companies
were waiting for you to be the frst to make that leap.
Van Loon: Thats good to see. Floating LNG just makes sense
for offshore felds where you dont have a monetization route for an
onshore scheme, because its just too complicated to complete, or
too far to shore. And I think now weve learned, with Prelude and
Browse, that it can be very competitive to onshore schemes.
Offshore: You mentioned that the Prelude design has a large op46 Offshore October 2013 www.offshore-mag.com
First steel was cut for the Prelude substructure in October 2012, at
Samsung Heavy Industries Geoje shipyard in Korea. The vessel is being
assembled from several large, fabricated sections, or blocks. Meanwhile,
the Noble Clyde Boudreaux semisub has been mobilized for the development drilling campaign, the floaters massive turret is under construction
in Dubai, and topsides fabrication is under way. Shell is building a Prelude
supply base in Darwin, and ramping up staffing efforts from the operations center in Perth, Western Australia. (Images courtesy Shell)
erating window. What kind of customization does the design allow?

Van Loon: It was designed for Category 5 cyclone conditions at
Prelude. It can easily accommodate conditions at Browse. We will
need to adapt it for location-specifc things, like mooring, but not a
lot for gas. Browse is rich gas, like Prelude.
We have a bit of a plug-and-play strategy, where if you have far less
CO2, then you could take out half of the CO2 absorption (system). We
have two units, but you could have only one. We have kind of a modular
approach, but the heart of the unit would stay the same. And theres a
lean concept for lean gas, where you dont need the liquids processing capacity for LPG, and you have far less condensate, but also youre
struggling to make it economical, because you dont have the income
from liquids. So what weve done is to use Prelude as a basis, remove
what we dont need, and use that space to increase the LNG capacity.
We have foating LNG lean concepts for six million tons per annum and
nine million tons per annum, compared to the Prelude design, which
takes a little bit less than four million tpa of LNG, but then produces
LPG and condensate. So we try to standardize as much as possible.
Offshore: One notable thing about FLNG is that it brings a lot of
disparate groups upstream, downstream, and marine together
on one unit.
Van Loon: And they need to work together seamlessly. Shell is a
big company, and a lot of people are used to working in their own
silos. So we really had to bring that together and shape that. That
was very interesting, but I think people were very motivated.
Thats where I think Shell is in a unique position, because we have
strength in all of these areas. If you look at marine, and LNG shipping,
we were quite strong. Upstream is more or less the heart of Shell. And in
LNG, we have been a long-term player, and we have quite a long history.
Offshore: Weve been talking about FLNG for decades. Why now?
Van Loon: I think its a combination of things. We were quite serious about foating LNG in the past, but the stars hadnt quite lined up.
When we were thinking about Prelude, I think what worked for us is
that it was our feld, 100% operated, so we didnt have to convince anyone else. So we could move ahead and make our own decisions, and
only when we took FID later on, we diluted (equity). I think that was
a successful concept for bringing it on market. And now, of course, its
economical because the LNG price is good.
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Tullow continues to ride West Africa

offshore success crest
Gene Kliewer
Technology Editor, Subsea & Seismic
ullow Oil is one of the big players in the offshore West Africa oil
and gas exploration and production venue. It has operations off
Gabon, Ghana, and Cte dIvoire, in particular, and holds interests in Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Going further east,
Tullow is involved in Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya, and
Namibia. The following is a look at Tullows West Africa operations.
One big success story comes offshore Ghana. Tullow operates Jubilee
feld, which straddles the Deepwater Tano and West Cape Three Points
exploration blocks. Subsequent to Jubilee, Tullow also is at work on the
Tweneboa/Enyenra/Ntomme (TEN) development in Deepwater Tano.
Ghana
water contact and good reservoir development, supporting the decision to add water injection to the Ntomme development. The wells
will both be suspended for future use in the TEN development.
Additionally, a 3D seismic survey should be completed over the
TEN and nearby Wawa felds by the end of 1Q 2014.
The Wawa discovery well showed good-quality oil, between 38 and
44API, and pressure data indicate the discovery, drilled by partner
Anadarko, is separate from the adjacent TEN complex. The Wawa-1
exploration well is in 1,926 ft (587 m) of water.
Cte dIvoire
Tullow Oil has found small quantities of gas/condensate with its

latest exploratory well offshore Cte dIvoire. The semisubmersible West Leo drilled the Calao-1X well in the CI-103 license in 1,906
m (6,253 ft) of water, at a location northwest of the earlier Paon-IX
oil discovery in the same concession. It encountered 5 m (16.4 ft)
of thin condensate/gas bearing reservoirs in an Upper Cretaceous
deepwater channel system.
A side track was then performed, targeting a better developed
reservoir unit downdip, and this intersected good-quality water
bearing sandstones. Pressure data suggest this zone may be in communication with the condensate found in Calao-1X.
Since the start of this year, Jubilee feld production has increased
toward the FPSO design capacity and is currently producing at a
rate of around 110,000 b/d of oil. By the end of 3Q 2013, work on a
gas handling constraint on the FPSO should be complete and Jubilee production is forecast to increase to more than 120,000 b/d. A
gas injection well is also expected to be drilled and completed by 4Q
2013 for additional reservoir pressure support and gas disposal in Gabon
advance of the start-up of the gas export facilities in 2014.
Tullow has interests in 21 licenses in Gabon, including 14 producOver at TEN, Tullow and partners submitted a plan of developing felds and back-in rights to six more licenses. The company says
ment to the Minister of Energy late last year, and in 2Q 2013 the gov- these licenses are in areas of signifcant potential and give the group
ernment approved the plan. Tullow and its partners plan to proceed exposure to almost 40% of Gabons licensed acreage.
with the development of these discoveries and to defne the fnal
Net oil production for Tullow in the frst half of 2013 averaged 13,400
schedule and capital program to deliver
b/d, slightly lower than expected due to a
frst oil in 2016 followed by ramp up to
short oil workers strike in March and de80,000 b/d.
lays in the planned infll drilling programs
Development of TEN will include
at Tchatamba and Limande. The infll
Ghana
AFRICA
drilling and completing as many as 24
drilling is now scheduled for 4Q 2013.
development wells, which will be conExploration drilling plans call for two
Cote dlvoire
Western
nected through subsea infrastructure to
operated exploration wells targeting the
Region
an FPSO moored in approximately 1,500
Perroquet and Crabe prospects due to
Area
m (4,920 ft) of water.
spud in 3Q 2013 in the Kiarsseny block.
shown
Tullow estimates the overall cost of
Acquisition of 2D seismic surveys in
the TEN development will reach $4.9
the Nziembou and DE7 blocks is combillion, excluding the FPSO lease. This
plete and a nonoperated well is planned
is more than the original estimate parton the MOba prospect in block DE7.
60 Km
ly because of an expansion of the scope
Interpretation of data acquired from a
(approx.)
to enhance recovery from Ntomme and
3D survey over the presalt Sputnik prosfacilitate gas export.
pect in the Arouwe block is complete,
West
Drilling is complete at the Enyenrawith drilling scheduled for the frst half
Cape Three
Points
6A and Ntomme-4A (Nt-04) water inof 2014.
jection wells to better determine oil/
In the frst half of 2013, 77% of Tullows
Deepwater
Tano
water contacts in each feld. Earlier this
total working interest production of
year, Enyenra-6A, drilled initially as an
88,600 boe/d was from West Africa.
appraisal well, encountered 18 m (59
Signifcant offshore and onshore drillWater
ft) of oil pay, indicating a deeper than
ing activity is expected to continue on all
Depth: 1,100 m
Jubilee Field
(approx.)
expected oil/water contact. The Nt-04
felds in 2013, with a program exceeding
well also indicates a slightly deeper oil/
60 infll wells across the Gabon portfolio.
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BRAZIL
Presalt Libra prospect offers

opportunities, challenges
Carlos Assis
Ernst & Young Terco
Estimates indicate deepwater prospect could hold 8-12 Bbbl of recoverable reserves
razils frst exclusive presalt licensing round will be held in

late October, with one production-sharing contract (PSC)
on offer for the deepwater Libra prospect. Brazils National
Petroleum Agency (ANP) estimates that Libra could hold
between 8 and 12 Bbbl of recoverable reserves, which, if
confrmed, would make it the countrys largest discovery. The upcoming presalt licensing round will be the frst opportunity for companies to bid for new presalt acreage since the announcement of
the Lula feld in 2007, and it will be the frst time that the new PSC
model, created under a new regulatory framework for the presalt, is
put to the test.
The Libra prospect is located in the Santos basin in water depths
of approximately 2,000 m (6,560 ft), near the large Lula, Sapinhoa,
Franco, and Iara discoveries. Libra was once part of the BS-4 concession block. In 2001, the operator drilled a well targeting the post-salt
section, which resulted in a dry well, and the concession was relinquished.
ANP confrmed Libras presalt potential nine years later, when presalt discoveries elsewhere in the Santos basin prompted the regulator
to drill a stratigraphic well. While the frst well encountered mechanical problems, a subsequent well was successfully drilled to a depth of
more than 6,000 m (19,685 ft) and encountered good-quality medium
oil (about 27 API gravity). Subsequent seismic data interpretations
by the ANP led to an estimated recoverable volume of 8-12 Bbbl of
oil for Libra.
International oil companies and national oil companies will evaluate
the risks and potential rewards of a Libra bid. The potential for value
creation is huge, and to some extent the exploration risks are fewer
than they are at comparable prospects. Costs are expected to be high,
however, and the cost recovery caps are fairly low compared with
other PSCs. The mandatory Petrobras operatorship may lessen the
attractiveness of a bid to potential partners with a greater appetite for
operational control or to partners who fear that Petrobras may already
have too much on its plate.
Importantly, the structure of the Libra bid round will be different from the previous ANP rounds. In previous rounds, the signature bonus, local content, and minimum exploratory program were
weighted criteria to determine the winning bids. In the upcoming
Libra round, those factors will be fxed and not part of the bid, with
the sole bidding factor being the percentage of excess or proft oil
offered to the government.
The key terms of the new PSC model include:
Signature bonus: R$15 billion ($7 billion).
General fscal terms: 15% royalty; cost recovery via cost oil, with
recovery capped at 50% in the frst two years and 30% thereafter;
minimum government share of the excess or proft oil of 41.65%;
and 34% income tax.
Local content: Minimum local content requirement will be 37% during the exploration phase, 15% during long-term testing, and 55%
during the development phase up to 2021 and 59% after 2022. The
model contract does, however, offer some fexibility with regard
Libra
to how these overall targets are met, and sets sub-targets for individual equipment/service items.
State participation: The state oil company Petrobras will be the
operator, with an automatic 30% stake. However, Petrobras could
take a higher shareholding if it presents a successful bid in the
licensing round. A new state company, Pr-Sal Petrleo, will have
the right to appoint half the board of directors of the new joint
venture, including the president, and hold veto power in some
decisions.
Exploration commitment: Minimum exploration phase is four
years but can be extended. The minimum work program will
consist of the acquisition of 1,547 sq km (597 sq mi) of 3D seismic data and the drilling of two exploration wells.
The unique feature of the Libra model is the sole bid criteria of
the governments take of the proft oil. With a required minimum
bid of 41.65%, the base bid level assumes an oil price of $100-$120/
bbl (UK Brent basis) and well productivity of 10,000-12,000 b/d. The
actual government take will then vary from the base bid level on a
sliding scale that is a function of the oil price and well productivity.
This mechanism provides more leverage to the government; higher
oil prices and/or higher well productivity will increase the governments take, while lower prices and productivity will reduce it.
The Libra prospect is potentially huge, both for the Brazilian oil and
gas industry and the global industry. Libra could hold reserves equal
to almost two-thirds of Brazils current proved oil reserves, and production could reach as high as 1 MMb/d. The proposed model for the
Libra bid round is unique: it features the simplicity of a single number
(the governments proft oil percentage) that essentially refects the
prospects, complexities, and challenges of one of the worlds largest
undeveloped oil and gas resources.
MIDDLE EAST
Saudi Arabia dramatically increases rig

count, accelerates offshore development
Kingdom seeks to retain infuence abroad
while feeding growing demand at home
Barry Jongkees
Strategic Analysis
il was frst struck in the Arabian Peninsula on March 3, 1938, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been the centerpiece of the oil market ever since.
With proven reserves of 260 Bbbl and
a production capacity of 12.5 MMb/d, it has
taken up the role of swing producer: that
is, it has ensured stability of global output by
making up for unexpected shortfalls in other
countries, as happened during the Gulf War
of 2003 or the unrest in Libya in 2011.
However, some analysts have warned that
the rapid development of shale oil poses a
signifcant threat to Saudi Arabias key position in the oil market. As global production
of oil is set to increase, its reserve production capacity will become less vital in maintaining price stability. In this light, it is telling that the Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi,
said that the kingdom would not increase
production capacity beyond 12.5 MMb/d for
the next 30 years in contrast to earlier calls
to increase output to 15 MMb/d to meet
global demand. Simultaneously, however,
Saudi Arabia has massively increased the total number of drilling rigs in recent months;
this year, the total number of rigs is set to hit
a record of 170, nearly double the 88 rigs in
October 2012. The spike in the number of
rigs as well as the exploration and development of more costly offshore felds signify
a troublesome trend: it is becoming increasingly diffcult to maintain stable output from
the existing wells amidst growing domestic
and international demand.
The first phase of Saudi Aramcos Manifa shallow water oilfield development began production in
April 2013. When complete, the Manifa project will comprise 41 km (25.5 mi) of causeways, 27 manmade drilling islands, and 13 offshore and 15 onshore drill sites. The project is designed to produce
900,000 b/d of heavy crude and 90 MMcf/d of gas. (Photo courtesy Saudi Aramco)
The Manifa feld commenced production

in April 2013. The feld is estimated to be
the ffth-largest in the world, with proven
reserves of 11 Bbbl of heavy crude oil. The
Manifa feld has been relatively expensive to
develop, by Saudi standards; the investment
amounts to $17,500 per peak daily barrel,
compared to the $10,000 per peak daily barrel
project in Khurais and the incredibly cheap
$2,500 per peak daily barrel in the Haradh III
zone in the Ghawar onshore feld. The reason
for the comparatively high investment cost is
the construction of a 41-km (25-mi) causeway
to link the oil platforms to the mainland, in
a bid to avoid damaging the ecosystem and
reefs in the area. The feld was designed with
a maximum production capacity of 900,000
Offshore developments
Saudi Arabias fve largest oil felds
Saudi Arabias largest offshore oil

felds are Safaniya, Zuluf, Manifa, Marjan, and Abu Safah, which together
hold a total 76.1 Bbbl in reserves with
a combined production capacity of 3.42
MMb/d. These offshore felds represent roughly 30% of total Saudi reserves
and 3.8% of daily global demand.
Field
Safaniya
Zuluf
Manifa
Marjan
Abu Safah
Reserves
37,000 MMbbl
12,000 MMbbl
11,000 MMbbl
10,000 MMbbl
6,100 MMbbl
b/d by the end of 2014.

Another technological hurdle relates to the
nature of the oil in the feld heavy crude.
This variant of crude oil has a higher density and viscosity than light crude, making it
harder and thus more expensive to extract.
However, for offshore heavy crude wells,
there is an advantage that offsets the diffculty in extraction. Heavy crude is typically located at shallow depth, and is less vulnerable
to oil spills and other damages. Heavy crude
deposits are often located at roughly 3,000 ft
(914 m) or less, whereas recently discovered
light crude deposits in the deepwater Gulf of
Mexico are often in water depths of around
10,000 ft (3,048 m).
The expansion into the Manifa offshore
feld and the relatively high costs associated with its development refect
the increasing diffculty of extracting
crude oil from mature felds. As menProduction capacity
tioned, in order to maintain produc1,300,000 b/d
tion at roughly 12.5 MMb/d, Saudi
450,000 b/d
Arabia plans to nearly double its total
900,000 b/d
number of rigs this year. These rigs
270,000 b/d
are increasingly located in undevel300,000 b/d
oped felds, such as Manifa, in order
to reduce the pressure on existing
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MIDDLE EAST
Yarmouk and al-Rawabi, killing six militants. As al-Qaeda currently

remains heavily involved in operations in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, it
is unlikely to be able to devote signifcant operational capacity to attacks in Saudi Arabia, meaning that if attacks are planned, they are
likely to be small in scale and scope.
International Energy Agency forecast

of daily global oil demand (millions of barrels)
98
96
Economic risk
94
92
Demand
90
88
86
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
felds, including the onshore giant Ghawar. Last June, the kingdom
produced 9.47 MMb/d; a decade ago, the same amount was produced with only 60 rigs operating in the country. Only one conclusion can be drawn from this observation: it is becoming increasingly
diffcult to keep up daily production of cheap, light crude oil.
In 2012, Saudi Arabian oil production hit a record of 11.5 MMb/d.
This means that if output capacity remains stable, the excess capacity
has shrunk to only 1 MMb/d. Nigeria, a site of frequent civil unrest
surrounding its oil production, produces roughly 2.5 MMb/d. This
means that in case of supply disruption in Nigeria due to unrest or terrorism, Saudi Arabia is unable to make up for the shortfall on its own.
In order to explain the sharp increase in the number of operational rigs as well as the development of additional offshore felds
with higher production costs, it is crucial to understand the political
and economic risks facing the Saudi monarchy.
Political risk
Most Saudi oil felds are in the northeast of the country, where
the Shiite minority is concentrated. Ever since the 2011 Saudi intervention in neighboring Bahrain, where the majority Shiite population aimed to overthrow the Sunni monarchy, civil unrest in the
Shiite regions of Saudi Arabia has increased.
Recent unrest in Qatif led to clashes between security forces and
protesters. More than 17 people have been killed in the protests that
started two years ago. Qatif is only 144 km (89 mi) from the Abqaiq
refnery, the largest oil-processing plant in the world. If civil unrest
were to spread and increase in intensity, it is likely that disruptions
in oil production would follow. However, the risk of escalating civil
unrest is limited, as the state has intervened decisively and consistently to prevent brewing confict from escalating. It has repeatedly
fred at and killed protesters, as in Awamiya on Sept. 26, 2012. It has
also started to arrest Shia clerics that speak out against the regime,
such as the apprehension of Nimr al-Nimr in July 2012, for whom
the regime had issued an arrest warrant in 2009. Shia pilgrims in
Medina have repeatedly been attacked in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013,
sparking protests and unrest in Shia regions. Therefore, civil unrest
is limited in Saudi Arabia, but can be expected to fare up during
religious events.
The risk of terrorist activities is also limited in the short term, and
previous attacks on energy infrastructure have been rare. The most
recent serious attempt dates to February 2006, when militants wearing Aramco armor and driving two Aramco vehicles were able to
penetrate the frst of three security fences before being discovered.
A frefght ensued, during which their vehicle exploded. Reportedly,
only a small pipeline was damaged, as the vehicles were still in the
outer ring of the facility. The response of the state was decisive:
three days after the attempt, security forces raided houses in al54 Offshore October 2013 www.offshore-mag.com
The consequences of shale oil for OPEC states are signifcant.

OPEC has already stated that it assumes demand for its oil exports
to drop to 29.6 MMb/d this year, 600,000 b/d lower than in 2012,
due to increased global oil production. Indeed, Prince al-Waleed recently voiced concern over this trend, stating that lower oil prices
will negatively impact fscal stability, as oil revenues constitute 92%
of the Saudi budget. Based on the increase in global oil production,
Saudi Arabia should resist increasing its production capacity, as the
changing international market makes this unnecessary. At the same
time, it is crucial to maintain or increase current levels of exports
in order to maintain market share. This brings us to the increase in
domestic demand that increasingly burdens Saudi oil production.
Saudi oil production has steadily increased to 11.5 MMb/d in
2012, while output capacity has remained stable at 12.5 MMb/d.
Saudi Arabia has stated that it intends to maintain spare capacity of
2 MMbbl to meet unexpected shortfalls.
However, domestic demand for energy has steadily increased
over recent years, fuelled by fast population growth. The Saudi
population is expected to reach 30 million by 2017, double the number of people 30 years ago. Demand for electricity has increased
by 3.15% per year, and it is estimated that peak energy use will be
120,000 MW by 2030, tripling the current peak use of 46,000 MW.
In order to keep up oil export capacity, Saudi Arabia has increasingly sought to replace oil with gas for domestic energy use. As
such, a majority of the increase in rig count is dedicated to gas exploration and development. The development of the Manifa feld should
be seen in this light, as it is set to produce 1.8 bcf/d (51 MMcm/d)
of gas. Saudi Aramco recently refocused on development of gas as
domestic demand grows. According to BP, Saudi Arabia produced
a total of 9.9 bcf (280 MMcm) last year, an increase of 11% year-onyear. During the same time, domestic consumption of oil declined
12.5% from 800,000 b/d to 700,000 b/d. Maintaining export levels
will be crucial both for Saudi fscal stability and global economic
growth. Global demand for oil is set to increase, in Asia in particular.
By 2018 global daily demand will be 96.5 MMb/d, an increase of 7%
over current demand.
Cutting consumption
Based on this data and the rebuttal of alternative explanations for
the increase in rig count, the conclusion is that Saudi Arabia fnds
it increasingly diffcult to extract suffcient production out of existing wells. Amid growing global and domestic demand, the country
seeks to increase its gas output for domestic use, which explains the
spike in rig count in recent months. The same motivations underlie
the development of the expensive offshore Manifa feld. To maintain
production capacity, and its position as swing producer, domestic
use will have to increase, as capacity is not bound to increase over
the next 30 years.
Saudi Arabia is the sixth largest oil consumer in the world and
this is only set to rise with the kingdoms population set to increase
to 36.5 million by 2032, said Ruth Lux, managing director of Strategic Analysis. Current fgures suggest 31.5 bbl of oil are burned per
person per year and that 33% of domestic oil consumption is used
for air conditioning. In the short to medium term, it is unlikely that
domestic consumption habits will change. However, Saudi Arabias
massively subsidized domestic oil consumption is untenably high,
and it is not a sustainable energy model for future generations.
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Seismic processing advancement

continues to push envelope
Gene Kliewer
Technology Editor,
Subsea & Seismic
Programs evolve to take advantage of Big Data
ata management, integration, and collaboration, particularly involving exploration, are topics of conversation
in upstream oil and gas circles when
it comes to technology trends.
Along with the massive amounts of data resulting from todays offshore seismic acquisition approaches comes the challenge of fnding the correct data when it is needed, and
developers are working to take data management tasks off the geoscientists list to free
time for interpreting that data.
Enabling collaboration comes from the
recognition that subsurface data can be valuable not only to geoscientists, but also to drillers and production personnel.
Software environments available to multiple
users in multiple disciplines and multiple locations are the target. Open platforms are the
current answer. These open platforms have
generated another infuence, and that is the
addition of plug-in tools by outside developers
as well as those from the platform suppliers.
Two of the biggest names Landmark and
Schlumberger foster the development of plugins to their respective processing platforms.
Landmark has its DecisionSpace platform that
uses OpenWorks software, and Schlumberger
has its Petrel program collection that uses
Ocean framework. For example, Open Works
can connect to the Petrel Bidirectional Connector via the DecisionSpace Data Server. That
means data can be moved from DecisionSpace
to Petrel and back.
For some time, Landmark has made Software Development Kits available to programmers to make plug-ins for OpenWorks. Now,
similar kits are being developed that will work
in DecisionSpace as well.
Looking at Ocean Framework, Schlumberger says it has independent software companies,
universities, and oil and gas operators writing
plug-ins for Petrel.
The attraction of programming for the geophysical industry is growing as a result, too.
Tibco is working on OpenSpirit software
that aims to make it easier to search multiple
databases. It connects a number of subsurface software packages, including Petrel,
OpenWorks, the PPDM open format, and
Paradigms Epos.
OpendTects HorizonCube consists of correlated 3D stratigraphic surfaces that are assigned a relative geological age. It was developed as part of the OpendTect SSIS plug-in for sequence stratigraphic interpretation where it was called chronostratigraphy. Because the technology has a much
wider application, the HorizonCube became a separate plug-in in v.4.2. SSIS is an add-on to the
HorizonCube that focuses on sequence stratigraphic interpretation and Wheeler transformations.
Other applications of the HorizonCube are geologic model building, low-frequency model building
for seismic inversions, and well correlations.
Using Hadoop, Tibco says OpenSpirit can

search for data on horizons, wells, seismic returns, well logs, etc. to fnd data that fts the
search parameters. Those parameters can be
defned by drawing a box on a map or by setting flter limits such as depth.
Rockeye is drawing on its experience with
developing computer games to address seismic data visualization. The company has developed a way to speed the task of loading 2D
and 3D SEG-Y fles to make it easier to visualize. The software can search for interpreted
SEG-Y data fles and after processing shows
the data in a 3D visualizer. It allows taking a
data cube for closer inspection, making slices
through the data, and can make a best-ft fault
line to create a surface.
Rockeye also offers RockShot which can
assemble views from several projects to automatically build PowerPoint presentations.

This high-powered interpretation requires
high-powered processing capacity. Toward that
end, Intel and Hitachi have joined to develop a
data center around Linux clusters specifcally to
meet the massive data amount collected by oil
and gas operators. Called Lustre, the fle management system can handle tens of thousands
of computer nodes, petabytes of storage, and
reach data processing speeds in the hundreds
of gigabytes/second range, says the joint venture. Imaging seismic data and sharing of realtime information are its purposes.
Sigma3 has just launched the CRYSTAL
2103 platform which directs its attention to
building models that connect microseismic
derived Stimulated Reservoir Volume to actual
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DB50
Enhanced to deliver
greater reliability
& versatility
WORLDWIDE OFFSHORE MOORING TRENDS (As of September 2013)
0%
Fig 2: Spiral Strand galvanized or

coated high tensile wire. Service
life span up to 15 Years.
25% 50% 75% 100%
Mooring System Integrity Issues

Lessons Learned from FPS Moorings
SCORCH JIP - Chain Corrosion
Anchor Leg System Integrity
Polyester Mooring Integrity
Floating Prod. Mooring Integrity JIP
SYNTHETIC FIBER MOORING SYSTEMS

1 OTC 23333-MS
2012 DYNEEMA/LANKHORST
2 OTC 22218
2011 STRESS ENG.
3 OTC 20838
2010 DEMLAR SYSTEMS
4 OTC 20836-MS
2010 BP & Others
5 OTC 20155-MS
2009 SAMSON/DELMAR
6 OTC 18768-MS
2007 TENSION TECHNOLOGY
7 OTC 17247-MS
2005 TECHNIP/KERR-MCGEE
2004 BP/STRESS ENG/UNION
8 OTC16590
HMPE Fiber for DW Mooring

Evaluation of Advance Fibers
Fiber Mooring - Recent Experiences
Changes in Update of AP RP 2SM
Hurricane Proof Mooring System
Polyester Mooring Line
RED HAWK System Design & Verif.
MAD DOG Polyester Mooring
2013 Offshore
Courtesy: SIGMA OFFSHORE

Courtesy: HESS
500
1,640 ft.
LIFE SPAN
(Yrs.)
Courtesy: NOV APL
100%
19
20
13
15
17
20
20
20
07
11
20
05
09
20
03
20
01
20
99
97
20
95
19
19
19
20
Present
ANCHOR TYPES FOR OFFSHORE MOORING
OFFSHORE MOORING LINES SAMPLE ASSEMBLIES

Fig. 1: Elevation View of Polyester VLA Taut-Leg Preset Mooring Leg (Temporary Mooring)
Figs: 1A & Suction Piles with skid rails being

installed from stern of installation vessel
Fig. 2: Vryhof Patented Stevpris Mk6 Drag

Embedment Anchor
Fig. 3: Vryhof Patented Stemanta

Omni-directional VLA
Courtesy: NOV APL
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Spread Moored
48%
Turret Moored
48%
Spread Moored
20%
Spread Moored
80%
Turret Moored
66%
17%
Tendon Moored
South Africa
13
Egypt/Libya/Tunisia
15
Spread Moored
50%
Spread Moored
Turret Moored
50%
Turret Moored
17%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Tendon Moored 4%
Cameroon to Congo
11
Tendon Moored
Qatar/Iran/UAE
17
17%
83%
Tendon Moored
Thailand/Myanmar
19
Spread Moored
50%
Spread Moored
Turret Moored
50%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Spread Moored
100%
Tendon Moored
Seg. 8 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1A
100%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
Tendon Moored
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
GRAPH 1: MOORING SYSTEM TRENDS BY REGION
0%
TABLE 3: THE APPLICATION OF MOORING SYSTEMS vs. OFFSHORE FACILITY TYPES
Seg. 5 - Chain 2 with

R2C & C2R Connectors
STEEL PIPE
COMBINED LINE
POLYSTER FIBER
WIREROPE
CHAIN
1B
SPREAD
MOORING
6.8%
MEDITERRANEAN/CASPIAN/
EGYPT/LIBYA/TUNISIA
5.0%
NIGERIA
5.0%
CAMEROON TO CONGO
4.1%
OTHER AFRICA
1.8%
Tedons
OTHER AMERICAS
1.8%
OTHER ASIA
1.6%
CATENARY
TAUT
TENDONS & AP TENSION
5.0%
ANGOLA
TURRET
CALM
SALM
INTERNAL
D/P
EXTERNAL
D/P
FIXED YOKE
SOFT YOKE
HAWSER
TUBULAR RISER & YOKE
CHAIN RISER & HAWSER
Proven
Not Proven
Turret Moored
5%
15%
10%
20%
Courtesy: Vryhof Anchor
Fig. 5: Drag Embedment Anchor (DEA)
Fig. 6: The Bruce DENNLA Mk4, Drag Embedment Near Normal Load Anchor (DENNLA)
Courtesy: NOV APL
Courtesy: NOV APL
Courtesy: SBM ATLANTIA
MANUFACTURERS
Courtesy: InterMoor
Seg. 1 - Chain Section at Anchor
Courtesy: InterMoor
PILE
Courtesy: Bruce Anchor
Fig. 7: Delmars Patented OMNIMAX Drop Anchor Fig. 8: InterMoors SEPLA (Suction Embedded
Plate Anchor)
Fig. 9: InterMoors SEPLA Pre-Installation
COMPANY NAME
DROP
ANCHOR
(7)
(3)
(3)
Courtesy: DELMAR US
Seg. 4 - Short Chain Segment with

Rope to Chain (R2C) and Chain to
Rope (C2R) Connections
13
12 11
11
Seg. 7 - Chain Section
10
9
7
DETAIL 2
Courtesy: InterMoor
OFFSHORE MOORING CONNECTORS: Connecting Mooring System Components Together
Delmar SS Connector for

Chain to Chain (C2C)
Fig. 1: H-Link Connector:

Anchor to Polyester Rope

Rope to Rope (R2R)
Fig. 3: Y-Link Connector:

Rope to Rope (R2R)
Fig. 4: Pear Link Connector:

Rope to Chain (R2C)
7 6
(1) Contracted by Petrobras to fabricate the Torpedo Piles.

(2) SEPLA is proprietary to InterMoor and is solely manufactured and installed by InterMoor.
(3) InterMoor does not manufacture DEAs or VLAs. However, they own, rent, and install these anchor
types.
(4) InterMoor is licensed by Petrobras to fabricate and install Torpedo Piles in GOM.
(5) OMNIMAX is the trade mark of Delmar.
(6) Also includes Stevmanta, and Stevshark anchors.
(7) Delmar maintains a large inventory of Drag Embedment Anchors (DEAs) and VLAs which they own,
rent, and install.
FIG. 10: ANCHOR TYPES
16 15
5A
13
Components in a typical mooring line
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Clump
Weight
Shackle Connection
for Suction Pile to
Chain Connection
DETAIL 4
1.
2.
MOORING
CLASSIFICATION &
CERTIFICATION
MOORING LINE
COMPONENTS
FIBER ROPES
STEEL WIRES
ANCHORS &
SUCTION PILES
MOORING
MONITORING/
INSTRUMENTATION
ACCESSORIES
CHAINS
FAIRLEADS, CHAIN
STOPPERS, CHAIN JACKS
WINCHES
CONNECTORS,
SHACKLES, CHASERS
TURRET
DESIGNERS/
SUPPLIERS
MOORING
SYSTEM
INSTALLERS/PM
Courtesy: Aker Solutions Pusnes
MOORING BUOYS/
BUOYANCY
Fig. 4: Chain Jack on Kikeh Spar Hull

AKER SOLUTIONS
akersolutions.com
ABS
eagle.org
ALLOY WIRE
INTERNATIONAL
alloywire.com
BRIDON
bridon.com
COLUMBUS MCKINNON
CORPORATION
cmworks.com
Aker Pusnes AS
akersolutions.com
BLADT INDUSTRIES AS
bladt.dk
AKER SOLUTIONS
akersolutions.com
BALLTEC
Balltec.com
BALMORAL
balmoral-offshore.com
BLUEWATER
bluewater.com
ASTRO TECHNOLOGY
astrotechnology.com
BOSKALIS OFFSHORE
boskalis.com/offshore
AMOG CONSULTING
Amogconsulting.com
API
API.ORG
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
ARCELOMITTAL
Arcelormittal.com/
wiresolutions
COORDINATED
COMPANIES
ceccwrr.com
BRUCE ANCHOR
bruceanchor.co.uk
AMCLYDE
rokrem.com
BARDEX Corporation
bardex.com
BRUCE ANCHOR
bruceanchor.co.uk
CRP
crpgroup.com
BMT SCIENTIFIC
MARINE SERVICES
Scimar.com
LONDON MARINE
CONSULTANTS
londonmarine.co.uk
BOSKALIS OFFSHORE
BUREAU VERITAS
Veritas.com
CSL ROPES
cslropes.com.br
BRIDON
INTERNATIONAL LTD
bridonltd.com
DAI HAN ANCHOR CHAIN

MFG. CO., LTD.
dhac.co.kr
CANYON OFFSHORE
helixesg.com
APPLETON MARINE, INC.

Appletonmarine.com
BROHL
Broehl.de
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
DCL MOORING & RIGGING

dcl-usa.com
FUGRO GEOS
Geos.com/
offshore-systems/
nov.com/Production/Floating_
Production_Solutions.aspx
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
DNV
DNV.ORG
DSR CORP
dsrcorp.com
BROOKFIELDWIRE
brookfieldwire.com

dcl-usa.com
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
BODEWES
bodewes.com
NOV
nov.com
FEUERSTEIN GMBH
feubo.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
INTERMOOR/PULSE
STRUCTURAL MONITORING
InterMoor.com
ORWELL OFFSHORE
orwelloffshore.com
HEEREMA MARINE
CONTRACTORS (HMC)
hmc.heerema.com
DEEPSEA GROUP LTD.

Deepseaeng.com
LLOYDS REGISTER
LR.ORG
InterMoor
InterMoor.com

dcl-usa.com
DSR CORP
dsrcorp.com

dcl-usa.com
BROHL
Broehl.de
ROLLSROYCE
Rolls-royce.com
FIRST SUBSEA
firstsubsea.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
MEASUREMENT
TECHNOLOGY NW
mtnw-usa.com.com
SBM
sbmoffshore.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
SBM OFFSHORE
sbmoffshore.com
LANKHORST EURO NETE

lankhorsteuronete.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
HAMANAKA CHAIN MFG.

CO. LTD.
hamanaka-chain.co.jp
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
OIL STATES SKAGIT

SMATCO
Oilstates.com
SMITHBERGER
smithberger.com
FLINTSTONE TECHNOLOGY
flint-tech.com/subsea.html
NESSCO
Nessco.rig.net
SIGMA OFFSHORE
Sigmaoffshore.com
JUMBO OFFSHORE
Jumbo-offshore.nl
TIMBERLAND EQUIPMENT
Timberland-group.com
FRANKLIN OFFSHORE
INTERNATIONAL
franklin.com.sg
SOFEC
sofec.com
MCDERMOTT
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
mcdermott.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
NOV (FORMERLY APL)
Fig. 5: Bardex Linear Chain Jack.

Chain is Mechanically Held at All Times.
Latches can not be released while under load.
Used for SPAR, FPSO, and TLP Mooring and
Tensioning Systems.
EMAS AMC
emas.com
Fig. 6: BARDEXs Moveable Chain Jack on LLOGs Opti-EX Semi-FPS
OTS
otsas.no
KISWIRE LTD
kiswire.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
NOV
nov.com
HOUSTON OFFSHORE
ENGINEERING
Houston-offshore.com
SOFEC
sofec.com
PARKER SCANROPE AS
scanrope.no
MOORLINK
moorlink.com
JIANGSU ASIAN STAR

ANCHOR CHAIN CO. LTD
anchor-chain.com
MENCK
menck.com
RAPP MARINE
Rappmarine.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
TECHNIP
technip.com
SAMSON
samsonrope.com
PARKER HANNIFIN
CORPORATION
parker.com
KETTENFABRIK MESTER
GMBH
mesterkette.com
SOTRA ANCHOR &

CHAIN
SOTRA.NET
ROLLSROYCE
Rolls-royce.com
KBR (GRANHERNE
SUBSIDIARY)
KBR.com
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
TEUFELBERGER
teufelberger.com/en
REDAELLI TECNA S.P.A.

redaelli.com
LAIWU STEEL ZIBO

ANCHOR CHAIN CO., LTD.
lgchains.com
SPT OFFSHORE
sptoffshore.com
LOC NORGE AS
LOC-GROUP.COM
VRYHOF
ENGINEERING Ltd.
Vryhof.com
TRION Co., Ltd

trioncorp.co.kr
SCANROPE
scanropemarine.com
MARIT
marit.fr
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
TIMBERLAND
EQUIPMENT
TRELLEBORG MARINE
SYSTEMS
Trelleborg.com/marine
STRAINSTALL
Strainstall.no
GREENPIN
greenpin.com
TRELLEBORG MARINE
SYSTEMS
OFFSHORE INSTALLATION
SERVICES LTD. (OIS)
ois-ltd.com
WFS SUBSEA
wfs-tech.com
SBM OFFSHORE
sbmoffshore.com
Courtesy: BARDEX
MOORLINK
moorlink.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
OIL STATES
Oilstates.com
SOUTHGATE MARINE &

OFFSHORE SERVICES LTD.
Southgatemarine.com
2HOFFSHORE
2hoffshore.com
Fig. 9: Fairlead Above Waterline
WORLEYPARSONS
Worleyparsons.com
UNIROPE
unirope.com
WHITEHILL
MANUFACTURING
whitehillmfg.com
MCS KENNY
mcskenny.com
MOORING SYSTEM
SOLUTIONS PTY LTD.
(MOORSURE)
Moorsure.com.au
TOKYO WIRE ROPE

tokyorope.co.jp
USHA MARTIN
ushamartin.com
WASHINGTON CHAIN
& SUPPLY
wachain.com
OFFSPRING
INTERNATIONAL (OIL)
offspringinternational.com
RAMNAS BRUK AB
ramnas.com
VRYHOF ANCHORS B.V.

vryhof.com
LeBeon Manufacturing
le-beon.com
SANMAR CHAIN
INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD.
sci-chain.com
LHR MARINE/FEURSTEIN
lhrmarine.com
SOTRA ANCHOR & CHAIN

Sotra.net
KOHLSWA GJUTERI AB
kohlswagjuteri.se
THE CROSBY GROUP

thecrosbygroup.com
UNIROPE
unirope.com
MILLER LIFTING
millerproducts.net
VICINAY MARINE
Vicinaymarine.com
Figs. 6 & 7 Courtesy: Royal Lankhorst
Seg. 1 - Suction Pile

Pre-Installed Chain
Section
S. China FPSO
E. Canada
FPSO
S. China FPSO
W. Africa
CALM
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea
FPSO
Catastrophic Failure
14
W. Africa FPSO
12
N. Sea
FPSO
N. Sea Semi
10
S.E. Asia CALM

W. Africa FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea STL Buoy
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
E. Canada FPSO
GOM Spar
N. Sea FPSO
S.E. Asia CALM
N. Sea FPSO
GOM Spar
GOM Spar
W. Africa
W. Africa
W. Africa
W. Africa
FPSO
W. Africa CALM W. Africa FPSO N. Sea FPSO
GOM Spar FPSO
FPSO
FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
Graph 1 Courtesy: ExxonMobil Study on Mooring
Yr 0 = Installation, Yr 1 = First Yr. of Operation
ZHENGMAO GROUP CO. LTD.

Zszhongnan.com
LIST OF APPROVED MANUFACTURES For Mooring Chain, Anchors, Wire Rope

1. AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING: APPROVED MANUFACTURERS SHIP ANCHOR AND OFFSHORE MOORING CHAIN
(Updated weekly by ABS)
http://www.eagle.org/eagleExternalPortalWEB/ShowProperty/BEA%20Repository/AppProdsMFG/ApprovedListings/27CChain
Courtesy: NOV
C-Ray Media, Inc.
No. of Mooring Component Failures

Courtesy: First Subsea
Chain Jacks/BarLatch Fairlead Stoppers

SCR Pull-in Systems
Corporate Headquarters in Goleta California,

Also in Houston and High Wycombe, UK
www.BARDEX.com
3D Modeling & Animation | Graphic Design | Website Design & Development | Interactive Flash Programming
Providing reliable mooring lines and services through

innovative engineering and materials, extensive

www.c-raymedia.com
15.
14.
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
Fig. 2: Semi-FPS Mooring
Fig. 3: External Turret Moored FPSO
Semi-FPS
Hull
Spar
Hull
4x3
Pattern
Fig. 4: Internal Turret Moored FPSO
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
FPSO
FPSO
3x4
Pattern
Courtesy: LeBeon Manufacturing
Fig. 16: Sister Connector Fiber

Rope Thimble to Fiber Rope
Thimble (R2R)
Fig. 17: Open Socket &Y-Link Connectors, Wire Rope to Chain (R2C)
Fig. 14: Closed Socket (Male End)

Link for Wire Rope End,
Technology Indicated in Red
Fig. 15: Ballgrab Stab-In On Buoy
Courtesy: C-Ray Media
Fig. 5: Drilling Rig (MODU) Mooring
Fig. 6: Perspective of MODU Hull

and Mooring Lines
Fig. 7: TLP with Tendons
Bend Restrictor
Insulation Sleeve
CHAIN
22
Anode
14
Handling Padeye
CONNECTOR
POLYESTER ROPE
YOKE COLUMN
10
15
20
25
No. of Breaks
Fig. 20: Y-Link Connection Open

Wire Rope Socket to Chain (R2C)
Connection
Fig. 21: Thimble & Shackle

for Fiber Rope to Chain (R2C)
Connection
Fig. 22: ROV Operable H-Link
Fig. 19: First Subseas Ballgrab

SMC Male Connector with
Mooring Chain
4x3
Pattern
3x4
Pattern
13
3
SEMI FPS
10
Fig. 8 Typical Pre-Set Mooring Pattern

On Seafoor (WHO DAT SEMI-FPS)
4 x 2 Pattern
(4 Col. x 2 Tendons/Col.)
4x3
Pattern
4 x 3 Pattern
SEMI
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
GRAPH 5: MOORING SYSTEM FAILURES

BY FACILITIES TYPE (2001-2011)
Fig. 24 Delmars
Subsea Mooring
Connector for Chain,
Wire Rope, and Polyester
Rope Combinations
Fig. 25 Balltecs MoorLOK Connector On top of Suction Pile (C2C)
Figs. 25 & 26 Courtesy: Balltec
Shackle
Connecting Link
(Pear Shape)
Courtesy: LLOG & DELMAR US
Delmar SS Connector
Chain
Fig. 23: Ballgrab Connector

Series II, ball and taper, Subsea
Mooring Connector (SMC) Female Connector in Docking Porch
Ontop of a Suction Pile.
Shackle
Fig. 9: SPAR Mooring Pattern with 1 of 4 Corridors Used for Flow- Fig. 10: BPs Quad 204 FPSO with 4x5 Mooring Pattern with 4
line, Water Injection Lines, Umbilicals, and Export Pipelines.
Corridors for Flowlines, and Umbilicals Location UK Cont. Shelf
Fig. 11: Anchor & Mooring Avoidance

Zones - Typically 500' on each side.
Courtesy: HESS; Graphics By: C-Ray Media
Chain
Connecting Link
(Pear Shape)
Courtesy: Delmar US
Fig. 26 Balltecs MoorLOK Male Connector (C2C) with Y Link
15
No. of Failures
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Additional Ref. Material: Mooring Integrity Guidance,

Nov. 2008; Published by The United Kingdom Offshore
Oil and Gas Industry Association Limited (Oil & Gas UK).

Rig Skidding
Seismic, Hurricane Restraints/Leveling
8.
10.
12.
13.
Courtesy: Aker Solutions

www.c-raymedia.com/mooring
Drilling Systems
(2001-2011)
0
1
Fig. 18: H Link With Padeye Chain

to Chain (C2C)
Age by Operational Year

Courtesy: BARDEX
15
10
GRAPH 4: MOORING BREAKS/COLLAPSE
T +31 78 6969000
MEETING
YOUR EVERY
OFFSHORE
CHALLENGE
www.boskalis.com
marine.contracting@boskalis.com
Production Mooring Systems

TM
STL BUOY 0
2
Fig. 13: Closed Socket (Male

End) with Shackle, Wire Rope to
Chain (R2C)
3x4
Pattern
FSO
0
Prepared By University of Houston,
College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
YOKE COLUMN
9.
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
4
1
CALM BUOY
3. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 9b Approved Manufacturers of Fittings for Chain Cable
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list9b.pdf
4. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 11 Approved Manufacturers of Steel Wire Rope
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list11.pdf
Note 1: The companies shown on this supplier matrix represent those companies that are service providers, component providers or manufacturers of the components.
WIRE ROPE
CONNECTOR
POLYESTER ROPE
SPAR
2. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 9a list of Approved Manufacturers of Chain Cable for Ships and Offshore Mooring
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list9a.pdf
Fig. 12: Open Socket

(Female End) Link for Wire Rope
FPSO
Fig. 11: Fairleads On Semi MODU Hull ColumnFairlead & Stopper
10
GOM FPSO
GRAPH 2: MOORING FAILURES BY YEAR (2001 -2011)
Mooring Failures
WASHINGTON CHAIN
& SUPPLY
wachain.com
CHAIN
6.
120
Year
Graphs 2, 3, 4, and 5 Data Source is OTC Paper 24181 Table 1 Data Analysis
Fig. 8: Bardexs
BarLatch Fairlead
& Stopper
Fig. 11: LankoFirsts Clam

Connector (Opened)
2.
4.
7.
11.
VLA
(Vertical
Load
Anchor)
Suction
Pile
5.
OFFSHORE MOORING PATTERNS (FOR TEMPORARY & PERMANENT MOORING)
Courtesy: Flintstone Technology
WIRE ROPE
5
VICINAY MARINE
Vicinaymarine.com
Fig. 10: LankoFirsts Snap

Connector for Fiber Rope to Fiber
Rope (R2R)
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
Drop Anchor/
6.
Torpedo Pile
3.
wire rope
wire rope socket
swivel
pearlink
shackle
H-link
polyester rope
H-link
shackle
pearlink
swivel
pearlink
chain
shackle
anchor point
W. Africa FPSO
Multiple Line Failures
Early Life Failure (Infant Mortality, First Yr. of Ops.)
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
Courtesy: BARDEX
Fig. 9: Flintstone Technologys

FTL Subsea Mooring Connector
Figs. 8: Ballgrab Female

Connector Used on a Disconnectable Buoy for FPSO Turret
clump weight
driven pile
drag anchor
suction pile
torpedo pile
vertical load anchor
(2001-2011)
GOM Spar
N. Sea FPSO
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Courtesy: BARDEX
Courtesy: InterMoor
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
GRAPH 3: MOORING COMPONENT FAILURES
Pre-Emptive Action/Replacement
TECHNIP
technip.com
SMITH BERGER MARINE

smithberger.com
5.
Drag
Anchor
Typical mooring points vs water depth
Suction
Pile
W. Africa FPSO
SUBSEA 7
le-beon.com
OCEANSIDE
EQUIPMENT LTD.
4.
Driven
Pile
Single Line Mooring Failures
2
LONDON MARINE
CONSULTANTS
LONDONMARINE.CO.UK
3.
Fig. 7 LankoFirst Rope to Chain (R2C) Connector,

An Alternative to H Link
Fig. 1: Typical Spar Mooring
16
Fig. 10: BARDEXs BarLatch Fairlead Stoppers On Totals CLOV FPSO Hull
Fairlead & Stopper
Fig. 6: LankoFirst Rope to Rope (R2R) Clam Connector

for Permanent Mooring and MODU Applications
DETAIL 3
(2001-2013)
Courtesy: BARDEX
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 Courtesy: Lankhorst Ropes
Fig. 5: Inter-M Swivel

Connector for Chain to Chain
(C2C) 360 Rotation
20
Fig. 7: Bardexs BarLatch Fairlead & Stopper
Courtesy: InterMoor
Trend: The purpose of this Section is to make the industry aware of integrity issues & trends with regards to Mooring
Systems for FPSs. According to OTC Paper 24181 the analysis indicates a trend in which the intended design
performance of moorings does not meet operational performance
Courtesy: BARDEX
DETAIL 5
7A 7
GRAPH 1: INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE MOORING FAILURE AND PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION EVENTS
GROFSMEDERII
NIEUWKOOP B.V.
gnweb.com
GUNNEBO JOHNSON CORP
gunnebojohnson.com
Courtesy: DELMAR US
Mooring Years in Service
SIGMA OFFSHORE
SIGMAOFFSHORE.COM
3
3
9
MOORING SYSTEMS INTEGRITY ISSUES ON FPSs
18
FLOATEC
Floatec.com
DETAIL 3
7 250m x 107 mm R4 Chain
7A 150 Ton Green Pin Super
Shackle
8 Polyester Mambo Shackle
9 1,350m x 1,000 MT Poly with
Thimbles
DETAIL 4
3 30.5m x 107 mm R4 Chain
4 Subsea Mambo Shackle
5A Delmar Subsea Connector (Male)
5B Delmar Subsea Connector
(Female)
DETAIL 5
1 Suction Pile
DETAIL 1
13 50m x 1,100 MT Poly
with Thimbles
15 5 Special End Links
16 107 mm Chain Shackle
DETAIL 2
9 1,350m x 1,000 MT Poly
with Thimbles
13 50m x 1,100 MT Poly with
Thimbles
FIG. 3: MOORING LINE COMPONENTS

1.
5B
14
15
CONNECTION DETAILS
Courtesy: SOFEC
Seg. 3 - Fiber Rope
DETAIL 1
OFFSHORE OIL & GAS MOORING SYSTEM & SERVICE COMPONENT PROVIDERS
Courtesy: NOV
Fig. 11: CALM Buoy Mooring System
VRYHOF ANCHORS
Seg. 5 - Fiber
Rope
MOORING EQUIPMENT - WINCHES, FAIRLEADS AND CHAIN STOPPERS
Seg. 6 - Chain
to Rope (C2R)
Connector &
Short Chain
(7)
(4)
InterMoor
Courtesy: InterMoor
Fairleads
25%
(5)
FLUKE ENGENHARIA (1)
Courtesy: InterMoor
Semi-FPS or MODU
Worldwide Percentage (%)
PLATE
DELMAR
Fig. 3: Chain Jacks Aker Solutions - Pusnes

RamWinches on the Devils Tower spar platform
in the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of 1,720m.
DEA
BRUCE ANCHORS
Fig. 2: Taut Leg Moored Semi FPS with Suction Pile (Permanent Mooring)
Fig. 2: Chain Jacks: Pusnes Roller RamWinches on Perdido Spar
Fig. 10A & 10B:

Non-Disconnectible
Internal Turret
Mooring System
TABLE 4: ANCHOR MANUFACTURERS BY TYPE
Seg. 2 -Wire Rope

Anchor
Orientation Tail
1D
Fig. 4: Pile Anchor: Driven, Jetted, or Drilled
1D
Fig. 1: PUSNES Rotary Windlass

0%
Figs. 1A & 1B Courtesy: InterMoor
1C
LEGEND
Spread Moored
Courtesy of University of Houston, College of Technology,

Petroleum Technology Initiative
Seg. 3 - Chain with

1A
8.7%
MALAYSIA/INDONESIA
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
Seg. 4 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1C
PILE
SHUTTLE
TANKER
FLNG SHIP
LNG SHIP
FPSO
CONTROL BUOY
SHIP
VLA (Vertical Loaded

Anchor) with
Orientation Tail
Seg. 6 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1B
OFFSHORE ANCHOR
TYPES
MOORING LINE TYPES
BUOY
NON-SHIP FPSO
SPAR
LOADING/PROD.
BUOY
TLP SEMI
CELL SPAR
MODU
CLASSIC SPAR
11.2%
PERMANENT/PRODUCTION
TRUSS SPAR
14.8%
12.1%
GOM
CHINA/VIETNAM/THAILAND/
MYANMAR/PHILIPPINES
TEMPORARY
CONVENTIONAL
& MINI-TLP
PRODUCTION
SEMI
NORTH SEA
MOORING SYSTEMS
FLOATEL
22.1%
BRAZIL
Seg. 7 - Chain with


OFFSHORE STRUCTURE TYPES
OTHER SOURCES - BOOKS, E-BOOKS, WEB SITES

1 BOOK: DEEPWATER MMORING SYSTEMS - Concepts, Design, Analysis, and Materials
Edited by Jun Zhang, Richard Mercier; 2003, 360 Pages
2 E-BOOK: JIP FPS MOORING INTEGRITY (2006), 313 Pages
www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr444.pdf
3 E-BOOK: VRYHOF 2010 ANCHOR MANUAL; 188 Pages; www.vryhof.com/anchor_manual.pdf
4 E-BOOK: Classification of Mooring Systems for Permanent Offshore Units (April, 2012);
54 Pages
www.veristar.com/content/static/veristarinfo/images/4851.32.493NR_2012-04.pdf
5 ON-LINE COURSE: Technology University of Delft (Netherlands);
http://ocw.tudelft.nl/courses/offshore-engineering/offshore-moorings/course-home/
6 BOOK: The Unviersity of Texas Publication: Spread Mooring Systems, 2nd Edition;
http://www.utexas.edu/ce/petex/aids/pubs/spread-mooring/
7 BOOK: Engineers Design Guide to Deepwater Fibre Moorings, By Oil Pub (2005)
25% 50% 75% 100%
Prepared By: University of Houston, College of Technology,

Petroleum Technology Initiative & Amy Hendrix, GIS Consultant
PLATE ANCHOR
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
DEA
25% 50% 75% 100%
DRIVEN PILE
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
Data Source: UH Research, Mustang Engineering/Offshore Magazine, and Quest Offshore Databases for mooring system data and Source: Esri, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, GeoEye, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, and the GIS User Community for the world map data.
SUCTION PILE
0%
MAP
MODU Moorings are typically composed of

rented moorings:
Standard sizes of mooring ropes and
chains are used to design a system that
is adequate for the environmental criteria
Connectors are made using enlarged end
links and specialty shackles
Polyester ropes are used with thimbles to
maintain suitable D/d bending ratios
Chain segments are used between the
polyester segments to maintain the
integrity of the polyester rope jacket and
filter barrier when handling the segments
on the deck of the installation vessel
Seg. 1 Chain Section

at Anchor
Seg. 9 Chain
Sections
MOORING ANCHORS
MOORING SYSTEM ELEVATIONS
MOORING PATTERNS, TYPES, CONFIGURATIONS
Fig. 9: Single Angle Leg Mooring (SALM) & Loading System
New Zealand
26
STEVPRIS (6)
CONNECTORS
Seg. 10 - MODU Chain
Ghana/Ivory Coast
Fig. 8: Yoke Mooring System for Shallow Water Applications
BRUCE
MK4 & MK5
North Sea
Wire Rope to Chain

(R2C) Connector
25% 50% 75% 100%
SEPLA (2)
0%
TORPEDO PILE
MOORING LINES
MODU (Mobile Offshore Drilling Rig)
CHART 1: OFFSHORE MOORING SUPPLIER MATRIX (AS OF SEPT., 2013)
MOORING SYSTEM
ENGINEERING
Fig. 7: Permanent External

Turret With Wet Mooring Table
Data Courtesy of Quest Offshore & Analysis by University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
DRIVEN PILE
MOORING INTEGRITY
Courtesy of University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
Installation Year
Courtesy: Delmar US
>20 Yrs.
Turret Moored
MOORING EQUIPMENT
CLASS SOCIETIES GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ON MOORING SYSTEMS & INSTALLATION

Class societies regulate the implementation of the guidelines set forth in the standards by
giving specific steps to follow for class approval of a mooring system or installation.
1. American Bureau of Shipping (ABS): www.eagle.org then go to Resources > Rules &
Guides > Downloads
2. Bureau Veritas: www.veristar.com/wps/portal/bvrules
3. DNV GL: www.dnv.com/resources/rules_standards/index.asp
4. Lloyd's Register: www.webstore.lr.org/category/1-marine.aspx
Fig. 6: External Turret With Dry Mooring Table
Up to
10 Yrs.
Up to
15 Yrs.
89
1. NON-GALVANIZ ED
WIRE ROPE
2. GALVANIZED
SPIRAL STRAND
3. SHEATHED
SPIRAL STRAND
Courtesy: NOV APL
Fig. 5 Disconnectible External Mooring Buoy
Fig. 4: TLP Moored with Tendons
VLA
INTEGRITY & LESSONS LEARNED

1 OTC 24025-MS
2013 BP/TOTAL/SHELL
2 OTC 24181
2013 GRANHERNE (KBR)
3 ISOPE I-12-563 2012 AMOG CINSULTING & Others
4 OTC 21012-MS
2010 SOFEC
5 OTC 19198-MS
2008 STRESS ENGINEERING
6 OTC 17499-MS
2005 NOBLE DENTON & Others
Fig. 3: External Turret with

Dry Mooring Table
1,000 M
3,280 ft.
DEA
Op Experience with Cylindrical FPSO

Arctic Turret Mooring System
Squall Mooring Design
Mooring in Harsh Environments
Catenary and Taut describe the way the mooring

line is suspended in the water column. Catenary
systems have parabolic shape. Taut system mooring
lines hang in a straight line between two points.
The poster is divided into distinct sections and

each section is marked by a background color. The
color denotes the subject section. This color code is
carried throughout the poster. Below are the color
code designations for each of the themes.
MOORING STANDARDS
1 API Spec 2F - Mooring Chain (1997) - Currently in Revision
2 API RP 2I - In-service Inspection of Mooring Hardware for Floating Structures (2008).
3 API RP 2SK - Design & Analysis of Stationkeeping Sys. for Floating Str. (Add.2008)
4 API RP 2SM - Recommended Practice for Synthetic Fiber Ropes (Add. 2007) A new
revision is currently in the Balloting Phase.
5 ISO 19901-7 Station-keeping systems for floating offshore structures (Rev)
6 ISO 19904-01 Floating offshore structures
7 2GEO - Geotechnical Analysis of Mooring Anchors - Is a new standard in development.
8 2MIM - Mooring Integrity Management. Is a new standard to be released.
9 DNV GL: http://www.dnv.com/resources/rules_standards/index.asp
Fig. 2: Disconnectible Internal Turret Mooring System
Courtesy: BRIDON
Fig. 1: Spread Moored
OMNI MAX
DESIGN & OPERATIONAL ISSUES

1 OTC 24214
2013 SEVAN MARINE
2 OTC 23814-MS
2012 HEIDEMAN / BLUEWATER
3 OMAE2011-49855 2011 SOFEC/DELFT UNIVERSITY
4 IDOTS D-09-004 2009 RESEARH & DEV./SOFEC
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
100%
Turret Moored
TYPES OF MOORING SYSTEMS
SUCTION PILE
MOORING SYSTEM INSPECTION, TESTING, AND QUALIFICATION

1 OTC 24184-MS
2013 WELAPTEGA MARINE LTD. Risk Based Inspection Plan
THUNDER HAWK Fatigue Testing
2 OTC 24080-MS
2013 SBM/LANKHORST
3 OMAE2012-84067 2012 InterMoor
Microbiological Corrosion
4 OTC 20779
2010 WELAPTEGA MARINE LTD. In-Service Inspection
Spread Moored
Used for Polyester Mooring Lines with suction piles.

Preferred mooring system type for long life deepwater
production facilities.
40% reduction in footprint compared to Catenary Type.
Sakhalin
25
SERVICE VESSEL
PLANNING & INSTALLATION OF DEEPWATER MOORING SYSTEMS - VARIOUS PROJECTS

LIUHUA 11-1 FPS Mooring Upgrade
2013 COOEC/COTEC
1 OTC 23223
2 OCT 23083-MS
2012 LLOG/WHITEHILL/DELMAR WHO DAT Project Mooring System
3 ISOPE I-10-470 2010 OFFSHORE OIL ENG. CO.
STP Moooring System in China
4 OTC 21018-MS
2010 InterMoor/ATP OIL & GAS
MIRAGE/TELEMARK MinDOC Mooring
5 OTC 18587-MS
2007 ENTERPRISE
INDEPENDENCE HUB Mooring Sys
6 OTC 17294-MS
2005 TECHNIP/DOVE MARINE
RED HAWK Spar Mooring System
7 OTC 16702-MS
2004 SHELL/HEEREMA
Na Kika DW Mooring Project
0%
Mauritania
D - DISCONNECTABLE
P -PERMANENT
Recommended Papers, Manuals, and other documents

for additional knowledge
26
Tendon Moored
POSTER COLOR CODE KEY
Go to www.onepetro.org to order the OTC (Offshore Technology Conference), SPE (Society of

Petroleum Engineers), and ISOPE (The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers) papers
listed in Table 2.
TABLE 2 OTHER OFFSHORE MOORING INFO. SOURCES
100%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
13
25% 50% 75% 100%
Taut Leg Mooring System Key Attributes
Used for chain/wire rope/chain mooring lines.

Preferred mooring system type for deepwater MODUs for
temporary mooring.
Has a larger footprint compared to Taut System.
1,500 M
4,921 ft.
91
28%
Turret Moored
GRAPH 3: WIRE ROPE

LIFE SPANS
WIRE ROPE
TYPE
Spread Moored
Fig. 10: Mooring Chain & Suction Piles Ready for Loadout & Installation
Fig. 9: Studded Mooring

Chain used at mud line
& host facility. Chain
actual feld life performance is 1520 years
vs. typical design life of
20 to 25 years.
Figs. 1, 2, & 3 Courtesy: BRIDON
25% 50% 75% 100%
Philippines
24
23
SEMI SUBMERSIBLE
DRILL SHIP
(DP RIG)
Anchor Pile
Chain-Poly-Wire
Chain & Wire
Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring
Chain To Rope Connector
Chain To Chain Connector
Drag Embedded Anchor
Driven Pile
External Turret
Floating Production Storage & Offloading
High Holding Power
Internal Turret
Jacket Soft Yoke
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
12
SINGLE POINT MOORING
AP
C&P&W
C&W
CALM
C2R
C2C
DEA
Dr. P
ET
FPSO
HHP
IT
JSY
MODU
Riser Turret Mooring

Rope to Rope Connector
Rope to Chain Connector
Single Anchor Leg Mooring
Spread Catenary Mooring
Suction Embedded Anchor
Semi Submersible
Suction Embedded Plate Anchor
Spread Mooring
Suction Pile
Spread Taut Mooring
Submerged Turret Mooring
Tension Leg Platform
Vertical Loaded Anchor
108
Tendon Moored
22
Tendon Moored
Country/Region
RTM
R2R
R2C
SALM
SCM
SEA
SEMI
SEPLA
SM
SP
STM
STP
TLP
VLA
TABLE 1 ABBREVIATIONS
POSTER
21
72%
0%
Information Accuracy: We have attempted to use correct and current, as of press time, information for the mooring systems and equipment described herein. No installed, sanctioned,
nor pending application was intentionally excluded. We have summarized the capability and operating experience by acting as a neutral party and integrator of information. Information
has been collected from public sources, company brochures, personal interviews, phone interviews, press releases, industry magazines, vendor-supplied information, and web sites. No
guarantee is made that information is accurate or all-inclusive. Neither University of Houston nor Offshore Magazine guarantees or assumes any responsibility or liability for any partys
use of the information presented. If any information is found to be incorrect, not current, or has been omitted, please send comments to: jchristi@central.uh.edu and gksheridan@uh.edu.
Courtesy: BRIDON
Courtesy: Royal Lankhorst
3. MOORING CHAIN
93%
0%
Brazil
Spread Moored
7%
Turret Moored
93
10
Catenary System Key Attributes
2,000 M
6,562 ft.
19
ABS: Judy Murray, John Stiff and Kenneth Huang; Aker Solutions: Tom Plank, and John-Otto Nilsen; Balltec: Martin Bell, and Emma Corrie; Bardex: Stephen Jones; Bluewater
Industries, Inc: Jamie Armstrong; Bridon: Chris Leonard, Tony Tarabochia, and Troy Rybicki; Bruce Anchor: David Ledgerwood; C-Ray Media: Connie Gray, Nanette McNair,
Samara Barks, and Jalil Whitmore; DCL Mooring & Rigging: Rick Hall Doris, and Richard D. Haun; Delmar US: Even Zimmerman, and Robert Garrity; First Subsea: Valerie
Pylypiw, and Greg Campbell-Smith; Grahherne: Richard DSourza and Sai Majhi; InterMoor: Jonathon Miller, Florence Kosmala, and Todd Veselis; Lankhorst Ropes: Geeske
Terpstra; LeBeon Manufacturing: Aurelien Le Floch, and Clement Mochet; MODEC: Ken Turner; National Oilwell Varco: Charyl Smerek, Geir Hovde, and Tatjana Tanya Brestovac;
Parker Hannifin Corporation: Brian Compton, and Eldon E. Thomas; Pennwell: Jessica Tippee, Mary Sumner, Roger Kingswell, and Daniel Bernard; Quest Offshore: Matt Gross,
and Paul Hillegeist; Sigma Offshore: Allan Millmaker; Tex Ocean: Donnie Newman; Vrhof Anochors: Erik Rykers, and Thomas Agnevall
Spread Moored
11
24
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Fig 3: Sheathed Jacket around

spiral strand increases service life
> 20 years.
87
Tendon Moored
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTORS

University of Houston and Offshore Magazine wish to acknowledge the following individuals and companies who continue to support our efforts
to educate and inform the oil and gas industry on the status of mooring systems.
Polyester Fiber Rope

Chain/Wire Rope
19
19
The usage of polyester fiber rope

(green squares) is a growing
trend for mooring systems on
Past
Future
deepwater production facilities
installations.
19
25% 50% 75% 100%
Australia
23
18
3,000 M
9,842 ft.
19
Fig. 7: Cross Section of

Lankhorsts MODULINE Polyester Fig. 8: Cross Section of
Fiber Rope
Polyester Mooring Lines.
81
6%
0%
100%
Turret Moored
66%
Turret Moored
Spread Moored
83
1455 West Loop South, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77027
Tel: 713-963-6200 Fax: 713-963-6296
Fig. 2: Taut Leg Mooring System
2,500 M
8,202 ft.
20
The University of Houston

www.uh.edu Tel: 713 743 2255
4800 Calhoun Road Houston, TX
77004-2693
GRAPH 1: CHAIN/WIRE ROPE VS. POLYESTER ROPE USAGE MOORING SYSTEM TREND
28%
Tendon Moored
17
Polyester rope gives a "softer" mooring system than steel wire rope; and therefore host motions are more compliant and riser friendly.
Better Vortex Induced Motion (VIM) response to loop currents than Chain-Wire-Chain system.
Affords smaller SCR departure angles.
Allows the use of a significantly smaller turret buoy on FPSOs for enhanced safety and project viability.
Up to 50% reduction in costs compared to conventional catenary mooring system.
Approximately 80% reduction in wet weight of tension members (i.e. ropes) when converting from Wire to Polyester. The vertical mooring force on the
platform is reduced by 50%. This reduction in wet weight and forces therefore increases usable payload.
Up to 50% reduction in mooring pre-tension.
Polyester rope does not corrode and there is no need for corrosion allowances on the diameter of the polyester like there is on chain and wire.
Indonesia
22
Spread Moored
15
1
25% 50% 75% 100%
Canada/US Atlantic
particle filter layer to limit the ingress of abrasive particles and marine
finish on load bearing elements enhances the resistance to yarn on yarn
abrasion ensures long term performance for field life in excess of 20 years.
Fig. 5 Lankhorsts Polyester Fiber Rope on Deployment Reel Offshore
25
16
14
Turret Moored
Increasing Performance Life of Fiber Rope The inclusion of a
Fig. 3: Comparison of Typical Mooring Confgurations

& Line Type by Water Depth
Fig. 1: Catenary System
Advantages of Polyester for Mooring Lines
Courtesy: Bridon
10%
0%
4
100%
0%
Fig. 4: Components of Typical Polyester Fiber Rope for Deepwater Mooring Fig. 6: Lankhorsts Fiber Rope with Torsional Reference Lines
25% 50% 75% 100%
50%
Tendon Moored
Peru
2. FIBER ROPE (Typically Polyester)
Fig. 1: Wire Rope for Deepwater

MODU (Drilling Rigs) Mooring Lines
Cross Section (6 x 34) Life span
up to 10 Years.
40%
25% 50% 75% 100%
MOORING LINE CONFIGURATIONS
1. WIRE ROPE
Malaysia
21
Tendon Moored
78%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
Turret Moored
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
22%
Tendon Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
50%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
China/Vietnam
20
Spread Moored
50%
100%
Spread Moored
100%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
Colombia/Venezuela
Spread Moored
E-Mail Comments, Correction or Additions to: jchristi@central.uh.edu and gksheridan@uh.edu
100%
Turret Moored
9%
0%
India
18
Spread Moored
85
41%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Caspian Sea
16
Spread Moored
19
32%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Adriatic/Italy
14
50%
19
25%
Spread Moored
77
0%
68%
79
OCTOBER 2013
Prepared by: Manoochehr Bozorgmehrian, Manjunath Terwad, and Vani Aparna Peri Former Graduate Students, University of Houston
With Assistance From: Jack Christiansen and Galina Sheridan of the University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative,
www.uh.edu/technology/pti; Kurt Albaugh of Repsol E&P USA; David Davis, Mary Sumner and Jessica Tippee of Offshore Magazine;
Jonathan Miller of InterMoor; and Amy Hendrix GIS Consultant
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
34%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Angola
12
Spread Moored
45 years
www.delmarus.com 1-337-365-0180
MOORING LINE COMPONENT TYPES: WIRE ROPE, POLYESTER FIBER ROPE, AND CHAIN
Nigeria
10
75%
19
9%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Spanish Mediterranean
682 0 1 3
Delmar Systems
PROVEN MOORING SOLUTIONS FOR FPSO AND FLNG
WWW.LONDONMARINE.CO.UK
19
Spread Moored
57%
19
DELMAR
...count on the
leader in offshore mooring
19
GOM
1
Spread Moored
Trends & Technology
Learn more
about our
deepwater
installation
vessels at
mcdermott.com
Water Depth (Meters & Feet)
MOORING SYSTEMS FOR OFFSHORE

FLOATING INSTALLATIONS
90% more thrust with 6 new thrusters

200% improved station keeping
50% more power with 4 new engines
Subsea lowering up to 480 tons to 11,500 ft.
(+/-) 8.2 feet heave compensation
Main xed crane capacity 4,189 ST
2013 McDermott International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Mooring Foundations Subsea
When experience
counts....
for all your mooring

installation needs
75
www.in
intermoor.com
www.intermoor.com
Technical expertise. Practical

know-how. Delivered worldwide.
19
INNOVATIVE
MOORING
SOLUTIONS
cortlandcompany.com
Mooring Integrity
Management Services
Control inspection and maintenance costs
Extend mooring system life
Minimize mooring failures and downtime
Manage degraded and damaged moorings
www.amogconsulting.com
Courtesy: BP
DB50
Enhanced to deliver
greater reliability
& versatility
WORLDWIDE OFFSHORE MOORING TRENDS (As of September 2013)
0%
Fig 2: Spiral Strand galvanized or

coated high tensile wire. Service
life span up to 15 Years.
25% 50% 75% 100%
Mooring System Integrity Issues

Lessons Learned from FPS Moorings
SCORCH JIP - Chain Corrosion
Anchor Leg System Integrity
Polyester Mooring Integrity
Floating Prod. Mooring Integrity JIP
SYNTHETIC FIBER MOORING SYSTEMS

1 OTC 23333-MS
2012 DYNEEMA/LANKHORST
2 OTC 22218
2011 STRESS ENG.
3 OTC 20838
2010 DEMLAR SYSTEMS
4 OTC 20836-MS
2010 BP & Others
5 OTC 20155-MS
2009 SAMSON/DELMAR
6 OTC 18768-MS
2007 TENSION TECHNOLOGY
7 OTC 17247-MS
2005 TECHNIP/KERR-MCGEE
8 OTC16590
2004 BP/STRESS ENG/UNION
HMPE Fiber for DW Mooring

Evaluation of Advance Fibers
Fiber Mooring - Recent Experiences
Changes in Update of AP RP 2SM
Hurricane Proof Mooring System
Polyester Mooring Line
RED HAWK System Design & Verif.
MAD DOG Polyester Mooring
2013 Offshore

Courtesy: HESS
LIFE SPAN
(Yrs.)
Fig. 5 Disconnectible External Mooring Buoy
100%
Courtesy: NOV APL
19
Present
Data Courtesy of Quest Offshore & Analysis by University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
ANCHOR TYPES FOR OFFSHORE MOORING

Figs: 1A & Suction Piles with skid rails being
installed from stern of installation vessel
Fig. 2: Vryhof Patented Stevpris Mk6 Drag

Embedment Anchor
Fig. 3: Vryhof Patented Stemanta

Omni-directional VLA
Courtesy: NOV APL
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Spread Moored
48%
Turret Moored
48%
Spread Moored
20%
Spread Moored
80%
Turret Moored
66%
17%
Tendon Moored
South Africa
13
Egypt/Libya/Tunisia
15
Spread Moored
50%
Spread Moored
Turret Moored
50%
Turret Moored
17%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Tendon Moored 4%
Cameroon to Congo
11
Tendon Moored
Qatar/Iran/UAE
17
17%
83%
Tendon Moored
Thailand/Myanmar
19
Spread Moored
50%
Spread Moored
Turret Moored
50%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Spread Moored
100%
Tendon Moored
Seg. 8 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1A
100%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
Tendon Moored
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
GRAPH 1: MOORING SYSTEM TRENDS BY REGION
0%
TABLE 3: THE APPLICATION OF MOORING SYSTEMS vs. OFFSHORE FACILITY TYPES
Seg. 5 - Chain 2 with

5.0%
5.0%
NIGERIA
4.1%
CAMEROON TO CONGO
OTHER AFRICA
1.8%
Tedons
OTHER AMERICAS
1.8%
OTHER ASIA
1.6%
CATENARY
TAUT
TENDONS & AP TENSION
5.0%
MEDITERRANEAN/CASPIAN/
EGYPT/LIBYA/TUNISIA
TURRET
CALM
SALM
STEEL PIPE
COMBINED LINE
POLYSTER FIBER
WIREROPE
CHAIN
INTERNAL
D/P
EXTERNAL
D/P
FIXED YOKE
SOFT YOKE
HAWSER
TUBULAR RISER & YOKE
CHAIN RISER & HAWSER
Proven
Not Proven
Turret Moored
5%
15%
10%
20%
Fig. 5: Drag Embedment Anchor (DEA)
Fig. 6: The Bruce DENNLA Mk4, Drag Embedment Near Normal Load Anchor (DENNLA)
Courtesy: NOV APL
Courtesy: SBM ATLANTIA
Courtesy: NOV APL
MANUFACTURERS
Courtesy: InterMoor
Seg. 1 - Chain Section at Anchor
Courtesy: InterMoor
PILE
Courtesy: Bruce Anchor
Fig. 7: Delmars Patented OMNIMAX Drop Anchor Fig. 8: InterMoors SEPLA (Suction Embedded
Plate Anchor)
Fig. 9: InterMoors SEPLA Pre-Installation
COMPANY NAME
DROP
ANCHOR
(7)
(3)
(3)
Courtesy: DELMAR US
Seg. 4 - Short Chain Segment with

Rope to Chain (R2C) and Chain to
Rope (C2R) Connections
13
12 11
11
10
9
7
DETAIL 2
Courtesy: InterMoor
OFFSHORE MOORING CONNECTORS: Connecting Mooring System Components Together
Delmar SS Connector for

Chain to Chain (C2C)

Anchor to Polyester Rope

Rope to Rope (R2R)
Fig. 3: Y-Link Connector:

Rope to Rope (R2R)
Fig. 4: Pear Link Connector:

Rope to Chain (R2C)
7 6
(1) Contracted by Petrobras to fabricate the Torpedo Piles.

(2) SEPLA is proprietary to InterMoor and is solely manufactured and installed by InterMoor.
(3) InterMoor does not manufacture DEAs or VLAs. However, they own, rent, and install these anchor
types.
(4) InterMoor is licensed by Petrobras to fabricate and install Torpedo Piles in GOM.
(5) OMNIMAX is the trade mark of Delmar.
(6) Also includes Stevmanta, and Stevshark anchors.
(7) Delmar maintains a large inventory of Drag Embedment Anchors (DEAs) and VLAs which they own,
rent, and install.
FIG. 10: ANCHOR TYPES
5A
13
Components in a typical mooring line
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Clump
Weight
Shackle Connection
for Suction Pile to
Chain Connection
DETAIL 4
1.
2.
MOORING LINE
COMPONENTS
FIBER ROPES
STEEL WIRES
ANCHORS &
SUCTION PILES
MOORING
MONITORING/
INSTRUMENTATION
ACCESSORIES
CHAINS
FAIRLEADS, CHAIN
STOPPERS, CHAIN JACKS
WINCHES
CONNECTORS,
SHACKLES, CHASERS
TURRET
DESIGNERS/
SUPPLIERS
DETAIL 1
13 50m x 1,100 MT Poly
with Thimbles
16 107 mm Chain Shackle
MOORING
SYSTEM
INSTALLERS/PM
MOORING BUOYS/
BUOYANCY
Fig. 4: Chain Jack on Kikeh Spar Hull

AKER SOLUTIONS
akersolutions.com
ABS
eagle.org
ALLOY WIRE
INTERNATIONAL
alloywire.com
BRIDON
bridon.com
COLUMBUS MCKINNON
CORPORATION
cmworks.com
Aker Pusnes AS
akersolutions.com
BLADT INDUSTRIES AS
bladt.dk
AKER SOLUTIONS
akersolutions.com
BALLTEC
Balltec.com
BALMORAL
balmoral-offshore.com
BLUEWATER
bluewater.com
ASTRO TECHNOLOGY
astrotechnology.com
BOSKALIS OFFSHORE
AMOG CONSULTING
Amogconsulting.com
API
API.ORG
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
ARCELOMITTAL
Arcelormittal.com/
wiresolutions
COORDINATED
COMPANIES
ceccwrr.com
BRUCE ANCHOR
bruceanchor.co.uk
AMCLYDE
rokrem.com
BARDEX Corporation
bardex.com
BRUCE ANCHOR
bruceanchor.co.uk
CRP
crpgroup.com
BMT SCIENTIFIC
MARINE SERVICES
Scimar.com
LONDON MARINE
CONSULTANTS
londonmarine.co.uk
BOSKALIS OFFSHORE
BUREAU VERITAS
Veritas.com
CSL ROPES
cslropes.com.br
BRIDON
INTERNATIONAL LTD
bridonltd.com
DAI HAN ANCHOR CHAIN

MFG. CO., LTD.
dhac.co.kr
CANYON OFFSHORE
helixesg.com
APPLETON MARINE, INC.

Appletonmarine.com
BROHL
Broehl.de
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com

dcl-usa.com
FUGRO GEOS
Geos.com/
offshore-systems/
nov.com/Production/Floating_
Production_Solutions.aspx
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
DNV
DNV.ORG
DSR CORP
dsrcorp.com
BROOKFIELDWIRE
brookfieldwire.com

dcl-usa.com
CORTLAND COMPANY
cortlandcompany.com
BODEWES
bodewes.com
NOV
nov.com
FEUERSTEIN GMBH
feubo.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
INTERMOOR/PULSE
STRUCTURAL MONITORING
InterMoor.com
ORWELL OFFSHORE
orwelloffshore.com
HEEREMA MARINE
CONTRACTORS (HMC)
hmc.heerema.com
DEEPSEA GROUP LTD.

Deepseaeng.com
LLOYDS REGISTER
LR.ORG
InterMoor
InterMoor.com

dcl-usa.com
DSR CORP
dsrcorp.com

dcl-usa.com
BROHL
Broehl.de
ROLLSROYCE
Rolls-royce.com
FIRST SUBSEA
firstsubsea.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
MEASUREMENT
TECHNOLOGY NW
mtnw-usa.com.com
SBM
sbmoffshore.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
SBM OFFSHORE
sbmoffshore.com
LANKHORST EURO NETE

lankhorsteuronete.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
HAMANAKA CHAIN MFG.

CO. LTD.
hamanaka-chain.co.jp
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
OIL STATES SKAGIT

SMATCO
Oilstates.com
SMITHBERGER
smithberger.com
FLINTSTONE TECHNOLOGY
flint-tech.com/subsea.html
NESSCO
Nessco.rig.net
SIGMA OFFSHORE
Sigmaoffshore.com
JUMBO OFFSHORE
Jumbo-offshore.nl
TIMBERLAND EQUIPMENT
FRANKLIN OFFSHORE
INTERNATIONAL
franklin.com.sg
SOFEC
sofec.com
MCDERMOTT
INTERNATIONAL, INC.
mcdermott.com
DELMAR SYSTEMS
delmarus.com
NOV (FORMERLY APL)
DETAIL 2
9 1,350m x 1,000 MT Poly
with Thimbles
13 50m x 1,100 MT Poly with
Thimbles
Fig. 5: Bardex Linear Chain Jack.

Chain is Mechanically Held at All Times.
Latches can not be released while under load.
Used for SPAR, FPSO, and TLP Mooring and
Tensioning Systems.
EMAS AMC
emas.com
Fig. 6: BARDEXs Moveable Chain Jack on LLOGs Opti-EX Semi-FPS
OTS
otsas.no
KISWIRE LTD
kiswire.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
NOV
nov.com
HOUSTON OFFSHORE
ENGINEERING
Houston-offshore.com
SOFEC
sofec.com
PARKER SCANROPE AS
scanrope.no
MOORLINK
moorlink.com
JIANGSU ASIAN STAR

ANCHOR CHAIN CO. LTD
anchor-chain.com
MENCK
menck.com
RAPP MARINE
Rappmarine.com
InterMoor
InterMoor.com
TECHNIP
technip.com
SAMSON
samsonrope.com
PARKER HANNIFIN
CORPORATION
parker.com
KETTENFABRIK MESTER
GMBH
mesterkette.com
SOTRA ANCHOR &

CHAIN
SOTRA.NET
ROLLSROYCE
Rolls-royce.com
KBR (GRANHERNE
SUBSIDIARY)
KBR.com
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
TEUFELBERGER
teufelberger.com/en
REDAELLI TECNA S.P.A.

redaelli.com
LAIWU STEEL ZIBO

ANCHOR CHAIN CO., LTD.
lgchains.com
SPT OFFSHORE
sptoffshore.com
LOC NORGE AS
LOC-GROUP.COM
VRYHOF
ENGINEERING Ltd.
Vryhof.com
TRION Co., Ltd

trioncorp.co.kr
SCANROPE
scanropemarine.com
MARIT
marit.fr
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
TIMBERLAND
EQUIPMENT
TRELLEBORG MARINE
SYSTEMS
STRAINSTALL
Strainstall.no
GREENPIN
greenpin.com
TRELLEBORG MARINE
SYSTEMS
OFFSHORE INSTALLATION
SERVICES LTD. (OIS)
ois-ltd.com
WFS SUBSEA
wfs-tech.com
SBM OFFSHORE
sbmoffshore.com
Courtesy: BARDEX
MOORLINK
moorlink.com
InterMoor
intermoor.com
OIL STATES
Oilstates.com
SOUTHGATE MARINE &

OFFSHORE SERVICES LTD.
Southgatemarine.com
2HOFFSHORE
2hoffshore.com
Fig. 9: Fairlead Above Waterline
WORLEYPARSONS
Worleyparsons.com
UNIROPE
unirope.com
WHITEHILL
MANUFACTURING
whitehillmfg.com
MCS KENNY
mcskenny.com
MOORING SYSTEM
SOLUTIONS PTY LTD.
(MOORSURE)
Moorsure.com.au
TOKYO WIRE ROPE

tokyorope.co.jp
USHA MARTIN
ushamartin.com
WASHINGTON CHAIN
& SUPPLY
wachain.com
OFFSPRING
INTERNATIONAL (OIL)
offspringinternational.com
RAMNAS BRUK AB
ramnas.com
VRYHOF ANCHORS B.V.

vryhof.com
LeBeon Manufacturing
le-beon.com
SANMAR CHAIN
INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD.
sci-chain.com
LHR MARINE/FEURSTEIN
lhrmarine.com
SOTRA ANCHOR & CHAIN

Sotra.net
KOHLSWA GJUTERI AB
kohlswagjuteri.se
THE CROSBY GROUP

thecrosbygroup.com
UNIROPE
unirope.com
MILLER LIFTING
millerproducts.net
VICINAY MARINE
Vicinaymarine.com
Figs. 6 & 7 Courtesy: Royal Lankhorst
Seg. 1 - Suction Pile

Pre-Installed Chain
Section
S. China FPSO
E. Canada
FPSO
S. China FPSO
W. Africa
CALM
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea
FPSO
Catastrophic Failure
14
W. Africa FPSO
12
N. Sea
FPSO
N. Sea Semi
10
S.E. Asia CALM

W. Africa FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea STL Buoy
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
E. Canada FPSO
GOM Spar
N. Sea FPSO
S.E. Asia CALM
N. Sea FPSO
GOM Spar
GOM Spar
W. Africa
W. Africa
W. Africa
W. Africa
FPSO
W. Africa CALM W. Africa FPSO N. Sea FPSO
GOM Spar FPSO
FPSO
FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
W. Africa FPSO
Graph 1 Courtesy: ExxonMobil Study on Mooring
Yr 0 = Installation, Yr 1 = First Yr. of Operation
ZHENGMAO GROUP CO. LTD.

Zszhongnan.com
LIST OF APPROVED MANUFACTURES For Mooring Chain, Anchors, Wire Rope

1. AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING: APPROVED MANUFACTURERS SHIP ANCHOR AND OFFSHORE MOORING CHAIN
(Updated weekly by ABS)
http://www.eagle.org/eagleExternalPortalWEB/ShowProperty/BEA%20Repository/AppProdsMFG/ApprovedListings/27CChain
Courtesy: NOV
C-Ray Media, Inc.
No. of Mooring Component Failures

Chain Jacks/BarLatch Fairlead Stoppers

SCR Pull-in Systems
Corporate Headquarters in Goleta California,

Also in Houston and High Wycombe, UK
www.BARDEX.com
3D Modeling & Animation | Graphic Design | Website Design & Development | Interactive Flash Programming
Providing reliable mooring lines and services through

innovative engineering and materials, extensive

www.c-raymedia.com
15.
14.
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
Fig. 2: Semi-FPS Mooring
Fig. 3: External Turret Moored FPSO
Semi-FPS
Hull
Spar
Hull
4x3
Pattern
Fig. 4: Internal Turret Moored FPSO
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
FPSO
FPSO
3x4
Pattern
Fig. 16: Sister Connector Fiber

Rope Thimble to Fiber Rope
Thimble (R2R)
Fig. 17: Open Socket &Y-Link Connectors, Wire Rope to Chain (R2C)
Fig. 14: Closed Socket (Male End)

Link for Wire Rope End,
Technology Indicated in Red
Fig. 15: Ballgrab Stab-In On Buoy
Fig. 5: Drilling Rig (MODU) Mooring
Fig. 6: Perspective of MODU Hull

and Mooring Lines
Fig. 7: TLP with Tendons
Bend Restrictor
Insulation Sleeve
CHAIN
22
Anode
14
Handling Padeye
CONNECTOR
POLYESTER ROPE
YOKE COLUMN
10
15
20
25
No. of Breaks
Fig. 20: Y-Link Connection Open

Wire Rope Socket to Chain (R2C)
Connection
Fig. 21: Thimble & Shackle

for Fiber Rope to Chain (R2C)
Connection
Fig. 22: ROV Operable H-Link
Fig. 19: First Subseas Ballgrab

SMC Male Connector with
Mooring Chain
4x3
Pattern
3x4
Pattern
13
3
SEMI FPS
10
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
4x3
Pattern
Fig. 8 Typical Pre-Set Mooring Pattern

On Seafoor (WHO DAT SEMI-FPS)
4 x 2 Pattern
(4 Col. x 2 Tendons/Col.)
4 x 3 Pattern
SEMI
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
GRAPH 5: MOORING SYSTEM FAILURES

BY FACILITIES TYPE (2001-2011)
Fig. 24 Delmars
Subsea Mooring
Connector for Chain,
Wire Rope, and Polyester
Rope Combinations
Fig. 25 Balltecs MoorLOK Connector On top of Suction Pile (C2C)
Figs. 25 & 26 Courtesy: Balltec
Shackle
Connecting Link
(Pear Shape)
Delmar SS Connector
Chain
Fig. 23: Ballgrab Connector

Series II, ball and taper, Subsea
Mooring Connector (SMC) Female Connector in Docking Porch
Ontop of a Suction Pile.
Shackle
Fig. 9: SPAR Mooring Pattern with 1 of 4 Corridors Used for Flow- Fig. 10: BPs Quad 204 FPSO with 4x5 Mooring Pattern with 4
line, Water Injection Lines, Umbilicals, and Export Pipelines.
Corridors for Flowlines, and Umbilicals Location UK Cont. Shelf
Fig. 11: Anchor & Mooring Avoidance

Zones - Typically 500' on each side.
Courtesy: HESS; Graphics By: C-Ray Media
Chain
Connecting Link
(Pear Shape)
Courtesy: Delmar US
Fig. 26 Balltecs MoorLOK Male Connector (C2C) with Y Link
15
No. of Failures
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Additional Ref. Material: Mooring Integrity Guidance,

Nov. 2008; Published by The United Kingdom Offshore
Oil and Gas Industry Association Limited (Oil & Gas UK).

Rig Skidding
Seismic, Hurricane Restraints/Leveling
8.
10.
12.
13.
Courtesy: Aker Solutions

www.c-raymedia.com/mooring
Drilling Systems
(2001-2011)
0
1
Fig. 18: H Link With Padeye Chain

to Chain (C2C)
Age by Operational Year

Courtesy: BARDEX
15
10
GRAPH 4: MOORING BREAKS/COLLAPSE
T +31 78 6969000
MEETING
YOUR EVERY
OFFSHORE
CHALLENGE
www.boskalis.com
marine.contracting@boskalis.com
Production Mooring Systems

TM
STL BUOY 0
2
Fig. 13: Closed Socket (Male

End) with Shackle, Wire Rope to
Chain (R2C)
3x4
Pattern
FSO
0
Prepared By University of Houston,
College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
YOKE COLUMN
9.
Pipeline/
Flowline
Cooridor
(Typ.)
4
1
CALM BUOY
3. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 9b Approved Manufacturers of Fittings for Chain Cable
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list9b.pdf
4. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 11 Approved Manufacturers of Steel Wire Rope
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list11.pdf
Note 1: The companies shown on this supplier matrix represent those companies that are service providers, component providers or manufacturers of the components.
WIRE ROPE
CONNECTOR
POLYESTER ROPE
SPAR
2. Lloyds Register Group Limited (LR): List 9a list of Approved Manufacturers of Chain Cable for Ships and Offshore Mooring
https://www.cdlive.lr.org/information/Documents/Approvals/ApprovedManufactures/list9a.pdf
Fig. 12: Open Socket

(Female End) Link for Wire Rope
FPSO
Fig. 11: Fairleads On Semi MODU Hull ColumnFairlead & Stopper
10
GOM FPSO
GRAPH 2: MOORING FAILURES BY YEAR (2001 -2011)
Mooring Failures
WASHINGTON CHAIN
& SUPPLY
wachain.com
CHAIN
6.
120
Year
Graphs 2, 3, 4, and 5 Data Source is OTC Paper 24181 Table 1 Data Analysis
Fig. 8: Bardexs
BarLatch Fairlead
& Stopper
Fig. 11: LankoFirsts Clam

Connector (Opened)
2.
4.
7.
11.
VLA
(Vertical
Load
Anchor)
Suction
Pile
5.
OFFSHORE MOORING PATTERNS (FOR TEMPORARY & PERMANENT MOORING)
Courtesy: Flintstone Technology
WIRE ROPE
5
VICINAY MARINE
Vicinaymarine.com
Fig. 10: LankoFirsts Snap

Connector for Fiber Rope to Fiber
Rope (R2R)
N. Sea FPSO
N. Sea FPSO
Drop Anchor/
6.
Torpedo Pile
3.
wire rope
wire rope socket
swivel
pearlink
shackle
H-link
polyester rope
H-link
shackle
pearlink
swivel
pearlink
chain
shackle
anchor point
W. Africa FPSO
Multiple Line Failures
Early Life Failure (Infant Mortality, First Yr. of Ops.)
VIKING SEA TECH AS

vikingseatech.com
Courtesy: BARDEX
Fig. 9: Flintstone Technologys

FTL Subsea Mooring Connector
Figs. 8: Ballgrab Female

Connector Used on a Disconnectable Buoy for FPSO Turret
clump weight
driven pile
drag anchor
suction pile
torpedo pile
vertical load anchor
(2001-2011)
GOM Spar
N. Sea FPSO
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Courtesy: BARDEX
Courtesy: InterMoor
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
GRAPH 3: MOORING COMPONENT FAILURES
Pre-Emptive Action/Replacement
TECHNIP
technip.com
SMITH BERGER MARINE

smithberger.com
5.
Drag
Anchor
Typical mooring points vs water depth
Suction
Pile
W. Africa FPSO
SUBSEA 7
le-beon.com
OCEANSIDE
EQUIPMENT LTD.
4.
Driven
Pile
Single Line Mooring Failures
2
LONDON MARINE
CONSULTANTS
LONDONMARINE.CO.UK
3.
Fig. 7 LankoFirst Rope to Chain (R2C) Connector,

An Alternative to H Link
Fig. 1: Typical Spar Mooring
16
Fig. 10: BARDEXs BarLatch Fairlead Stoppers On Totals CLOV FPSO Hull
Fairlead & Stopper
Fig. 6: LankoFirst Rope to Rope (R2R) Clam Connector

for Permanent Mooring and MODU Applications
DETAIL 3
(2001-2013)
Courtesy: BARDEX
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 Courtesy: Lankhorst Ropes
Fig. 5: Inter-M Swivel

Connector for Chain to Chain
(C2C) 360 Rotation
20
Fig. 7: Bardexs BarLatch Fairlead & Stopper
Courtesy: InterMoor
Trend: The purpose of this Section is to make the industry aware of integrity issues & trends with regards to Mooring
Systems for FPSs. According to OTC Paper 24181 the analysis indicates a trend in which the intended design
performance of moorings does not meet operational performance
Courtesy: BARDEX
DETAIL 5
7A 7
GRAPH 1: INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE MOORING FAILURE AND PRE-EMPTIVE ACTION EVENTS
GROFSMEDERII
NIEUWKOOP B.V.
gnweb.com
GUNNEBO JOHNSON CORP
gunnebojohnson.com
Courtesy: DELMAR US
Mooring Years in Service
SIGMA OFFSHORE
SIGMAOFFSHORE.COM
3
3
9
MOORING SYSTEMS INTEGRITY ISSUES ON FPSs
18
FLOATEC
Floatec.com
DETAIL 3
7A 150 Ton Green Pin Super
Shackle
9 1,350m x 1,000 MT Poly with
Thimbles
DETAIL 4
5A Delmar Subsea Connector (Male)
5B Delmar Subsea Connector
(Female)
DETAIL 5
Suction Pile
FIG. 3: MOORING LINE COMPONENTS

1.
5B
14
15
DETAIL 1
Courtesy: SOFEC
Seg. 3 - Fiber Rope
16 15
CONNECTION DETAILS
Courtesy: NOV
Fig. 11: CALM Buoy Mooring System
VRYHOF ANCHORS
Seg. 5 - Fiber
Rope
MOORING EQUIPMENT - WINCHES, FAIRLEADS AND CHAIN STOPPERS
Seg. 6 - Chain
to Rope (C2R)
Connector &
Short Chain
(7)
(4)
InterMoor
Courtesy: InterMoor
Fairleads
25%
(5)
FLUKE ENGENHARIA (1)
Courtesy: InterMoor
Semi-FPS or MODU
Worldwide Percentage (%)
PLATE
DELMAR
Fig. 3: Chain Jacks Aker Solutions - Pusnes

RamWinches on the Devils Tower spar platform
in the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of 1,720m.
DEA
BRUCE ANCHORS
Fig. 2: Taut Leg Moored Semi FPS with Suction Pile (Permanent Mooring)
Fig. 2: Chain Jacks: Pusnes Roller RamWinches on Perdido Spar
Fig. 10A & 10B:

Non-Disconnectible
Internal Turret
Mooring System
TABLE 4: ANCHOR MANUFACTURERS BY TYPE
Seg. 2 -Wire Rope

Anchor
Orientation Tail
1D
Fig. 4: Pile Anchor: Driven, Jetted, or Drilled
1D
Fig. 1: PUSNES Rotary Windlass

0%
Figs. 1A & 1B Courtesy: InterMoor
1C
LEGEND
Spread Moored

Seg. 3 - Chain with

1A
1B
SPREAD
MOORING
6.8%
ANGOLA
Seg. 4 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1C
8.7%
MALAYSIA/INDONESIA
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
VLA (Vertical Loaded

Anchor) with
Orientation Tail
PILE
SHUTTLE
TANKER
FLNG SHIP
LNG SHIP
SHIP
FPSO
Seg. 6 - Polyester
Fiber Rope with
Thimble Connectors
1B
OFFSHORE ANCHOR
TYPES
MOORING LINE TYPES
BUOY
NON-SHIP FPSO
SPAR
CONTROL BUOY
TLP SEMI
LOADING/PROD.
BUOY
MODU
CELL SPAR
11.2%
PERMANENT/PRODUCTION
CLASSIC SPAR
14.8%
12.1%
GOM
CHINA/VIETNAM/THAILAND/
MYANMAR/PHILIPPINES
TEMPORARY
TRUSS SPAR
NORTH SEA
MOORING SYSTEMS
CONVENTIONAL
& MINI-TLP
PRODUCTION
SEMI
22.1%
FLOATEL
BRAZIL
Seg. 7 - Chain with


OFFSHORE STRUCTURE TYPES
OTHER SOURCES - BOOKS, E-BOOKS, WEB SITES

1 BOOK: DEEPWATER MMORING SYSTEMS - Concepts, Design, Analysis, and Materials
Edited by Jun Zhang, Richard Mercier; 2003, 360 Pages
2 E-BOOK: JIP FPS MOORING INTEGRITY (2006), 313 Pages
www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr444.pdf
3 E-BOOK: VRYHOF 2010 ANCHOR MANUAL; 188 Pages; www.vryhof.com/anchor_manual.pdf
4 E-BOOK: Classification of Mooring Systems for Permanent Offshore Units (April, 2012);
54 Pages
www.veristar.com/content/static/veristarinfo/images/4851.32.493NR_2012-04.pdf
5 ON-LINE COURSE: Technology University of Delft (Netherlands);
http://ocw.tudelft.nl/courses/offshore-engineering/offshore-moorings/course-home/
6 BOOK: The Unviersity of Texas Publication: Spread Mooring Systems, 2nd Edition;
http://www.utexas.edu/ce/petex/aids/pubs/spread-mooring/
7 BOOK: Engineers Design Guide to Deepwater Fibre Moorings, By Oil Pub (2005)
25% 50% 75% 100%
Prepared By: University of Houston, College of Technology,

Petroleum Technology Initiative & Amy Hendrix, GIS Consultant
PLATE ANCHOR
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
DEA
25% 50% 75% 100%
DRIVEN PILE
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
Data Source: UH Research, Mustang Engineering/Offshore Magazine, and Quest Offshore Databases for mooring system data and Source: Esri, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, GeoEye, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, and the GIS User Community for the world map data.
SUCTION PILE
0%
MAP
MODU Moorings are typically composed of

rented moorings:
Standard sizes of mooring ropes and
chains are used to design a system that
is adequate for the environmental criteria
Connectors are made using enlarged end
links and specialty shackles
Polyester ropes are used with thimbles to
maintain suitable D/d bending ratios
Chain segments are used between the
polyester segments to maintain the
integrity of the polyester rope jacket and
filter barrier when handling the segments
on the deck of the installation vessel
Seg. 1 Chain Section

at Anchor
Seg. 9 Chain
Sections
MOORING ANCHORS
MOORING SYSTEM ELEVATIONS
MOORING PATTERNS, TYPES, CONFIGURATIONS
Fig. 9: Single Angle Leg Mooring (SALM) & Loading System
New Zealand
26
STEVPRIS (6)
CONNECTORS
Seg. 10 - MODU Chain
Ghana/Ivory Coast
Fig. 8: Yoke Mooring System for Shallow Water Applications
BRUCE
MK4 & MK5
North Sea
Wire Rope to Chain

(R2C) Connector
25% 50% 75% 100%
SEPLA (2)
0%
TORPEDO PILE
MOORING LINES
MODU (Mobile Offshore Drilling Rig)
OFFSHORE OIL & GAS MOORING SYSTEM & SERVICE COMPONENT PROVIDERS
MOORING
CLASSIFICATION &
CERTIFICATION
Fig. 7: Permanent External

Turret With Wet Mooring Table
20
13
15
17
20
20
20
07
11
20
05
09
20
03
20
01
20
99
20
97
20
95
19
19
19
89
Installation Year
Courtesy: Delmar US
OFFSHORE MOORING LINES SAMPLE ASSEMBLIES

Fig. 1: Elevation View of Polyester VLA Taut-Leg Preset Mooring Leg (Temporary Mooring)
CHART 1: OFFSHORE MOORING SUPPLIER MATRIX (AS OF SEPT., 2013)
MOORING SYSTEM
ENGINEERING
Fig. 6: External Turret With Dry Mooring Table
Up to
10 Yrs.
Up to
15 Yrs.
>20 Yrs.
DRIVEN PILE
MOORING INTEGRITY
Courtesy of University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative
Courtesy: NOV APL
Fig. 4: TLP Moored with Tendons
91
1. NON-GALVANIZ ED
WIRE ROPE
2. GALVANIZED
SPIRAL STRAND
3. SHEATHED
SPIRAL STRAND
1,000 M
3,280 ft.
500
1,640 ft.
Turret Moored
MOORING EQUIPMENT
CLASS SOCIETIES GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ON MOORING SYSTEMS & INSTALLATION

Class societies regulate the implementation of the guidelines set forth in the standards by
giving specific steps to follow for class approval of a mooring system or installation.
1. American Bureau of Shipping (ABS): www.eagle.org then go to Resources > Rules &
Guides > Downloads
2. Bureau Veritas: www.veristar.com/wps/portal/bvrules
3. DNV GL: www.dnv.com/resources/rules_standards/index.asp
4. Lloyd's Register: www.webstore.lr.org/category/1-marine.aspx
Fig. 3: External Turret with

Dry Mooring Table
1,500 M
4,921 ft.
VLA
INTEGRITY & LESSONS LEARNED

1 OTC 24025-MS
2013 BP/TOTAL/SHELL
2 OTC 24181
2013 GRANHERNE (KBR)
3 ISOPE I-12-563 2012 AMOG CINSULTING & Others
4 OTC 21012-MS
2010 SOFEC
5 OTC 19198-MS
2008 STRESS ENGINEERING
6 OTC 17499-MS
2005 NOBLE DENTON & Others
Catenary and Taut describe the way the mooring

line is suspended in the water column. Catenary
systems have parabolic shape. Taut system mooring
lines hang in a straight line between two points.
Fig. 1: Spread Moored
DEA
Op Experience with Cylindrical FPSO

Arctic Turret Mooring System
Squall Mooring Design
Mooring in Harsh Environments
Fig. 2: Disconnectible Internal Turret Mooring System
Courtesy: BRIDON
The poster is divided into distinct sections and

each section is marked by a background color. The
color denotes the subject section. This color code is
carried throughout the poster. Below are the color
code designations for each of the themes.
MOORING STANDARDS
1 API Spec 2F - Mooring Chain (1997) - Currently in Revision
2 API RP 2I - In-service Inspection of Mooring Hardware for Floating Structures (2008).
3 API RP 2SK - Design & Analysis of Stationkeeping Sys. for Floating Str. (Add.2008)
4 API RP 2SM - Recommended Practice for Synthetic Fiber Ropes (Add. 2007) A new
revision is currently in the Balloting Phase.
5 ISO 19901-7 Station-keeping systems for floating offshore structures (Rev)
6 ISO 19904-01 Floating offshore structures
7 2GEO - Geotechnical Analysis of Mooring Anchors - Is a new standard in development.
8 2MIM - Mooring Integrity Management. Is a new standard to be released.
9 DNV GL: http://www.dnv.com/resources/rules_standards/index.asp
TYPES OF MOORING SYSTEMS
OMNI MAX
DESIGN & OPERATIONAL ISSUES

1 OTC 24214
2013 SEVAN MARINE
2 OTC 23814-MS
2012 HEIDEMAN / BLUEWATER
3 OMAE2011-49855 2011 SOFEC/DELFT UNIVERSITY
4 IDOTS D-09-004 2009 RESEARH & DEV./SOFEC
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
100%
Turret Moored
Used for Polyester Mooring Lines with suction piles.

Preferred mooring system type for long life deepwater
production facilities.
40% reduction in footprint compared to Catenary Type.
SUCTION PILE
MOORING SYSTEM INSPECTION, TESTING, AND QUALIFICATION

1 OTC 24184-MS
2013 WELAPTEGA MARINE LTD. Risk Based Inspection Plan
2 OTC 24080-MS
2013 SBM/LANKHORST
THUNDER HAWK Fatigue Testing
3 OMAE2012-84067 2012 InterMoor
Microbiological Corrosion
4 OTC 20779
2010 WELAPTEGA MARINE LTD. In-Service Inspection
Spread Moored
Taut Leg Mooring System Key Attributes
Used for chain/wire rope/chain mooring lines.

Preferred mooring system type for deepwater MODUs for
temporary mooring.
Has a larger footprint compared to Taut System.
Sakhalin
25
SERVICE VESSEL
PLANNING & INSTALLATION OF DEEPWATER MOORING SYSTEMS - VARIOUS PROJECTS

1 OTC 23223
2013 COOEC/COTEC
LIUHUA 11-1 FPS Mooring Upgrade
2 OCT 23083-MS
2012 LLOG/WHITEHILL/DELMAR WHO DAT Project Mooring System
3 ISOPE I-10-470 2010 OFFSHORE OIL ENG. CO.
STP Moooring System in China
4 OTC 21018-MS
2010 InterMoor/ATP OIL & GAS
MIRAGE/TELEMARK MinDOC Mooring
5 OTC 18587-MS
2007 ENTERPRISE
INDEPENDENCE HUB Mooring Sys
6 OTC 17294-MS
2005 TECHNIP/DOVE MARINE
RED HAWK Spar Mooring System
7 OTC 16702-MS
2004 SHELL/HEEREMA
Na Kika DW Mooring Project
0%
Mauritania
D - DISCONNECTABLE
P -PERMANENT
Recommended Papers, Manuals, and other documents

for additional knowledge
26
Tendon Moored
POSTER COLOR CODE KEY
Go to www.onepetro.org to order the OTC (Offshore Technology Conference), SPE (Society of

Petroleum Engineers), and ISOPE (The International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers) papers
listed in Table 2.
TABLE 2 OTHER OFFSHORE MOORING INFO. SOURCES
100%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
13
25% 50% 75% 100%
GRAPH 3: WIRE ROPE

LIFE SPANS
WIRE ROPE
TYPE
Spread Moored
28%
Turret Moored
Courtesy: BRIDON
Fig. 10: Mooring Chain & Suction Piles Ready for Loadout & Installation
Fig. 9: Studded Mooring

Chain used at mud line
& host facility. Chain
actual feld life performance is 1520 years
vs. typical design life of
20 to 25 years.
Figs. 1, 2, & 3 Courtesy: BRIDON
25% 50% 75% 100%
Philippines
24
23
SEMI SUBMERSIBLE
DRILL SHIP
(DP RIG)
Anchor Pile
Chain-Poly-Wire
Chain & Wire
Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring
Chain To Rope Connector
Chain To Chain Connector
Drag Embedded Anchor
Driven Pile
External Turret
Floating Production Storage & Offloading
High Holding Power
Internal Turret
Jacket Soft Yoke
Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit
12
SINGLE POINT MOORING
AP
C&P&W
C&W
CALM
C2R
C2C
DEA
Dr. P
ET
FPSO
HHP
IT
JSY
MODU
Riser Turret Mooring

Rope to Rope Connector
Rope to Chain Connector
Single Anchor Leg Mooring
Spread Catenary Mooring
Suction Embedded Anchor
Semi Submersible
Suction Embedded Plate Anchor
Spread Mooring
Suction Pile
Spread Taut Mooring
Submerged Turret Mooring
Tension Leg Platform
Vertical Loaded Anchor
108
Tendon Moored
22
Tendon Moored
Country/Region
RTM
R2R
R2C
SALM
SCM
SEA
SEMI
SEPLA
SM
SP
STM
STP
TLP
VLA
TABLE 1 ABBREVIATIONS
POSTER
21
72%
0%
Information Accuracy: We have attempted to use correct and current, as of press time, information for the mooring systems and equipment described herein. No installed, sanctioned,
nor pending application was intentionally excluded. We have summarized the capability and operating experience by acting as a neutral party and integrator of information. Information
has been collected from public sources, company brochures, personal interviews, phone interviews, press releases, industry magazines, vendor-supplied information, and web sites. No
guarantee is made that information is accurate or all-inclusive. Neither University of Houston nor Offshore Magazine guarantees or assumes any responsibility or liability for any partys
use of the information presented. If any information is found to be incorrect, not current, or has been omitted, please send comments to: jchristi@central.uh.edu and gksheridan@uh.edu.
3. MOORING CHAIN
93%
0%
Brazil
Spread Moored
7%
Turret Moored
93
10
Catenary System Key Attributes
2,000 M
6,562 ft.
19
ABS: Judy Murray, John Stiff and Kenneth Huang; Aker Solutions: Tom Plank, and John-Otto Nilsen; Balltec: Martin Bell, and Emma Corrie; Bardex: Stephen Jones; Bluewater
Industries, Inc: Jamie Armstrong; Bridon: Chris Leonard, Tony Tarabochia, and Troy Rybicki; Bruce Anchor: David Ledgerwood; C-Ray Media: Connie Gray, Nanette McNair,
Samara Barks, and Jalil Whitmore; DCL Mooring & Rigging: Rick Hall Doris, and Richard D. Haun; Delmar US: Even Zimmerman, and Robert Garrity; First Subsea: Valerie
Pylypiw, and Greg Campbell-Smith; Grahherne: Richard DSourza and Sai Majhi; InterMoor: Jonathon Miller, Florence Kosmala, and Todd Veselis; Lankhorst Ropes: Geeske
Terpstra; LeBeon Manufacturing: Aurelien Le Floch, and Clement Mochet; MODEC: Ken Turner; National Oilwell Varco: Charyl Smerek, Geir Hovde, and Tatjana Tanya Brestovac;
Parker Hannifin Corporation: Brian Compton, and Eldon E. Thomas; Pennwell: Jessica Tippee, Mary Sumner, Roger Kingswell, and Daniel Bernard; Quest Offshore: Matt Gross,
and Paul Hillegeist; Sigma Offshore: Allan Millmaker; Tex Ocean: Donnie Newman; Vrhof Anochors: Erik Rykers, and Thomas Agnevall
Spread Moored
11
24
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Fig 3: Sheathed Jacket around

spiral strand increases service life
> 20 years.
87
Tendon Moored
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTORS

University of Houston and Offshore Magazine wish to acknowledge the following individuals and companies who continue to support our efforts
to educate and inform the oil and gas industry on the status of mooring systems.
Polyester Fiber Rope

Chain/Wire Rope
19
19
The usage of polyester fiber rope

(green squares) is a growing
trend for mooring systems on
Past
Future
deepwater production facilities
installations.
19
25% 50% 75% 100%
Australia
23
18
3,000 M
9,842 ft.
19
Fig. 7: Cross Section of

Lankhorsts MODULINE Polyester Fig. 8: Cross Section of
Fiber Rope
Polyester Mooring Lines.
81
6%
0%
100%
Turret Moored
66%
Turret Moored
Spread Moored
83
1455 West Loop South, Suite 400

Houston, TX 77027
Tel: 713-963-6200 Fax: 713-963-6296
Fig. 2: Taut Leg Mooring System
2,500 M
8,202 ft.
20
The University of Houston

www.uh.edu Tel: 713 743 2255
4800 Calhoun Road Houston, TX
77004-2693
GRAPH 1: CHAIN/WIRE ROPE VS. POLYESTER ROPE USAGE MOORING SYSTEM TREND
28%
Tendon Moored
17
Polyester rope gives a "softer" mooring system than steel wire rope; and therefore host motions are more compliant and riser friendly.
Better Vortex Induced Motion (VIM) response to loop currents than Chain-Wire-Chain system.
Affords smaller SCR departure angles.
Allows the use of a significantly smaller turret buoy on FPSOs for enhanced safety and project viability.
Up to 50% reduction in costs compared to conventional catenary mooring system.
Approximately 80% reduction in wet weight of tension members (i.e. ropes) when converting from Wire to Polyester. The vertical mooring force on the
platform is reduced by 50%. This reduction in wet weight and forces therefore increases usable payload.
Up to 50% reduction in mooring pre-tension.
Polyester rope does not corrode and there is no need for corrosion allowances on the diameter of the polyester like there is on chain and wire.
Indonesia
22
Spread Moored
15
1
25% 50% 75% 100%
Canada/US Atlantic
particle filter layer to limit the ingress of abrasive particles and marine
finish on load bearing elements enhances the resistance to yarn on yarn
abrasion ensures long term performance for field life in excess of 20 years.
Fig. 5 Lankhorsts Polyester Fiber Rope on Deployment Reel Offshore
25
16
14
Turret Moored
Increasing Performance Life of Fiber Rope The inclusion of a
Fig. 3: Comparison of Typical Mooring Confgurations

& Line Type by Water Depth
Fig. 1: Catenary System
Advantages of Polyester for Mooring Lines
Courtesy: Bridon
10%
0%
4
100%
0%
Fig. 4: Components of Typical Polyester Fiber Rope for Deepwater Mooring Fig. 6: Lankhorsts Fiber Rope with Torsional Reference Lines
25% 50% 75% 100%
50%
Tendon Moored
Peru
2. FIBER ROPE (Typically Polyester)
Fig. 1: Wire Rope for Deepwater

MODU (Drilling Rigs) Mooring Lines
Cross Section (6 x 34) Life span
up to 10 Years.
40%
25% 50% 75% 100%
MOORING LINE CONFIGURATIONS
1. WIRE ROPE
Malaysia
21
Tendon Moored
78%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
Turret Moored
0%
25% 50% 75% 100%
22%
Tendon Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
Turret Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
50%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
0%
China/Vietnam
20
Spread Moored
50%
100%
Spread Moored
100%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Spread Moored
Colombia/Venezuela
Spread Moored
E-Mail Comments, Correction or Additions to: jchristi@central.uh.edu and gksheridan@uh.edu
100%
Turret Moored
9%
0%
India
18
Spread Moored
85
41%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Caspian Sea
16
Spread Moored
19
32%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
25% 50% 75% 100%
Adriatic/Italy
14
50%
19
25%
Spread Moored
77
0%
68%
79
OCTOBER 2013
Prepared by: Manoochehr Bozorgmehrian, Manjunath Terwad, and Vani Aparna Peri Former Graduate Students, University of Houston
With Assistance From: Jack Christiansen and Galina Sheridan of the University of Houston, College of Technology, Petroleum Technology Initiative,
www.uh.edu/technology/pti; Kurt Albaugh of Repsol E&P USA; David Davis, Mary Sumner and Jessica Tippee of Offshore Magazine;
Jonathan Miller of InterMoor; and Amy Hendrix GIS Consultant
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
34%
25% 50% 75% 100%
0%
Angola
12
Spread Moored
45 years
www.delmarus.com 1-337-365-0180
MOORING LINE COMPONENT TYPES: WIRE ROPE, POLYESTER FIBER ROPE, AND CHAIN
Nigeria
10
75%
19
9%
Turret Moored
Tendon Moored
Spanish Mediterranean
682 0 1 3
Delmar Systems
PROVEN MOORING SOLUTIONS FOR FPSO AND FLNG
WWW.LONDONMARINE.CO.UK
19
Spread Moored
57%
19
DELMAR
...count on the
leader in offshore mooring
19
GOM
1
Spread Moored
Trends & Technology
Learn more
about our
deepwater
installation
vessels at
mcdermott.com
Water Depth (Meters & Feet)
MOORING SYSTEMS FOR OFFSHORE

FLOATING INSTALLATIONS
90% more thrust with 6 new thrusters

200% improved station keeping
50% more power with 4 new engines
Subsea lowering up to 480 tons to 11,500 ft.
(+/-) 8.2 feet heave compensation
Main xed crane capacity 4,189 ST
2013 McDermott International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Mooring Foundations Subsea
When experience
counts....
for all your mooring

installation needs
75
www.in
www.intermoor.com
intermoor.com
Technical expertise. Practical

know-how. Delivered worldwide.
19
INNOVATIVE
MOORING
SOLUTIONS
cortlandcompany.com
Mooring Integrity
Management Services
Control inspection and maintenance costs
Extend mooring system life
Minimize mooring failures and downtime
Manage degraded and damaged moorings
www.amogconsulting.com
Courtesy: BP
production volumes. CRYSTAL 2013 has new

tools such as broadband spectral inversion for
enhanced resolution and tools to model natural fractures.
Interpretation is one part of the geophysical
equation, and visualization is another factor getting a lot of attention. The addition of programmable graphics processors to the hardware
allows much faster processing for visualization
with real-time rendering. GPU-based raycasting rendering, for instance, can handle unstructured meshes and deformable textures to better compose multiple frequencies.
Three-dimension visualization that relies on
GPU chips is a rapidly developing feld. The
speed with which the computational and presentation graphics can be processed makes
this possible. There are experiments where
the addition of GPUs can show results as
much as 80 times as fast as CPUs alone, depending upon the exact processing involved. It
is possible to work in both time and depth 3D,
too, for better integration of seismic interpretations and geophysics workfow.
IHS PETRA database can be accessed
directly by a 3D visualization module rather
than having to import the data.
Deco Geophysical Software recently released
RadExPro 2013.2. Key advances include the
addition of a post-stack Kirchhoff time migra-
What is on the seismic technology horizon?

The pace of advancement among data handlers and processors is fast. Looking at
the near future, there are a number of developments in the works. Among them are
Paradigms augmented reality and Landmarks DecisionSpacemobile.
Augmented reality refers to the use of seismic data to manufacture in 3D a
representation of the subsurface that originally was modeled using Paradigm SKUA
software. Paradigm is experimenting with a software tool that makes a video image of
the 3D subsurface feature and then superimposes results from other interpretation
tools such as faults, well data, and stratigraphic features.
This allows examination of the model from different directions, analysis of petrophysical and seismic data, representation of geologic features, and more to help with
everything from well siting to drilling trajectory to production behavior.
DecisionSpacemobile aims to provide a tool whereby users can work on data using mobile computers without a connection to the core database.
The work done while off the database would automatically synchronize with the
database when it does connect.
Schlumberger is looking at ways to include the subsurface petroleum systems
information within geoscience software. This would add information regarding hydrocarbon maturation and reservoir properties to make more accurate well planning.
So far, Petrel now supports 1D petroleum systems model and 3D systems modeling as input for PetroMod software. Coupling new tools that support 3D preproduction modeling gives the ability to improve drilling planning and drilling fluids design.
tion option that allows both vertical and lateral

changes in migration velocities either from the
database or manual set-up. This works in conjunction with the new Interactive Velocity Analysis module that can provide input data to the
Kirchhoff migration.
TerraSpark Geosciences has reduced the
time required for fault extraction from fve
days of compute time to 20 minutes, the company says. And, the Fault Interpretation Workfow has been streamlined to require fewer
steps to go from 3D seismic amplitude volume
to a complete set of fault surfaces. TerraSpark
also added Nvidias Kepler-generation graphics
cards to enhance its compatibility with other 3D
seismic interpretation systems.
Time, cost and safety efficient

leakagetest solutions
KaMOS Gaskets for sealing and surveillance
KaMOS Kammprofil Gasket
- the efficient solution for flanged connections

KaMOS Gaskets verifies correct installation by pressure
testing the ring room in flanges.
Selected references:
BP, ExxonMobil, Total, Saipem, Shell, Hyundai, ConocoPhillips,
Chevron, PTTEP, Halliburton, AMEC Paragon, Technip Offshore UK Ltd
KaMOS Gaskets to be used, when having too many leakages in flanged connections...
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Tight control of equivalent

circulating density offers benefits
Managed pressure drilling
provides greater safety,
better penetration rates
Dick Ghiselin
Contributing Editor
he ability to control the downhole environment while drilling

has been a dream long held by drillers and reservoir engineers alike. In the not too recent past, drillers focused on preventing infux of formation fuid or gas, and weighted-up their
mud accordingly. Of course, this risked loss of circulation
should an unstable or highly faulted formation be penetrated. As
a result, drillers found themselves literally between the proverbial
rock and a hard place.
As explorationists made discoveries in areas characterized by
high formation pressures and low strength formations, the difference between hydrostatic pressure and formation pressure became
quite narrow. Understanding this parameter, known as the drilling
margin, became critical to a successful campaign.
Conventional wisdom developed by years of experience showed
an inverse relationship between mud weight and rate of penetration
(ROP). Too heavy a mud weight slowed the penetration rate. But
operating with too light a mud weight invited surprises in the form
of kicks. At the time, a technology innovation known as the rotating
control head (RCH) was introduced. This device allowed drillers to
balance mud weight with pore pressure, and drill very close to the
lower end of the drilling margin. The result was better drilling effciency and greater ROP. The RCH provided the margin of safety
needed to mitigate any surprise kicks.
In the early 1970s, record depth wells were actually drilled underbalanced. In West Texas and Oklahoma, it was deemed safe to
drill with light brine in the hole to maximize drilling effciency in the
worlds deepest wells at the time. Essentially, the wells were continuously venting gas, but formation permeability was so low that
volumes were relatively insignifcant.
Up to this point, hydrostatic pressure and formation temperature
were derived by measuring static mud weight and viscosity at the
surface and calculating a pressure gradient which could be extrapolated to bit depth. Formation temperature was also calculated from a
gradient. Neither parameter was precisely known. In addition, every
time the mud pumps were stopped to make a connection a pressure
surge was initiated when the pumps were re-started. In a formation
with a tight drilling margin, this pressure spike could break down a
weak spot and cause loss of circulation. Conversely, when the drill
pipe was pulled to make a bit trip or even a short trip, care had to be
taken not to swab-in the well.
Transoceans prototype continuous annular pressure management system

deployed on the Discoverer Enterprise during stackup and integration testing. (Photo courtesy Transocean)
New technology
The advent of measurement-while-drilling (MWD) changed everything. Downhole sensors could measure instantaneous pressure
and temperature at the bit and transmit those data uphole using mud
pulse telemetry. For the frst time, drillers had access to the realtime pressure and temperature environment at the toolface. Regardless of the static mud weight, the dynamic pressure it imposed at
the bit became known as the equivalent circulating density (ECD).
The rotating control head continues to provide an essential safety
component to any managed pressure drilling system. Particularly
in many offshore environments, very tight drilling margins persist,
and even the ability to measure and monitor ECD in real-time, as
well as both annular pressure and internal mud pressure at the bottomhole assembly, does not completely prevent surprises.
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Cutting-edge techniques, sustained by

innovative technology, are increasing the
industrys ability to safely and effciently
drill unstable formations in deep- and ultradeepwater. Two of the latest innovations are
dual-gradient drilling and pressurized mudcap drilling.
Particularly effective in very deepwaters,
dual-gradient drilling essentially eliminates
the effect of the water, so the drilling rig behaves as if it were on the seabed. This allows
safe drilling of extremely fragile formations
just below the mudline. It also potentially extends the depth range of the rig. Presently
the technique is being championed by Chevron and Transocean.
One prime beneft of dual-gradient drilling
is the elimination of some casing points and
the resultant reduction of casing sizes. With
narrow drilling margins, a single-gradient
drilling mud column could necessitate fve
or more casing points to reach total depth.
However, if the pressure at the seabed could
be reduced from that created by 10,000 ft
(3,048 m) of heavy drilling fuid, to that created by 10,000 ft of seawater, maintaining a
safe drilling margin is simplifed to the point
of reducing the number of casing points by
as much as half.
Since each casing point necessitates a
reduction in hole diameter, it is potentially
possible for a well that starts off with a 36in. conductor to be so small by the time it
reaches the target formation that the required completion cannot be installed.
In the traditional dual-gradient scheme,
a cuttings processing unit is added at the
seabed to process drilling fuid returns to
reduce the size of entrained cuttings so they
can be easily pumped. A seabed pump lifts
the processed fuid to the rig via a fexible
hose where it is passed to the shale shakers
and degassers in normal fashion before being returned to the suction pit. The critical
RCH is positioned atop the subsea BOP and
lower marine riser package. The closed system allows drillers to quickly control annular pressure in the drilling fuid for managed
pressure drilling purposes, and continuously drill within a safe margin.
The dynamically positioned drillship Pacific Santa Ana is the frst to offer the traditional
dual-gradient drilling option. It is currently
under contract to Chevron.
Transocean has developed a different process that it claims can be installed on any of
the companys drilling units. Called continuous annular pressure management (CAPM)
the technique involves injecting diluted drilling fuid into the mud column at the seabed
to maintain the desired ECD. No seabed
pumps are required. Essentially the riser
annulus is flled with diluted drilling fuid to
reduce hydrostatic pressure at the mudline.
Processing takes place on board the drilling

rig. As mud returns arrive at the rig, they
pass through the standard shale shakers,
desanders, and degassers; then they are
processed by a battery of centrifuges that
remove the weighting material, commonly
barite or hematite. The remaining heavy
component is pumped down the drill pipe to
the bit, and the lighter component, typically
with a density of 6-9 ppg, is pumped back
to the seabed and re-injected into the riser
annulus there. The effect lowers the hydrostatic pressure at the seabed to near that of
seawater. Transocean has deployed the frst
CAPM unit on its Discoverer Enterprise highspecifcation drillship.
All CAPM components are modular, and
can be installed on any rig, including a land
unit. Both the Chevron and Transocean
systems include a device called a fow-stop
valve to keep the fuid from U-tubing when
circulation is stopped to make a drill pipe
connection. Both systems permit the unrestricted transmission of mud pulses typically
used for transfer of logging-while-drilling
(LWD) data and geosteering commands.
A solution
for carbonates
Carbonates are hard to drill and harder to
evaluate. They can range from oolites, which
exhibit high porosity but zero permeability,
to highly fractured zones that can produce
like a fre hose or drain drilling fuid like a
storm sewer. Drillers have tried to develop
the best practices for drilling these highly
heterogeneous rocks safely and effciently.
They may have succeeded.
Three years ago, Petronas Carigali faced
a very challenging situation offshore Sarawak. Drilling surprises, in the form of highly
conductive fractures, threatened loss of well
control when they were encountered. They
proposed a solution called pressurized mudcap drilling (PMCD) that basically involves
pumping sacrifcial seawater through the
choke lines and down the annulus to bullhead infuxes back into the fracture system.
The solution prevents loss of valuable drilling
fuid, and seals the infux by pumping back
the cuttings entrained in the annulus into the
offending fracture system. The seawater can
be mixed on the fy with viscosifers to prevent gas migration.
Previous experience ruled out the use of
traditional lost circulation material. It created more problems than it solved in the
form of permanent formation damage that
inhibited production.
A key piece of equipment is the RCH which
seems to be an essential component to all solutions. Petronas elected to drill with a mud
motor to minimize drill pipe rotation and any
associated wear and tear on the RCH seals.
Drilling decisions focused on extending

bit life to the maximum rather than maximizing ROP. This was accomplished by using less-aggressive bits to mitigate vibration
which is the leading cause of bit wear. Float
valves were installed just above the drill
bit to prevent the loss of drilling fuid and
to force the seawater mixture and cuttings
coming down the annulus to enter the fractures.
Proving
the premise
The operator selected an 11-well drilling
campaign to verify the PMCD concept, qualify
the equipment and fne tune the procedures.
Drillers would never know when or if they
were going to encounter severe fuid loss; this
is why a multi-well test was implemented.
Of the 11 candidate wells, six exhibited
severe fuid loss. The campaign was deemed
a success because lessons were learned
to be applied to future carbonate drilling
projects. The basic premise of PMCD was
proved effective, and the company is continuing to drill carbonate formations using
this technique. Use of a dedicated PMCD
rig was clearly deemed to be essential. The
experience was used to make the procedure
easier to implement, facilitate crew training,
and improve safety. For example, it was suggested that each subsequent campaign start
with a vertical pilot hole to acquire vital log
information that could allow prediction of
lost circulation issues. A log to determine
reservoir pore pressure in advance was
thought to be essential. It was also deemed
advisable to deploy a foating mud plant to
mix the seawater on the fy, so as to ease logistics concerns.
Knowledge
is power
The ability to measure precisely and monitor continuously the equivalent circulating
density of drilling fuid at the bit is crucial
to success. This single ability has allowed
major strides in drilling technology that
have affected safety, cost effectiveness, and
effciency. Many, if not most, of the previous
surprises can be traced to inaccurate estimations of dynamic downhole conditions.
Like most critical undertakings, prior planning is a given. Even modular systems that
are relatively easy to implement on a standard
drilling unit must be carefully sized and can
beneft from as much prior reservoir knowledge as possible. The benefts are substantial
and well worth the planning effort. The term
managed pressure drilling describes precisely what is required. Only when pressure
can be proactively managed, not reactively
dealt with, can the industry proceed safely to
develop todays frontiers.
Managed pressure drilling used to mitigate

kick and loss in extreme wellbores
n deepwater and high-pressure/hightemperature (HP/HT) drilling operations, well control and pressure-related
problems account for signifcant risk
and cost. Conventional well control
procedures based on mud weight and the
BOP system are often limited, and in many
cases unable to mitigate these challenges.
Instead, the solutions to complex pressure
conditions are increasingly achieved with
managed pressure drilling (MPD).
These solutions are based on a fundamental change in the rigs circulating system,
from one that is open to the atmosphere to
the precise, real-time monitoring and control of a closed loop drilling (CLD) system.
In a CLD environment, MPD provides an
exceptional and fundamental advance in the
ability to quickly detect and assess kicks
and losses at very small volumes. The concurrent ability to control these pressure fuctuations provides the means to prevent their
escalation into a well control event.
In deepwater drilling, the degree of information and control afforded by MPD extends to the entire wellbore, providing the
means to solve many challenges. One of the
Chad H. Wuest
Julmar Shaun S. Toralde
Weatherford
most basic is early kick/loss detection and

mitigation. Precise detection and control
of gas infuxes also results in a remarkable
ability to mitigate the diffcult problem of
riser gas. In both narrow drilling windows
and HP/HT wellbores, the degree of hazard
mitigation achieved with MPD can enhance
the safety, effciency, and ability to drill the
well.
Kick risks
Gas infuxes, or kicks, are a major source

of non-productive time (NPT) and increased
risk. Escalation into kick/loss cycles is hugely
expensive in terms of time, materials, and risk.
An SPE study of conventionally drilled wells
on the UK continental shelf found 45 reported
kicks from 2006 to 2008. Forty-two of the incidents referenced kick size. Of these, seven
infuxes exceeded 25 bbl and three ranged
from 140 bbl to 210 bbl. The study noted that
the numbers run counter to the often-repeated
claim (using conventional systems) that kicks

can be caught early, and that infuxes greater
than 25 bbl are unlikely.
HP/HT conditions were a common characteristic of these wells, with 27 related kicks in
82 total spuds. The study observed that most
of the kicks were directly related to geological
conditions and mostly involved conditions that
were diffcult to detect before drilling. Other
geologically related incidents included challenges in cementing casing, and maintaining
mud weight between an infux and losses.
Wellbore instability and the resulting
drilling hazards are a major source of risk to
safety, operations, and economics. An analysis of NPT in deepwater Gulf of Mexico operations found that stuck pipe, well control,
and fuid loss events in non-subsalt wells accounted for 5.6% of total well time and 31% of
total NPT. In subsalt wells, the metric was
12.6% of total well time and 41% of NPT. For
a well with a measured depth of of 20,000 ft
(6,096 m), extrapolated losses in 2009 were
$2,500,000 in total well time and $7,660,000
in NPT. These metrics do not include total
well failures resulting from drilling hazards.
Real-time modeling
Advanced and early kick and loss detection and control allows an immediate response to well
control events using backpressure on demand. This screenshot shows the fast reaction of the MPD
system, which enables minimization of the influx size. (Images courtesy Weatherford)
The geological/geophysical model the

basis for well design is predictive in nature.
Pore pressure and fracture gradient projections are key elements in this pre-drill modeling. But subsurface conditions are invariably
different than predicted, and result in a variety of changes to the plan once drilling gets
under way. The ability to counter these variations is constrained by a somewhat rigid well
design and the infexibility of the well control
elements such as the BOP, mud design, and
kick tolerances that are derived from that design. This often yields a slow response. For
example, when an infux occurs, information
is often limited to the minimal infux pressure
based on mud weight and depth. Standard
industry procedure is to close the BOP and
observe the wellhead pressure in an effort to
characterize the nature of the infux. The well
is under control but not making hole.
The next step is to increase mud weight
and circulate the kick out of the hole. This
process often leads to non-productive time
and further wellbore complications.
MPD improves on this well control process by continually updating the predictive
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model to quickly characterize the infux and

manage wellbore pressure. This provides a
fexible system of prevention and mitigation
ahead of conventional well control methods,
and enables the mitigation of pressure-related wellbore problems that result in a great
deal of non-productive time.
Dynamic modeling
With MPD, modeling is a dynamic process

of continuously updating data and controlling
wellbore pressures accordingly. Compared to

conventional drilling operations, the process
provides more data of higher quality in real
time at the well site.
Data is acquired from multiple sources
while circulating or with pumps off. Temperature, pressure, fow rate, and density measurements are used to calculate mass balance
across the wellhead so that any loss or gain
in the CLD system is immediately quantifed.
Thus, MPD reduces the uncertainty sur-
Com
h
Deepwater MPD systems have allowed riser gas

risk mitigation, pressurized mud cap drilling,
controlled bottomhole pressure, and early kick
and loss detection. With advanced surface
monitoring, the technology makes deepwater
drilling safer and more efficient.
rounding the predictive model by providing

reliable data about the drilling window. The
certainty MPD provides about what is occurring downhole makes it possible to differentiate between wellbore pressure variations.
For example, the ability to quickly distinguish a gas infux from wellbore breathing can
be signifcant. A misdiagnosis can be as problematic as a real problem. Correct diagnosis
prevents an event from occurring, and avoids
missteps that can exacerbate a problem.
MPD control
MPD provides a fexible response with

control and mitigation barriers that are applied in advance of conventional well control. Application of annular backpressure
proactively controls and manages pressure
variations, such as those that occur during
transitions from pumps-on and pumps-off
status, to prevent escalation into a well control event. Monitoring and capturing data on
a continuous basis also provides feedback
for updating pore pressure predictions on
the fy, and for modeling future well designs.
If an infux occurs, the system provides
mitigation options before changing mud
weight or closing the BOP. Detected immediately in volumes as small as a single barrel,
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WellMaster is based on twenty-ve years of well performance data collecting and risk analysis. Its
user friendly and eld proven. WellMaster enables you to identify trends, monitor KPIs, set up early
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T R O N D H E I M
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the infux is rapidly countered with a change in downhole pressure

achieved by applying annular backpressure. The infux is stopped
while it is very small and safely circulated out of the wellbore.
Asia/Pacifc successes
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Globally, MPD monitoring and control capabilities are successfully mitigating well control hazards before they become well control
events. Early kick detection and prevention achieved downhole is
also proving successful in stopping infuxes of riser gas.
For example, automated MPD plays a signifcant role in successfully drilling high-risk deepwater and HP/HT prospects in the Asia/
Pacifc region. When a deepwater program with limited pre-drill
information faced the potential for severe kick-loss conditions, the
drilling plan called for MPD to monitor and manage wellbore pressures. In drilling nine rank wildcats, the system has provided kick
detection and mitigation while managing wellbore pressures when
drilling, making connections, and tripping.
Identifying and controlling downhole infuxes before they dissolve
into the synthetic based mud has mitigated the occurrence of riser gas
during drilling. The MPD system has also provided formation pressures in real time, and allowed logs to be run in a safe, controlled manner, even in situations that involved severe circulation losses.
The ability to transition between constant bottomhole pressure
(CBHP) and pressurized mud cap drilling (PMCD) methods as
needed provided the versatility to address different drilling conditions
presented by the exploratory wells. Use of MPD methods enabled
real-time monitoring and control for early kick/loss detection and
mitigation. When drilling the frst well, the system detected a 2 bbl
infux and successfully circulated it out of the wellbore using conventional well control methods (in other wells, infuxes as small as a single barrel have been detected). The MPD control system algorithms
detected, minimized, and controlled at least fve fow anomalies while
drilling the well.
When severe fuid losses occurred deeper in the well, the MPD drilling mode was transitioned to PMCD, which enabled drilling with no
returns, and allowed the wellbore to reach the planned total depth.
HP/HT extremes
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HP/HT conditions experienced offshore Asia/Pacifc had resulted in

severe kick-loss conditions and ended in several abandoned wellbores.
The use of MPD mitigated the problems and allowed wells to be drilled
to total depth. MPD also provided a better understanding of pore pressure and the fracture pressure through real-time dynamic formation
integrity tests and dynamic leak-off tests.
A narrow mud weight window between a formations pore pressure and fracture gradient is a common condition in HP/HT drilling.
Variations in bottomhole pressure can heighten the risk of an underbalanced wellbore in static conditions, and increase the chance of
fracturing the formation in dynamic conditions.
Wellbore pressure fuctuations in the HP/HT wells were quickly
identifed in both static and dynamic conditions. Annular backpressure was precisely manipulated to offset these pressure variations
and stay within the drilling window. Accurate fow measurement was
critical in the constant monitoring and identifcation of the fow differences, and provided a critical real-time picture of the drilling window.
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New control options

The complex pressure challenges presented by deepwater
and HP/HT wells are a major source of risk and NPT. Kicks and
losses often pose challenges that exceed the capabilities of conventional drilling and standard well control measures and methods. To
achieve the high level of safety and effciency needed to drill these
wells, wellbore construction is turning to MPD monitoring and control methods to mitigate drilling hazards and reach total depth.
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BOP technology advanced

through hybridization
Post-Macondo safety requirements
drive engineering and technical reforms
Fernando Hernandez
Reaching-Ultra
Jose Meraz
Aquila Subsea
he offshore sector, following the 2010

Macondo blowout, is under a technical and engineering reform that aims
to enhance BOPs based on lessons
learned. The goal is to better control
and shut in wells during all phases of drilling and workover operations by further analyzing standards, methods, equipment, and
techniques linked to BOPs.
Capping stack technology, which was
instrumental in shutting in Macondo, continues to emerge as part of this reform, as
an additional layer of protection for drilling
and workover activities. A notable feature of
capping stacks is the fact that their design
and build synthesizes drilling and workover
and production-based technologies.1 This,
in turn, raises the following questions: Can
BOPs themselves beneft from being infused with production-based methods and
technologies? And if so, what are the potential benefts for future drilling and workover
operations? The following aims to answer
these questions by examining BOPs from a
production standpoint, with an emphasis on
christmas tree technology.
Topside controls
Comparatively, the functionality and vitality of both BOPs and trees depends on the
provision of a topsides-to-subsea conduit
to bridge power and communication. However, the manner by which each system establishes a path of continuity is unique. For
instance, a BOPs blue and yellow points of
distribution (PODs), focal points for power
and communication, use a MUX (multiplex)
reel to operate.
Connecting a POD and MUX is achieved
by mating, by hand, a two-part, dry-mateable
MUX connector, whereas a subsea trees connection can be mated and unmated subsea.
(Left) Blue and yellow MUX reels. (Right) MUX connector installed on POD.
ROV-operable connector and flying lead.
Because dry-mateable connectors can only

be mated on a rig foor, interfacing with a
BOP stack, whose connector is inoperable at
depth, is not possible. Attempting to remove a
MUX connector, when a fault is linked to it, is
detrimental, because the connector is not designed to be handled by an ROV reinstalled
in a submerged setting or to be exposed to
seawater during an unmating sequence. Thus,
engaging it can only be done by tripping the
BOP to surface, in order to replace or repair
the connector. In a situation where time is critical, the time-intensive task of tripping a BOP to
surface is a potential issue.
Conversely, a subsea control module (SCM)
on a tree, which is comparable to a BOPs

POD, does not use dry mate connectors.
Instead, a topsides-to-subsea conduit is established by way of electrical and fber-optic
wet mate connectors that terminate to fying leads. In a typical subsea distribution
method, a communication path is bridged to
a production asset by jumping out from an
umbilical termination assembly (UTA) via
fying leads to tree. A key feature of these
connectors and fying leads is their ability
to be connected and disconnected multiple
times, at depth, without damaging the fying
lead or connector on either end. Applying
such technology, or a parallel alternative,
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"
S a l es Re n t a l s S er vi ce 8 8 8. 39 0 . 636 8 www. d el t ari g gi n g. c om
greatly aids offshore operations, as it also

eliminates the need to recover a BOP when
a MUX connector has gone offine.
Change-out tools
Another key function of SCMs is their ability to be replaced when faulty conditions arise,
allowing an operator to continue operations
without having to recover a tree. Instead, running tools can be used to recover and install
PODs. Using such methods on BOPs offers
the advantage of independently recovering
the blue and yellow PODs during anomalous
conditions. The result is an expedited faultfnding, diagnostic, and repair process.
Furthermore, because of its size and dimension, an SCM can be shipped to location
and retrieved from operational depth via a
vessel of opportunity. This is advantageous,
especially during an emergency, because a
vessel with a moderate footprint can be dispatched with a replacement to the location.
In contrast, future recovery of a POD from a
rig will need to be done by winch, or by the
onboard ROV used as a ROV-based tree running tool. The concept of ROV based POD recovery is not new, dating back to 1989.2 Both
options require that the POD be light and/
or modular in nature when being recovered
via a rig.
(Left) Tree running tool on a vessel of opportunity. (Right) Spare SCM on a vessels deck, prior to
deployment.
Skid-provided mediums.
Medium
Facilitated By Tapping in to
Electrical power and signal
Electric line of an ROVs umbilical
Fiber optic communication
Fiber line of an ROVs umbilical
Supply of chemicals and hydraulics
ROVs hydraulic pumps, which

energize skid mounted pumps
Pulling a vacuum
Same as above medium
Method of Engaging External Asset
ROV operable flying leads
ROV skids
ROV-mountable skids have taken a larger

role in BOP-specifc intervention since 2010.
They may be used to override a stacks primary
controls, as demonstrated by ROV-mountable
skids used to engage BOP rams.3 In a production setting, ROV skids can perform a number
of functions, including serving as a subsea intervention workover control system (IWOCS)
or a redundant option for topsides equipment
and the provision and distribution of localized
power and communication to subsea assets via
the mediums listed in the accompanying table.
The provision of the above mediums via
an ROV skid to an SCM during drilling and
workover has been achieved on various global projects. In relation to BOPs, this provides
a working alternative when a MUX connector and reel have ceased to function, or when
the recovery of a BOP cannot be immediately
carried out. This option requires the placement of wet-mateable connectors on a POD,
to allow for connecting and disconnecting
the MUX connector. Making BOP PODs accessible by ROV skids facilitates the use of a
skid to communicate with a POD, to assess
its functionality, and operate it. The result is
an additional layer of redundancy, with the
inclusion of a dynamic, topside and subsea
method of interfacing with a stack.
From a handling and storage standpoint,
two key features of skids are conducive for
mobilization and deployment. First, because
ROV skid
in operation.
skids tap in to an ROVs umbilical, support

umbilicals, or support hardware associated
with IWOCS equipment is not needed. Second, since skids are compact and mounted
directly below an ROV, additional deck
space is not required for operations.
Conclusion
The future of offshore drilling and workovers will continue to be shaped by ongoing
technical and engineering reforms. Hybridized methods and techniques from external
felds will further enhance BOP operability.
The amount of infusion from different felds
into BOP technology will ultimately be determined by the results delivered from on-
going feasibility studies and research and

development. The methods, technology, and
techniques described here give a glimpse in
to what the future holds.
References
1. Company, Gannet. WUSA-9 News. [Online] Gannett Company, July 5, 2011. [Cited: August 28,
2013.] http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.
aspx?storyid=157327.
2. EDIPS ROV Control Pod Replacement Tool. T.GA
Choate, R.W. Huffaker, Exxon Production Research
Co., et al., et al. Houston, Texas: Offshore Technology Conference, 1989.
3. ROV: Improving Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)
Intervention Capabilities for Blowout Preventer
Override System. Lazar, Stephen. Rio De Janeiro:
Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute, 12.
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Copyright FMC Technologies, Inc. Cll Rights Reserved.
E N G I N E E R I N G , C O N S T R U C T I O N , & I N S TA L L AT I O N
Deepwater steel catenary risers require

attention to fatigue factors
Marin Abelanet
Daniel Karunakaran
Richard Jones
Stephan Eyssautier
Patrick White
Subsea 7
teel catenary risers (SCR) are an attractive technology for

deepwater feld developments. SCRs are simple in design with
few complicated components. They require high fatigue performance, especially at the top end and at sag bend. Increasingly, risers are wet stored on the seabed before the foating
facility is moored. When SCRs are installed in deeper waters, their top
tensions increase beyond the capabilities of many existing vessels.
This makes the installation of SCRs in deepwater challenging.
The engineering, procurement, construction, and installation contractor can improve the fatigue performance of SCRs by proposing
the best riser confguration and installation method; by reducing the
motion that the SCR has to withstand during life of feld; and by minimizing fatigue damage during installation.
Welding technology improvement can increase the weld quality,
particularly important for sour service, where the welding of corrosion-resistant alloys increases the diffculty of the task.
Fatigue design
SCRs usually require a fatigue life of 10 times their service life,
which generally equals a total of 250 years. This results in a very large
number of cycles and, even in mild environments, the accumulated
fatigue damage is usually the main driver in dimensioning SCRs.
The main causes of fatigue damage to risers are shutdown and
re-start, vortex-induced vibration (VIV), waves and associated riser
excitation due to foating facilities motions, and installation.
The operator decides the shutdown and re-start scenario; the contractor usually has no infuence on this factor.
VIV is a much better understood phenomenon now. Slender bodies interact with an external fuid fow to produce periodic fow irregularities that result in vibrations. If the vibration period is close
to the natural period of the system, it can lead to high amplitudes of
movement and thus high fatigue. Since sea current is usually strong
in deepwater, VIV is relevant to deepwater SCRs.
The most common solution is to add helicoidal strakes to sup-
VIV strakes passing through stinger rollers, left, and mounded under J-lay
tower, right. (Left photo courtesy of Lankhorst Mouldings)
press the cause of these vibrations. Installation does not present major issues; they usually come in lightweight half-shells, which do require additional time to be mounted offshore under the lay spread.
In the case of S-lay, VIV strakes must pass through stinger rollers,
and so need to be resistant to crush load and able to return to shape
after exiting the stinger.
Waves and associated riser excitation due to foating facility motions are the main source of fatigue damage. It obviously depends on
metocean conditions and the response amplitude operators (RAOs)
of the foating facility. Both are given to the EPIC contractor to propose the best riser confguration.
Selecting the best SCR confguration

The frst SCR was installed in the Gulf of Mexico in 1994 on a TLP
at Shells Auger project. Characteristics of a TLP include minimal
excursion and heave, even under harsh conditions and the capacity
to support high loads. The SCRs were promoted as a less expensive
alternative to fexible pipe.
SCRs are usually free-hanging. They consist of a rigid pipe that
may differ in thickness and/or grade from a static rigid fowline,
directly welded onto it (at the transition point) a few hundred meters from the touchdown point (TDP) or via an anchored subsea
structure. At the top, a fex joint or a stress joint interfaces with the
hang-off receptacle on the hull of the foating facility.
SCRs are all the more sensitive to dynamics when they are light in
water. This can be caused by risers with thick insulation coating, gas
production or injection risers, or risers combining both of these.
Risers with these properties are less resistant to fatigue.
However, some new confgurations are emerging to tackle the issue of excessive fatigue damage at the TDP and at the top end. Buoyancies
have been added midwater along SCRs to form
a lazy wave design that aims to reduce heave
transmitted from the foating facility to the SCR
Typical welding in J-lay tower (left). Grinding the

weld cap improves fatigue performance (right).
Mechanized PGTAW equipment in operation (left)

and typical weld macrosection in clad pipe.
at the TDP. It also reduces the load at the top. Best

results come when a minimum number of buoyancy
modules are located close to the TDP.
The weight-distributed SCR is a concept for
harsher environments. In this concept, qualifed
ballast elements are attached at certain sections of
the SCR to reduce the stresses around the touchdown point and to enhance fatigue performance.
Both weight-distributed and lazy-wave SCRs
are proven ways to reduce the stress at the TDP. Compared to a
free-hanging SCR, such confgurations can increase fatigue life by
a factor of two to fve times. Steel lazy wave risers (SLWRs) were
frst installed by Subsea 7 at Shells BC-10 project in Brazil, in 2009.
Another new concept is the buoyancy supported riser (BSR) being developed for Petrobras Guara-Lula in ultra-deepwater presalt
Brazil. This system decouples motions of the foating facility by anchoring a large structure subsea to support the catenary load of the
SCRs. It is essentially a hybrid system where fexible pipes join the
buoyancy-supported riser to the foating facility. The BSR concept is
best suited to ultra-deepwater developments. Subsea 7 is set to complete the design and installation of the frst BSR by 2013-14.
During installation, the fatigue accumulated on a given SCR can
vary depending on the vessel used. There is no standard, but a usual
value for fatigue budget during installation is 5% of the total fatigue
acceptable damage.
The fatigue damage during installation is infuenced by the following factors:
1. Strain due to bending along the lay spread -- Reel lay imposes
signifcant bending in the pipe (plastic domain), and S-lay also
applies large bending moment combined with high tension, so
much that supporting by stinger is required. J-lay is best in this
respect as the hog bend is eliminated from the pipe path.
2. Exposure time to vessel motion during lay -- Reel lay is the quickest. Stick-lay (in J-shape or S-shape) is slower as welding non-destructive examination (NDE) and feld joint coating are performed
in critical time. Lay time may be reduced when double-jointing or
quad-jointing onshore (prefabricating strings of two or four pipe
joints together onshore or in hidden time onboard).
3. Motion at the lay spread location -- Vessel heave is critical to all
methods, as it induces compression and bending at the TDP;
larger vessels are more stable. If the lay spread is close to the
center of the ship, the amplitude of pitch and roll is reduced,
so the J-lay tower performs better when positioned midship; a
moonpool is an advantage. If the vessel can weathervane while
laying, its motions are drastically reduced. This is possible in
J-lay, if the tower can tilt, but not in S-lay.
Once these main causes of fatigue are minimized, fatigue resistance depends intimately on the performance of the weld. The EPIC
contractor can contribute by proposing high-quality welding.
SCR welding
The main challenge in any SCR design remains the fatigue performance of the weld. SCRs in deepwater can be subject to severe
environmental loading, and the fatigue performance is often limited
by the girth weld.
The prerequisites for fabrication of SCR welds include:
Close control of pipe end tolerances and joint misalignment.
Typical SCRs may require joint high/low to be controlled to a
maximum tolerance of 0.5 mm. Achieving this limit may require counter-boring the pipe ends, together with pipe end sorting and ID grouping.
High-integrity welding. Close control of welding parameters

is required to ensure freedom from lack of fusion defects and
to provide satisfactory internal root and external cap profles.
Typical SCR specifcations place stringent requirements on allowable welding defects.
For high fatigue performance, it may be necessary to fushgrind the weld caps. This can signifcantly improve fatigue life
in riser pipelines, where fatigue is limited by crack initiation at
the cap weld toe.
Installation of carbon steel SCRs by reel lay is cost effective. A
beneft for SCR fabrication is that the majority of the girth welds can
be fabricated and inspected onshore in a controlled environment to
ensure high weld integrity.
Subsea 7 has installed two reeled carbon steel riser projects: Blind
Faith, in the US Gulf of Mexico, and BC10. The former comprised
two SCRs with dimensions of 7.625 in. x 25.4 mm and 7.625 in. x 25.6
mm in API 5L x 60, with a total length of 2.6 km (1.6 mi). The latter
comprised seven risers, with a total length of 21 km (13 mi) of 6-in. x
15.9-mm and 12-in. x 19.1-mm pipe in API 5L x 60. For both projects,
mechanized hot wire pulse gas tungsten arc welding (PGTAW) was
used for the mainline girth welds. This process gave good assurance
of weld integrity together with excellent mechanical properties.
Clad pipe for reeled lay

The company has since developed a welding solution for reelable
clad pipe. Until recently, reel-lay installation of clad pipe has been
impeded by the lack of fatigue performance data. The objective of
this program was to develop and qualify a welding procedure for
clad pipe suitable for SCR service and to demonstrate that the required fatigue life could be achieved in the reeled condition. A weld
solution was developed based on mechanized hot wire PGTAW using Alloy 625 fller wire.
A clad pipe weld procedure was qualifed in accordance with DNV
OS F101 - 2007 and typical industry SCR specifcations. Automatic
ultrasonic testing (AUT) was selected as the primary NDE method.
Validation of the AUT inspection procedure ensured that planar
faws of concern could be reliably detected and sized. Clad pipe
strings compromising representative butt welds were then manufactured and inspected.
These were subjected to a full-scale simulated reeling. The butt
welds were then subject to full-scale fatigue testing by high frequency resonance. The fatigue performance exceeded expectations, with
most test samples failing in the parent material with fatigue levels
close to the Class B mean curve.
Although the mechanized PGTAW can produce high-integrity
girth welds, welding productivity is limited. For this reason, mechanized gas metal arc welding (GMAW) was developed to achieve
higher production rates while maintaining acceptable weld quality.
A critical feature of this welding method is the use of the CMT (cold
metal transfer) for root welding. This is an advanced GMAW technique
that allows the weld root to be deposited precisely with minimum heat
input, giving good control of the weld root quality and profle.
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High Pressure (HP) exposure dangers for operators using this unit are prevented by solid panel
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Clover BOP test units perform operations like lling and testing in a fraction of the time of their
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consistent, dependable operation with no downtime.
Each component, material and coating is top of the line, traceable and selected on a
basis of top eld performance in the industry. Every unit is ABS Type approved for design and engineering.

Two entirely separate hydrostatic tests can be performed at one time to save valuable rig time
and provide back up in case of single side failure.
Over 150 units in the eld over the past 20 years without a major failure.
If there is ever a problem, question or suggestion you will get a real person with a genuine
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With over 150 BOP test units on offshore platforms and rigs throughout the world,
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information and details on this and other Clover Tool Company products contact:
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6903 FM 359 South, Fulshear, TX 77441
split into modules of less than 30 metric

tons each that could be lifted by a light
construction vessel for demobilization.
Mechanized PGMAW equipment in operation.
Subsequent weld passes with the PGMAW

process give good weld fusion characteristics
and mechanical properties. This welding solution has been developed and qualifed for
both carbon steel and clad/lined pipe.
A key to reel-lay installation of mechanically lined pipe is to avoid wrinkling damage
to the liner. This is done using internal pressurization. Subsea 7 has performed a qualifcation program in accordance with DNV
recommended practice for new technology
qualifcation RP-A203 (DNV-RP-A203, 2001).
The tests were witnessed by DNV, which
also carried-out an independent review of the
results and awarded the ft-for-service status to
the technology. Full-scale testing, supported by
fnite element modeling, demonstrated freedom
from liner damage and a capacity to achieve the
fatigue performance requirements for the Guara
Lula project (Class F) in the reeled condition.
Onshore prefabrication
A fully automatic pipe handling system assembles the pipeline sections to be welded
at the automated welding stations. The welding, AUT and feld joint coatings are performed in sequence in the fabrication yard.
The SCR sections can be fabricated in stalk
lengths of approximately 1,000 m (3,280 ft).
Stalk length varies by facility. When fabricated, the stalks are stacked before spooling.
The fnal step in fabrication is to spool the
fabricated stalks onto the reel-lay vessel with
certain back tension to avoid buckling during reeling. Once the frst stalk is spooled
in, the second stalk is welded on to the frst
stalk and the spooling continues.
SCR hook-up
Offshore installation challenges lie not
only in laying the pipe, but also in connecting it to the foating facility. FPSOs are usually delivered with schedule constraints and
have congested decks. The contractor can
add value to the feld development by decoupling SCR hook-up operations from the
pipelay itself. To avoid the risk of having an
installation vessel waiting for the FPSO to
be moored to the feld, risers can be pre-installed prior to the FPSO delivery and then
recovered from seabed and hooked up by a
smaller vessel once the FPSO is moored.
Wet storing of SCRs brings its own challenges. First, SCRs must be laid down under the FPSOs assumed position, either in
separate curve corridors or crossing on top
of one another. It is important to accurately
determine these wet storage routes with
respect to frst oil risers, minimum bend
radius of products, crossing protection, and
stability of the products on the seabed. This
BC-10 experience
is a congested area, as many risers converge

to the same point.
To contain the risers near the touchdown
point, SCRs may be anchored to suction
piles on the seafoor, both in temporary and
in-place positions. This adds complexity to
the installation.
The top end must be protected during
the temporary laydown. The fex joint is immobilized in rotation relative to the pipe by
two metal half-shells so the elastomer is not
crushed by hydrostatic pressure and thermal shrinkage in deepwater and not bent
too much during the laydown and recovery.
This add-on must be removed before hangoff at surface.
The key points of deepwater SCR recovery to surface are:
1. High pulling loads, especially if the SCR
is fooded (up to 450 metric tons is feldproven and developments for up to 600
metric tons are envisaged)
2. Large angle of pulling, usually between
12 and 20 from vertical at top in place
3. Congestion subsea which can interfere with mooring lines and any crosshaul required under the FPSO hull, if
the properties of the SCR do not allow
them to be curved on the seabed
4. FPSO deck congestion. Little-to-no
footprint is allocated to the riser pull-in
equipment onboard an FPSO; the entire spread may have to be located on a
cantilevered platform and demobilized
after use. There usually is no assistance from the FPSO crane; additional
winches to the main pulling system are
required to guide the fex joint into its
receptacle, which is below sea level
even when FPSO is fully de-ballasted,
requiring diving intervention.
For the Erha project in Nigeria, a purposebuilt 400-metric ton chain jack system was
designed to cantilever over the side of the
FPSO. It slid from one slot to the other along
the riser porch and could operate independent of any support from the FPSO. It was
The Parque das Conchas (BC-10) feld

is offshore Brazil in the Campos basin in
water depths from 1,190 to 1,940 m (3,903
to 6,363 ft). During Phase 1, the Ostra,
Abalone, and Argonauta B-West felds
were tied back via SLWRs to the turretmoored FPSO in approximately 1,800 m
(5,904 ft) of water.
Shell developed the SLWR concept to
improve fatigue performance and to reduce payload on the FPSO turret in ultradeepwater. Buoyancy elements were attached to the risers in the sagbend region near
the TDP to achieve an SLWR confguration
with better compliance of the riser to FPSO
motion responses in harsh environmental conditions, thereby improving fatigue life. A 23-m
(75-ft) long fex joint assembly composed of
forgings was provided at the top end.
Installation of the risers was by Subsea
7s reel-lay vessel Seven Oceans. In principle,
the fowlines were initiated from the pipeline
end terminations (PLETs) and laid toward
the FPSO. The initial plan was to pre-install
the risers on the seafoor prior to the FPSO
arriving on site. However, only half of the
risers were pre-installed with the remaining
risers a direct handover to the FPSO.
The key steps for the installation of the
SLWR and fowline were:
1. Spooling of the fowline and riser at
Subsea 7s Ubu spool base
2. Initiation of the PLET
3. Installation of buoyancy modules
4. Installation of VIV fairings
5. Welding of the fex joint
6. Riser transfer to FPSO.
Despite their heavy weight and large dimensions, buoyancy modules were installed
without incident. Flex joint weld was also completed successfully. Installation and recovery
requirements made the pre-installation confguration of the risers on the seafoor complex.
The entire pipelay campaign was completed
in nine months, including time for transits,
mobilizations for pipe spooling, equipment
loading, deck reconfguration and refueling,
and weather delays. Weather delays were mitigated by upfront analysis and specifc detailed
analysis based on actual site observations and
short-term weather forecasting. Some of the
fowlines and risers were installed full of water
to improve vessel weather performance.
Acknowledgment
Based on a paper presented at the Deep Offshore Technology conference held November 27-29, 2012,
in Perth, Australia.
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Technology and economics

align to boost FLNG
Steel cut on two projects, with more in the works
s a concept, foating liquefed natural gas (FLNG) has been around for
nearly four decades long enough
for many to question, only a few
years ago, whether circumstances
would ever push the technology beyond that
stage. Now, with two major projects in the
works and many more under consideration,
FLNGs place in the energy mix of the future
seems assured.
A number of factors have helped launch
the technology, most notably a healthy and
growing demand for LNG. Production techniques have made remote, stranded gas
felds economically viable. And engineers
have successfully addressed the three major
FLNG hurdles: containment, loading at sea,
and replicating onshore liquefaction plants
on a foating vessel, where space is limited
and fnding the correct safe design and center of gravity are crucial.
Space and safety were critical challenges
in the effort to take LNG production offshore, says Victor Alessandrini, FLNG business development manager for Technip.
Russell McCulley
Senior Technical Editor
Onshore, you do not have a lot of issues,

because you have lots of space. But in offshore confgurations, things are very confned, very congested. What I always say
is, onshore, you can use a 2D approach, but
offshore its a 3D approach. And much more
complex, compared to onshore LNG plants.
Technip was enlisted to conduct design,
engineering, procurement, construction,
and installation for the two FLNG projects
that have been sanctioned: Shells Prelude
development offshore Western Australia,
in a consortium with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), and the Petronas-operated
FLNG facility at the Kanowit feld offshore
Malaysia, in which Technip has teamed with
Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for the EPCI effort. Several
FLNG projects have entered the front-end
engineering and design or pre-FEED queue,

including ExxonMobils Scarborough project, Woodside Petroleums Browse development, and Inpexs Abadi project off Indonesia, among others. A design competition is
under way for a Petrobras-operated FLNG
unit offshore Brazil with a capacity of 2.7
MM tons/yr of LNG.
There are other projects ongoing with
pre-FEED that will be sanctioned before
Prelude and Petronas are operating, notes
Alessandrini. So I think that companies
are not necessarily waiting for these two
projects to be completed before moving forward.
Shell cut frst steel on the Prelude substructure in October 2012, and started work
on the topsides the following January. The
vessel will be 488 m (1,600 ft) long, 74 m (240
ft) wide, and carry enough topsides equipment to process 3.6 MM tons of LNG, 1.3
MM tons of condensate, and 0.4 MM tons of
LPG per year. Even considering the foaters
massive proportions, Alessandrini says, ftting such a large liquefaction plant into a limited footprint and on a vessel moored in a
region subject to swells and typhoons has
been a learning experience that offshore
teams have been able to achieve through the
development cycle of technology.
We have been building LNG plants for
40 or 50 years, but there was always available space, he says. Now, we have to put
all this equipment in a confned space, and
how you do that determines the success of
the project. You do it with a combination of
LNG technology and an understanding of
the offshore environment.
FMC Technologies is supplying seven loading

arms for Shells Prelude FLNG project: four
16-in. diameter pipes for loading LNG and
three 12-in. diameter pipes for LPG. The OLAF
system developed for FLNG replaces the arms
supporting riser block, or foot, with a decklevel turntable, allowing the arm to reach down
as much as 10 m to the decks of LNG carriers
below. (Photo courtesy FMC Technologies)
The challenge
of loading
Loading LNG onto carriers from a foating structure, likewise, is considerably

more complicated than traditional loading
from near-shore, fxed jetties. The operation
must be carried out between two vessels in
motion; moreover, in cases like Prelude, the
drop from the deck of the FLNG unit, where
the loading arms are installed, to the intake
manifolds on traditional LNG carriers can be
10 m (33 ft) or greater.
To address the gap between deck levels, FMC Technologies developed a new
loading arm that builds on the companys
existing Chiksan marine loading technology
but eliminates the base riser that supports
the articulated assembly. Instead, the arm
is mounted on a turntable at deck level, allowing the length of the arm to be reduced
by one-ffth while giving it the range of motion needed to reach the deck of the carrier
below. A control system analyzes and anticipates the dynamic motion between the vessels to prevent undue stress on the carriers
manifolds. FMC has dubbed the new system
OLAF, for Offshore Loading Arm Footless.
You cannot create too many mechanical
efforts on conventional carrier manifolds,

explains Laurent Poidevin, president and
general manager of FMC Technologies SA,
the companys Sens, France-based division,
where the loading arms for Prelude are being manufactured. Manifolds cannot accept
many mechanical loads. We have to make
sure that the system that we connect on
those manifolds will be absolutely self-supported and free-balanced.
The loading arms for Prelude are scheduled to be delivered to SHIs shipyard in Korea in early 2014.
When Shell sanctioned Prelude in 2011,
the company made it clear that the project
was not a one-off but rather something that
would be replicated for other FLNG projects.
The frst sister vessels could be put to work
at the Woodside-operated Browse project,
where Shell last year increased its equity
stake with the acquisition of Chevrons interest in several blocks offshore Western
Australia. The partners have discussed a
two-stage development program that could
eventually include three FLNG units serving
the Brecknock, Calliance, and Torosa felds.
Woodside this year ditched plans for an onshore LNG processing plant at James Price
Point in favor of what the company has said is

a more economically feasible FLNG solution.
It is less costly to have an offshore liquefaction plant that an onshore plant,
Poidevin says. The permitting process is
probably easier. And building LNG tanks onshore is something that takes a lot of time,
maybe three to four years of work. Offshore,
storage installation is like what we have on
LNG carriers, so this is something common,
and easier to manufacture.
Liquid transfer will continue to be a
challenge, however, as projects move into
increasingly harsh environments. LNG carriers will be moored parallel to the Prelude
vessel during loading operations, but that
confguration will not be an option in seas
where wave heights exceed 4.5 m (15 ft),
Poidevin says. In those conditions, a tandem, or bow-to-stern confguration will be
necessary for loading, with a space of 70-115
m (230-377 ft) between the vessels. FMC
Technologies has developed and qualifed a
tandem loading system called the Articulated Tandem Offshore Loader, or ATOL. Scarborough, in 900-m (2,953-ft) water depths in
the Carnarvon basin, will probably require
such a system, he notes.
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P R O D U C T I O N O P E R AT I O N S
High throughput a high value

in deepwater communications
roviding high-throughput, highly reliable communications to harsh, remote

locations has many inherent challenges, including signifcant up-front costs,
technical risks, and elevated repair and
maintenance costs. While oil and gas professionals are familiar with the diffculties of recovering hydrocarbons from deepwater locations,
they are not always as familiar with the challenges of communicating from these offshore
sites back to land.
The value of improved offshore communications lies in remote asset monitoring and subsea sensing; video and telephonic conferencing; the ability to stream videos of operations
from the oil rig or ocean foor; improved quality
of life for offshore personnel; and increased employee retention. The ability to perform these
capabilities, even when in remote locations, demands higher than ever throughput.
In addition to basic voice and data access,
companies rely on bandwidth to support realtime applications that improve productivity, security, crew welfare, and more. This requires a
reliable and robust network communications
Seabed communication hub.
David Pfosi
Joe Friedman
Harris CapRock Communications
structure to equip exploration vessels, workboats, tankers, production platforms, and remote drilling sites with full corporate network
assets.
For more than 50 years, very small aperture
terminal (VSAT) satellite technology has been
the standard for offshore communication, but
todays requirements may rapidly exceed the
capability of even high-throughput satellite
communications.
Todays multi-tenant environments require
application-centric networks. However, the
challenges of designing, installing, operating,
and maintaining these complex communications systems can distract from core operations.
Managing these comprehensive communications architectures requires a committed focus,
experience, and profciency in advanced communication technology.
In the past, offshore communication systems needed only basic bi-directional communication of relatively minimal data. As
the industrys operational technologies become increasingly complex and automated,
new systems require exponentially greater
throughput to accommodate this increased
bandwidth need. Today, data transmission
requirements are increasing year over year,
and throughput needs will grow more than
20% in the foreseeable future.
A case for fber
Offshore operators frequently manage

multiple oilfeld assets independently, and
then consolidate the most critical information received from each for review. When
data throughput is limited, information must
be prioritized quickly by perceived order of
importance; often, some information does
not make the cut. This can affect the safety, security, effciency, and overall success of
deepwater offshore operations. Achieving
the required levels of data transfer without
compromising mission-critical communica-
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tions requires more than satellite alone, and traditional land-based

communication methods are non-starters in deepwater operations
due to architecture, material, and price limitations. Major information resources like network enterprise application systems traditionally involve disjointed processes. If oil companies integrate operations, they can deliver up to a 7% increase in recovery and material
cost effciencies. This opens the door for innovations in offshore oil
and gas communications, like the use of subsea fber-optic networks.
Subsea fber-optic networks on deepwater offshore assets provide
high-speed connectivity and a host of cost-effective communication
options to multiple customers simultaneously. A strategically deployed fber-optic backbone connects the mainland infrastructure to
the subject felds, with branches deployed from the core backbone
to additional sites.
To further maximize the reach and capability of the fber backbone, surrounding platforms and assets can be linked directly with
a physical fber connection or remotely hopped onto the fber
backbone using line-of-sight radio frequency (RF) links. An omnidirectional RF cloud can be added to blanket an entire area, turning offshore assets into at-sea communications hotspots. This fber
and RF hybrid network of communication tools creates a meshed
grid of assets with multiple high-bandwidth options and increased
reliability. Whether fxed or foating, stable or mobile, all assets
connected through the communications mesh achieve high-speed,
high-reliability connectivity that allows vast amounts of data to be
transmitted safely, securely, and simultaneously.
Network architectures are scalable and forward-compatible, so as
a feld expands, additional assets can connect. Once confgured, data
is routed via the new fber or RF connection, while the original legacy satellite communication system can remain intact as a backup.
When a companys collection of offshore assets, platforms, seafoor equipment, and vessels all are connected through a high-speed
network, vast amounts of information can be shared instantly without the latency constraints. An onshore master facility typically
an existing corporate offce may then serve as the central hub of
communication by collecting and coordinating critical data while disseminating information and directives to offshore assets.
Further use of available bandwidth allows mobile assets like supply and support ships to connect directly to the system when near
enough to the communications mesh. The advantages of leveraging
optical backbone network architecture and related communication
assets are many, and can have price advantages over existing methods.
Lease lengths are negotiable and tend to correspond to the estimated life of the feld site. Once the high-speed architecture is operational, bandwidth allocations allow simultaneous sensor data transfer,
video and telephonic conference calls, photographic exchanges for
remote troubleshooting, wireless access with exceptional speeds for
crewmembers, and many other activities. This advanced bandwidth
allows full take data sorting and storage onshore, and promotes
effciency in problem resolution. Eliminating latency, for example,
affords high-defnition video conferencing between multiple sites
for face-to-face problem solving. Additionally, crews accustomed
to instant connectivity onshore gain access to video conferencing
programs and other telephonic options to contact family and friends
without compromising or interrupting critical data transmissions.
Sharing networks safely
While the benefts of high-speed networks offshore are recognized by most organizations, the upfront costs and learning curve
often prevent companies from creating proprietary networks. Even
companies familiar with the technology typically outsource communications to focus on other priorities. As a network integrator and
communications provider, Harris CapRock leases high-throughput,
Upstream Standards. Bottom Line Results.
Illustration of fiber-optic cable.
high-reliability communications as a secure,

managed service to multiple users in a given geographic area, similar to a terrestrial
telecommunications provider that offers
telephone and Internet service to a local
group of users. The company has supported
and maintained the Central North Sea Fibre
Telecommunication Co. (CNSFTC), which
serves 20-plus platforms and multiple com-
panies in the North Sea. Installed in late the

1990s, CNSFTC comprises a system of subsea cables with up to 48 fbers per cable, and
topside RF links connecting assets up to 45
km (28 mi) apart.
It also connects Aberdeen, Norway, and
London as a potential component in national and international telecommunications
networks. The system is monitored at one
of fve support centers for trending and

around-the-clock troubleshooting.
Information security on a shared network
is paramount. Harris CapRock uses a combination of hardware and software solutions
similar to those employed for secure intercontinental banking to provide security. Software solutions include data encryption and
the use of virtual private networks (VPN)
and/or virtual local area networks (V-LAN).
Individual users on a shared network may
also be provided transceivers tuned exclusively to different frequencies, ensuring data
separation during simultaneous, parallel transmission. For example, one users transceivers
may send and receive data through the network using only 1,550 nm wavelengths, while
another user communicates exclusively at
1,570 nm. Neither users equipment can see
or decode the others transmissions.
Integrating an optical network provides
options to meet and exceed expected future regulatory requirements, and includes
additional bonuses, such as telemedicine
solutions. This high-bandwidth service can
provide real-time, high-defnition videoconferencing from onshore doctors and specialist to offshore operations for immediate
medical attention, and can reduce the need
to transport employees and physicians.
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SUBSEA
Dedicated connectivity critical

for harsh subsea operations
New connectors designed to improve safety
Mikkel Juul
Steen Frejo
Thomas Hestehave
MacArtney Mac API Connectors provide

dedicated subsea connectivity.
MacArtney
s offshore oil and gas operators

extract hydrocarbons at increasing
depths, subsea operations depend
on advanced equipment to perform
without fail under extreme conditions. Central to this development is the
increasing use of dedicated subsea connectivity solutions for more effcient, reliable,
and safe operation of vital equipment on the
seabed, including subsea control and safety
systems.
The core objective of any subsea control
and safety system is the continuous and
safe operation during exploration, development, and production. It is paramount to
have reliable power and communications
within and between subsea infrastructure
and topsides. In addition, such systems often enable operators to collect information
to use in planning and performing feld development, interventions and maintenance.
Most importantly, in emergency situations,
subsea safety systems need to swiftly and effectively stop the fow of hydrocarbons and
to disconnect at the seabed to shield personnel and the environment against the consequences of a major spill or blowout.
Recent offshore incidents highlight the
MacArtney FITA assemblies

facilitate Mac API connectivity
within and between subsea
equipment and systems.
need for effective and reliable safety requirements governing the quality of systems and
equipment used for complex offshore and
subsea operations. Within this context,
organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) continuously develop standards for the design
and qualifcation of subsea equipment and
products.
The current applied standards are the
result of unique challenges such as diverse
well conditions and the specifc environment at areas of deployment. For instance,
rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico must be
prepared to deal with hurricanes, which can
shut down operations and cause operators
to move the rig off location, while unpredictable weather in the North Sea makes drilling and completion operations particularly
hazardous as result of unforeseen rig movements.
Connectivity and
subsea safety
Subsea connectivity equipment must be

designed to meet industry standards of effciency, reliability, and safety. Power and
signal connectors and cables often perform
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DEFINING SUBSEA SERVICES
SUBSEA
In compliance with API stipulations, Mac API connectors mounted on the

flexible riser are fitted with double test ports.
many roles to see that all features and functions of subsea systems remain safely linked
and fully operational at all times. Moreover,
while often installed to perform under harsh
subsea conditions and under intense hydrostatic pressure, any connection used to
interface subsea systems must remain dependable and testable, often for the entire
system lifespan, as subsea interventions or
surface maintenance may be challenging
and resource demanding.
Many subsea connector manufacturers
offer solutions based on standard connector designs that are modifed to comply with
API standards, for example. This may be
suffcient for several applications. However,
due to ever more demanding conditions,
more operators and subsea contractors are
turning to dedicated connectivity solutions.
One example in use is the Mac API connector series by MacArtney, which provides the
power and communication interface for subsea safety and control systems, drilling and
riser systems, and numerous other subsea
applications.
This is a dedicated connector and cable
range designed, manufactured, and tested
to comply with API standards 16D and 17E.
While API standard 16D provides direction
and design standards for systems, subsystems, and components used for subsea system control, API standard 17E specifes requirements and gives recommendations for
the design, material selection, manufacture,
design verifcation, testing, installation, and
operation of subsea control systems, chemical injection, gas lift, utility and service umbilicals, and associated ancillary equipment.
These connectors are designed to have as
few parts as possible to help increase levels
GE Hydril BOP with Mac API technology.
of operational safety. Critical to the design is

ensuring that the entire connector system,
including cable, connector, boot, and termination, can be tested for integrity once assembled. Therefore, all Mac API connector
solutions are designed and integrated with
double test ports on the connector to allow
pressure testing of both sections after mating and before the connection is lowered
into the water. For all Mac API models, full
API standard compliance and connector
functionality is verifed by third party DNV.
Connectivity cases
When OneSubsea wanted to develop a

2.5-in. smooth bore fexible acidizing riser
pipe, it needed a subsea connector interface
to provide power and data communications
from topside control equipment to subsea
control units. The riser pipe was to connect
a foating vessel to OneSubseas Multiple
Application Reinjection System (MARS) to
power subsea trees in 1,300 m (4,264 ft) of
water in the Gulf of Mexico.
Technip Flexi-France was selected to supply the engineering, manufacturing, and
testing of a 1,600-m (5,249-ft), 2.5-in. line.
Technip acquired from EuroOceanique a
complete pressure-tested FCR Mac API 16D
and 17E compliant solution to interface a
subsea steel termination vault ftted at the
end of the riser.
Integrated through the face of the riser
termination vault, a total of four 4-Pin (600
VAC, 10 A) Mac API connectors were installed to transmit power and signal while
withstanding the subsea hydrostatic and
temperature conditions at the site. In addition, the connectors were designed and tested to provide sealing against backpressure
should the riser get fooded.

Another example case relates to the role
of dedicated subsea connectivity for interfacing subsea BOPs. As drilling sites move into
deeper waters, BOPs have become more
advanced to withstand higher pressures and
still be reliable enough to permit increased
intervals between tests or servicing.
GE Hydrill selected Mac API connectors and MacArtney FITA (Field Installable
Termination Assemblies) to provide the
links that safeguard key system function
and performance. When GE Hydril was designing its BOP control system, it needed a
complete connectivity package that met the
strict standards stipulated by API. The connector system within the BOP unit had to
withstand submersion for extended periods
and while accommodating several failure
modes stipulated in the API pressure controls guidelines. Guidelines also required
the umbilical and termination assembly to
function when fully fooded with seawater,
and to continue to operate for an extended
period without conductor failure.
Ensuring that connectors will function
with a fooded cable requires the combination of several design features. For instance,
a boot is ftted behind the connector to ensure that any water entering the cable cannot penetrate to the connector. And for API
17E standard compliance, the subsea cable is
as important as the connector. Each system
needed to be fail-proof on delivery. Every element in the cables was tested individually
before construction to ensure full functionality. The cables and connectors were pressure
tested before completion and the entire units
were pressure-tested prior to inclusion in the
BOP connectivity package.
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New welding center addresses

harsh environment demands
Facility designed to meet the needs of deepwater pipelines
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
arlier this year, Subsea 7 opened its

new Global Pipeline Welding Center in
Scotland. The 10-million ($15.9-million) base is designed partly to further
research and development (R&D) into
new welding techniques for laying and protecting pipes in harsher offshore environments. It will also test processes to improve
accuracy and productivity of welding of
high-strength steel and corrosion-resistant
alloy pipes on the companys pipelay vessels
and at its various onshore spool bases.
The center is managed by the companys
Pipeline Production Group (PPG) and employs more than 150 engineers, welders,
technicians, and support personnel. PPG
qualifes Subsea 7s welding procedures,
and its responsibilities include quality control throughout the groups facilities, managing production at the fring line, providing
welding services for offshore pipeline tieins, and supervising subcontractors brought
in for feld joint coating operations.
Since 2010, Subsea 7 has worked with
CRC-Evans Pipeline International to develop
automatic welding technologies to replace
traditional manual and semi-automatic processes. The new complex will provide much
larger capacity for the various programs, and
will continue to adapt the CRC-Evans bugand-band systems and other equipment for
use in J-lay, S-lay, reel-lay, and installation of
rigid pipeline bundles produced at the Wester site in northern Scotland. Subsea 7 is the
sole subsea contractor providing pipelay by
all four methods, and each imposes distinct
welding demands.
The 22,100-sq m (237,882-sq ft) site for the
new complex is west of Glasgow on the River Clyde. It comprises two main buildings,
Pipeline Development Center 1 (PDC1)
and PDC2. PDC1s 12,400-sq ft (1,152-sq m)
workshop includes what is claimed to be a
unique simulated welding production line,
designed to perform realistic trials of, and
to qualify, automatic welding technologies
prior to deployment at Subsea 7 pipe fabri90 Offshore October 2013 www.offshore-mag.com
Subsea 7s new welding center is designed to test and qualify new welding procedures and technologies.
cation bases in Angola, Brazil, Norway, the

UK, and US. Here two 40-ft (12-m) pipeline
strings can be rotated, aligned, and welded
under controlled conditions. The production
line is also used to train pipeline welders in
automated techniques, training of inspectors, and for client demonstrations.
The workshop area has 500-lux lab status lighting. A 500-kVA substation provides
electric power, while external tanks in a
dedicated gas room feed compressed welding gases through fve lines to each welding
bay. Steel swarf generated by beveling is
removed for recycling automatically via an
under-foor conveyor system.
Fourteen welding and inspection bays are
equipped with computer-controlled bandand-bug automatic welding systems, some
of which incorporate dual welding heads
and are motorized for pipe rotation. These
bays also provide workstations to perform
non-destructive testing (NDT) weld inspection procedures. Three other bays are dedi-
cated to pipe beveling, while Subsea 7 plans

to add a tower/turntable facility to recreate
welding conditions on vertically laid (J-lay)
10-m (33-ft) pipe lengths, made possible by a
16-m (52.5-ft) high roof.
Pipes are transferred from pipe storage
racks outside the center by a forklift vehicle with three swiveling wheels, allowing
single-direction delivery. Inside the center,
two overhead 5-metric ton (5.5-ton) cranes
transport pipe stalks and are synchronized
for tandem lifts, if needed. Pipes up to 22-in.
diameter can be cut to size using a computer-controlled automatic band saw.
PDC2 houses the centers R&D facilities,
with storage areas segregated for carbon
steel and corrosion-resistant alloy pipes to
avoid cross-contamination. Facilities include
24 workstations, NDT offces with a dark
room and viewing room, and a metallurgical laboratory for preparation of samples.
There is also a workshop containing three
more automatic welding/inspection bays,
WEBCAST
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Best Practice Guidelines
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Tuesday | October 29, 2013 | 9:00 am CT
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two manual welding bays, and a 14-m (46-ft)

sealed radiography bunker for NDT testing
of pipe lengths up to 12 m (39 ft) for reeling
and fatigue testing. Two NDT bays are used
for automatic and manual ultrasonic testing.
One of Subsea 7s most recent developments is the Aquasol By-Pass Purge system
for offshore pipe tie-in welds, frst deployed
from the Seven Oceans vessel during pipelay
for Statoils Skuld feld offshore Norway.
One diffculty often encountered in tie-in
operations is the suck and blow conditions
within the pipeline. This can obstruct creation of the inert purge atmosphere needed
to ensure soundness of the girth weld.
The By-Pass Purge deals with this issue
via a fully-sealed enclosure that maintains
the integrity of the purge gas, and a central
vent that allows draughts to pass through
the pipeline without disturbing the internal
purge gas. The result is improved reliability of offshore welding operations and a decreased risk of extended vessel time.
Another innovation was the deployment
last year of Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding
(PGMAW) technology for fabrication of
metallurgically clad pipe at the companys
reeled pipeline production plant in Vigra,
Norway. This involves use of Controlled
Metal Transfer, a Gas Metal Arc Welding
technique that enables precise deposition of

the root weld, strengthening control of the
root-based quality and profle, both important for maintaining the pipelines corrosion
performance. Internal inspection with camera and laser equipment provides assurance
of root weld quality.
During the 2012 fabrication campaign at
Vigra for Statoils Skuld, Sterjne, Tordis, and
Visund Sor projects, which employed the
PGMAW technique, more than 60 km (37
mi) of pipeline were fabricated, made from
Grade 415 (X60) steel with 3-mm 316L lining, and in-pipe dimensions ranging from
10- to 16-in. OD. The laser/camera inspection reject rate was below 1.4%, while the Automated Ultrasonic Testing rejection rate on
fnal inspection procedures was maintained
at a low level of typically 0.2%.
Future goals, according to the centers
technical manager Eric Law, include developing welding procedures for higher-strength
steels, possibly up to X80 grade; and developing internal and external welding technologies in anticipation of future market needs.
According to Subsea 7, feld development
in increasingly deepwaters has three main
consequences on pipeline specifcations and
the associated welding needs. First, operators are drilling production wells with high-
er operating pressures and temperatures,

and are seeking to enhance pipeline life beyond 25 years. These issues are addressed
by increasing pipeline wall thicknesses and
using higher-strength carbon steels.
Secondly, the trend toward transportation of
corrosive fuids calls for higher levels of pipeline protection. This can be achieved through
use of corrosion-resistant alloy (CRA) pipe or
by protecting the carbon steel pipe with a CRA
cladding or liner (applied via a metallurgicallyclad or mechanically-lined process or through
swaging with a plastic liner).
The third issue in deepwater projects is
maintaining the correct product temperature within pipelines to avoid wax or hydrate
formation. The three main approaches involve either applying a wet insulation coating to the pipeline; a pipe-in-pipe (PIP) solution in which the production line is sleeved
into an outer pipeline and the annulus flled
with an insulation material; or combining
PIP with low-power electrical trace heating,
particularly suited to longer shutdown and
start-up conditions and longer tieback distances. Subsea 7 has collaborated with ITP
Interpipe to develop electrically-trace heated
PIP, which can be installed via reel-lay, and
which allows use of a smaller outer pipe than
passively insulated systems.
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Pipeline Industry Worldwide
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Galveston, TX | November 5-7, 2013
Yesterdays Experience,
Tomorrows Innovations and Solutions
The Deepwater Operations Conference and Exhibition will continue the tradition of
excellence in addressing operational challenges involved in developing deepwater
resources. We will return to the Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center on
November 5 7, 2013 in Galveston, Texas.
Challenges in deepwater production are complex and command our attention to
develop solutions that are economical and long-term. The Deepwater Operations
Conference and Exhibition provides a unique experience for attendees and exhibitors
to share, learn and connect in a forum dedicated to addressing these challenges.
Images courtesy of Anadarko Petroleum Corp.
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New tools and technology for the offshore industry

Statoil, Baker Hughes run frst large-diameter Kymera bit in Logan appraisal
Baker Hughes has successfully deployed
its Hughes Christensen Kymera hybrid drill
bit for Statoil at an appraisal well in the Logan
feld, the frst time a large-diameter Kymera
bit has been run in the Gulf of Mexico.
A 26-in. Kymera hybrid bit with 19-mm cutters and premium metal face seals was used
to drill the 26-in. vertical section through sediments and salt to section total depth, enabling
22-in. casing to be set 450 ft (137 m) deeper
than the wells original objective.
The Kymera hybrid bit combines PDC and
roller cone bit technologies for smoother drilling, superior torque management, and precise
steerability through complex formations,
according to Baker Hughes. The bit leverages
the cutting and continuous shearing action
of PDCs with the rock-crushing strength and
stability of roller cones, providing improved
performance, toolface control, and higher
A Hughes Christensen Kymera hybrid drill bit

in the laboratory. Statoil ran a large-diameter
Kymera in a challenging deepwater appraisal
well at the Logan prospect in the Gulf of
Mexico. (Photo courtesy Baker Hughes)
overall ROP for more footage than either a

roller cone or PDC bit, the company says.
Statoil used Kymera bit and 26-in. AutoTrak
X-treme rotary-steerable drilling system with
CoPilot real-time drilling optimization and
OnTrak measurement-while-drilling services
in an attempt to improve drilling performance
over what has been achieved by large PDC
bits used in offset wells. Large PDC bits tend

to generate high torque and vibration that
can damage the bottomhole assembly and
increase nonproductive time. Torque fuctuations also have limited PDC bits ability to
improve drilling performance in salt.
At the Logan appraisal, Statoil achieved an
ROP of 57 ft (17 m) per hour through 1,995
ft (608 m) of salt, as well as 123 ft (37 m) per
hour through 1,131 ft (345 m) of sediments.
ROP improved by 26% compared to the nearest offset.
Bluefn delivers upgraded

AUV to Phoenix
Schlumbergers new moment tensor inversion service provides enhanced

information about the orientation, volume, and proppant placement in
hydraulic fracturing operations. (Image courtesy Schlumberger)
Schlumberger introduces new

moment tensor inversion service
Schlumberger has rolled out a new moment tensor inversion service that
the company said provides enhanced analysis of the dynamics of hydraulic
fracture propagation. The service can help improve well completion designs
through an increased understanding of natural- and induced-fracture
characterization in oil and gas reservoirs. When applied in unconventional
reservoirs, the moment tensor inversion service provides information about
the orientation, volume, and proppant placement associated with the hydraulic fracture, said Joseph Elkhoury, vice president and general manager,
Schlumberger Microseismic Services. This provides a framework for building and interpreting geomechanical models, and enables our customers to
improve well completion design for improved production.
The proprietary processing used in the moment tensor inversion service
accounts for anisotropy. As the microseismic monitoring industry moves toward quantitative source inversion, the rigorous incorporation of anisotropy
in unconventional reservoir models becomes more important to accurately
process and interpret the information contained in the microseismic signals,
Schlumberger said. So far, the moment tensor inversion service has been
feld tested on microseismic projects in North America.
Bluefn Robotics
has completed a depth
upgrade on a Bluefn-21
autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for
subsea services company
Phoenix International
Holdings, increasing the
AUVs depth capability
from 1,500 m to 4,500 m
(4,921 ft to 14,764 ft).
The Phoenix AUV is
equipped with feld-swapBluefin Robotics tripled the depth capacity
pable acoustic and optical
on one of its Bluefin-21 AUVs, like the one
payloads. The acoustic
shown here. The AUV, delivered to Phoenix
payload section can conInternational Holdings, can now operate in
currently operate a Reson depths up to 4,500 m, or nearly 15,000 ft.
7125 multibeam (400kHz), (Photo courtesy Bluefin Robotics)
Edgetech 2200-M side
scan sonar (120/410 kHz),
and Edgetech DW2-16 sub-bottom profler (2-16 kHz) on 20-hour dives
at speeds up to 3.5 knots. The optical payload section can collect highresolution black and white imagery up to 3 frames per second using a
Prosilica GE1900 camera system with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution. The
AUV can be shipped by air freight to deploy on vessels of opportunity.
The average loadout specifcations, which include the AUV, mission
support equipment, and lithium ion batteries, consist of 20 pieces totaling 10,000 lbs.

February 4 - 6, 2014

www.TopsidesEvent.com
Galveston, Texas
Engineering, design, construction and installation of offshore production systems will continue to expand as the number of offshore
installations increases worldwide. Focusing specifically on this important market, Topsides, Platforms & Hulls Conference & Exhibition is the
offshore industrys only event dedicated to the topsides, platforms and hulls for both deep and shallow water. A comprehensive technical
program presented concurrently with an exhibition, Topsides, Platforms & Hulls Conference & Exhibition covers the design, engineering,
construction, transportation, installation, and modification of topside structures, platforms and hulls.
Join hundreds of colleagues and exhibiting companies for this high-level technical conference and exhibition and connect with key decision
makers and technical experts directly involved in the topsides industry. Over three days, Topsides, Platforms & Hulls will feature presentations
covering technical issues, business challenges and future trends, plus showcase an exhibition of products and services from dozens of key
engineering firms, contractors, suppliers and service providers. The 2013 event attracted a record number of attendees and exhibitors. You
dont want to miss this growing event!
OWNED &
PRODUCED BY
PRESENTED BY
SUPPORTED BY
HOSTED BY
DIAMOND SPONSOR
PLATINUM
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New tools and technology for the offshore industry

BWA introduces biodegradable antiscalant for reverse osmosis systems
Specialty chemicals supplier BWA Water
Additives has introduced Flocon 885, a biodegradable, phosphorus-free, and nitrogen-free
antiscalant that the company describes as the
frst polymer to provide a biodegradable option for cost-effective control of carbonate and
sulfate scales on reverse osmosis membranes.
Flocon 885 provides a biodegradable option to
offshore producers who typically use phosphonate-based antiscalants to clean membrane
desulfnation units, BWA said. The antiscalant
could help offshore operators comply with
tighter UK environmental regulations, set
to go into effect in 2015, that govern the discharge of certain phosphonates in seawater.
Flocon 885 is a specialized organic chemistry that is highly effective in controlling
deposition of inorganic scale-forming salts on
membrane surfaces, said Nozi Hamidi, BWA
Water Additives vice president of marketing. While there are many other membrane
antiscalants on the market, Flocon 885 is the
only product that is readily biodegradable in
both sea water and fresh water conditions.
This is important to offshore producers who
are phasing out the use of chemicals targeted
for substitution by CEFAS standards.
BWAs new Flocon 885 antiscalant provides a biodegradable alternative for preventing scale buildup
on reverse osmosis membranes. (Photo courtesy BWA)
Viking extends service agreements to offshore operators

Marine and fre safety equipment manufacturer Viking Life-saving Equipment is
offering an adaptation of its successful Viking
Shipowner Agreement to offshore owners
and operators. The Viking Offshore Service
Agreement helps operators manage multiple
brands, equipment types, and regulatory
approvals for safety equipment and servicing,
the company said.
The new agreements are tailored to address the special needs of customers with
offshore infrastructure. Equipment leasing
and service packages are offered for offshore
support vessels, semisubmersibles, jackups,
drillships, and foating production and offoading vessels, Viking said. The new agreements
cover safety equipment such as evacuation
systems, life rafts, frefghting equipment,
breathing apparatus, deluge systems, and
immersion suits. As an example, life rafts
can become part of Vikings global life raft
exchange pool; technical service teams install
newly serviced life rafts and bring back life
rafts due for service in a single transaction,
Vikings new Offshore Service Agreement provides equipment leasing and servicing across different brands and equipment types. (Photo courtesy Viking)
enabling offshore operators to retain full

evacuation capacity and enjoy uninterrupted
operations.
A lot of the safety equipment requires
a combination of onshore and offshore
servicing, said Viking vice president Benny
Carlsen. An agreement that incorporates

safety products, global servicing, and fnancing in fxed price structures gives full transparency and predictability. And everything is
planned and monitored from a single point of
contact.
The annual Subsea Tieback Forum & Exhibition is the leading global event for the technology that makes deepwater development around
the world cost-effective. Over two days of conference sessions, speakers will share knowledge and lessons learned crucial to improving
the quality, safety, and economics of the vital subsea industry. The Subsea Tieback exhibit hall foor is the industrys leading platform for
information exchange, networking opportunities and new business development. Joinus in San Antonio, March 4-6, 2014.
OWNED &
PRODUCED BY:
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BUSINESS BRIEFS
People
GE has appointed Lorenzo Simonelli
as president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas. He
succeeds Dan Heintzelman, who has been
appointed vice chairman of GE.
PA Resources has appointed Mark McAllister as president and CEO.
Susan Carter has resigned as CFO and
executive vice president of KBR.
Eric DArgentre, Luke Farajallah,
Martin Rune Pederson, Andy Samuel, and
Doug Sedge have been appointed to the Oil
& Gas UK board of directors.
GulfMark Offshore has elected Steven W.
Kohlhagen and Charles K. Valutas to its
board of directors.
Applied Weather Technology has appointed
Haydn Jones as CEO.
Patrick Lagrange has joined Continental
Shelf Investment Capital as managing director.
Roknoddin Javadi has been appointed
managing director of National Iranian Oil Co.
and deputy oil minister.
The board of directors of African Petroleum comprises: Charles Matthews,
independent non-executive chairman; Karl
Thompson, CEO and executive director;
Mark Ashurst, CFO and executive director; Gibril Bangura, non-executive director;
Jeffrey Couch, independent non-executive
director; Gordon Grieve, independent nonexecutive director; David King, independent
non-executive director; James Smith, independent non-executive director; and Anthony
Wilson, independent non-executive director.
Niko Resources Ltd. has elected Edward
Sampson, William Hornaday, Jim Cummings, Conrad Kathol, Wendell Robinson,
Norman Louie, Murray Hesje, and Charles
Leykum to the board of directors.
Lankhorst Ropes has appointed Neil
Schulz as sales director deepwater mooring.
Dr. Mingqiu Luo has joined Geotrace
Technologies Inc. as chief geophysicist
and manager of the Imaging Group within
Technology.
Occidental Petroleum has named Marcia E. Backus vice president and general
counsel.
John E. Murphy has been selected to
lead Black & Veatchs global construction and
procurement operations.
Oilgen has hired Lisa Casteleyn as a
geologist.
DNB Bank has appointed Vidar Andersen as head of Asia, based in Singapore, and
Mats Wermelin as head of China, based in
Shanghai.
AGR Enhanced Drilling has appointed
Svein Egil Steen as vice president for
Europe.
Jorunn Stre has joined AGR to lead
the Norway Rig Team and the companys
Stavanger offce.
Hess Corp. has named Eric Fishman vice
president and treasurer.
Jay Bhattacherjee has joined Aminex as
CEO, and Philip Thompson has joined as
COO.
Paul C. Reinbolt has retired as executive
vice president and CFO of Hyperdynamics Corp. He will remain with the company
through Dec. 31, 2013.
The Penspen Group has appointed Peter
OSullivan as CEO.
The Marathon Oil board of directors has
elected John R. Sult as executive vice president and CFO.
Pacifc Drilling has appointed Robert Schwed
and Sami Iskander as
independent directors.
Karen Penrose has
been named an independent non-executive director of AWE Ltd.
Guardian has hired PatDomingue
rick Keenan as CEO.
AGR has appointed
Petter Mathisen as vice
president of its global Software Solutions team.
Greenes Energy
Group has added Pierre
Domingue to its training
team and has promoted
Dwayne Doucet to
corporate HSE manager,
Doucet
and Steven Langlinais to
global QHSE manager.
Mike Fraser has joined
BHP Billitons Group
Management Committee as president, human
resources.
Fine Tubes has appointed John Rooney as
director of engineering and
technology.
Langlinais
HB Rentals has named
John Trahan director of
quality and supply chain.
Erik Henriksen and
Marika Svrdstrm have
resigned from the board of
directors of Noreco.
John Reed as joined
Harkand as CEO.
Jason Tay has been
named director of
Trahan
Faststream Recruitment
Group.
The Ferguson Group has appointed Derek
Penny as corporate development director.
NES Global Talent has appointed Andrew
Carr as lead search consultant in Houston.
Company News
The competition authorities in South Korea,
the US, the European Union, and China have
cleared the merger between DNV and GL.
The new company, DNV GL Group, will be
the worlds largest ship and offshore classifcation society to the maritime industry, a
provider of technical assurance, and risk management services to the oil and gas industry.
Commander Drilling Technologies has
been established to provide turnkey drilling
and completion services in the Gulf of Mexico.
Nor-Ocean Offshore has opened its frst
offce in Houston.
Fugro has agreed to acquire Abu Dhabibased DCN Global LLC, a specialist in subsea
engineering and diving services, mainly in the
Middle East.
Private equity investor HitecVision has
provided $150 million of backing for Oyster
Petroleum, a new North Sea oil company
headquartered in the London area.
Spike Exploration Holding has offered to
acquire Oslo-based North Sea E&P independent Bridge Energy for $164 million.
Layne Christensen Co. has moved into
its new, permanent corporate headquarters in
The Woodlands, Texas.
Exova has unveiled its 3-million ($4.8-million) corrosion center in Dudley, West
Midlands (UK).
PetroSA has become the frst company to
establish what it terms a state-of-the-art geoscience collaboration, visualization, and technology center in South Africa. The R15-million
($1.45-million) Ulwazi (Knowledge) Collaboration and Visualization Center presents seismic
and geological data in detailed, 3D views of
subsurface formations. All disciplines of PetroSAs upstream asset teams use the facility
to assist exploration and development of oil
and gas prospects.
Halliburtons Landmark Software and
Services has acquired UReason Solution
Environment for real-time analytics. The USE
software combined with Landmarks existing
drilling software will enable operators to capture, process, and interpret high-speed data to
help better understand the causes and effects
of drilling system behaviors, and to allow realtime adjustments while drilling.
Tejas Tubular Products says it plans
to construct a new facility in New Carlisle,
Indiana. This facility will focus on the heat
treatment and manufacturing of well casing for
the oil and gas industry.
Delta Rigging & Tools has been named
the exclusive Redaelli distributor for both onshore and offshore in the US Gulf of Mexico
region.
Robert Gordon University (RGU) and
Russian oilfeld educational and engineering
services company Oilteam have invested more
CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
EXPANDING WEST AFRICAS

OFFSHORE POTENTIAL
21-23 JANUARY 2014
International Conference Centre, Accra, Ghana
INVITATION TO ATTEND
The 18th annual Offshore West Africa conference and exhibition returns to Accra, Ghana
on 21-23 January 2014, delivering the premier technical forum focused exclusively on
West African offshore exploration and production. The conference will provide attendees
with the latest technological innovations, solutions and lessons learned from leading
industry professionals.
Offshore West Africa remains the leading source of information on new technology and
operating expertise for this booming deepwater and subsea market.
For more information on exhibiting
and sponsorship please contact:
Europe, Africa & Middle East:

Tony B. Moyo
T: +44 (0) 1992 656 658
F: +44 (0) 1992 656 700
E: tonybm@pennwell.com
Nigeria:
Dele Olaoye
T: +234 802 223 2864
E: q-she@inbox.com
The Americas:
Desiree Reyes
T: +1 713 963 6283
F: +1 713 963 6212
E: desireer@pennwell.com
South East Asia
Mike Twiss
T: +61 437 700 093
E: mike@energy-pubs.com.au
This is your opportunity to join over 1,500 offshore professionals by attending the leading
conference and exhibition dedicated to the offshore oil & gas industry in the region.
HOW YOU WILL BENEFIT:

Network and do business with major and independent E&P companies focusing
specifcally on West Africa
Visit and participate in the exhibition showcasing new technologies and
capabilities to support improvements in African E&P operations
Learn from expert opinions on new issues, challenges and solutions associated with
the expanding African exploration & production activity
REGISTER TODAY AT WWW.OFFSHOREWESTAFRICA.COM

SAVE UP TO $250 WITH YOUR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
18TH EDITION
Owned & Produced by:
Follow Offshore Events on:
Presented by:
Supporting Publication:
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Konstantin Schilin, general director of Halliburtons Russia operations, shakes hands with Gazprom Neft first deputy general director Vadim Yakovlev after signing the technology agreement.
(Photo courtesy Business Wire)
Halliburton, Gazprom Neft form R&D group

Halliburton and Gazprom Neft have agreed to cooperate on introduction of new
technologies to improve efficiency in Gazprom Neft fields. Representatives of the two
companies will collaborate on technological solutions for hard-to-recover reserves,
unconventional resources, deepwater, and other projects. Gazprom Neft specialists
will provide Halliburton with updated data on implementation of specific projects and
Halliburton experts will offer technological solutions.
than 1.2 million ($1.9 million) to train the
next generation of Russias offshore oil and
gas professionals. Oilteams Academy and
RGU will deliver a master of science degree in
offshore oil and gas engineering in Sochi.
TEAM Oil Tools has acquired Chancellor
Oil Tool.
3sun Group has been appointed as an
agent of Outreach Ltd. The contract will see
3sun Group carry out service and maintenance on hydraulic cranes and loading equipment manufactured by Palfnger, a partner of
Outreach. 3sun Group also has acquired RRC
Controls Services Ltd., a subsea control
systems manufacturer.
Citec has acquired Norwegian engineering
company M7 Offshore.
Seaway Heavy Lifting has signed an
enterprise framework agreement with Shell
Global Solutions for offshore installation.
The fve-year contract covers engineering,
project management, and offshore installation
of fxed and foating facilities.
Seatronics Ltd. and Zetechtics Ltd. have
signed a global representative agreement for
the Jupiter range of subsea ROV intervention
control systems and associated products.
TDW Offshore Services has signed a
frame agreement with Centrica Storage Ltd.
to provide pipeline isolation services with its
SmartPlug tool.
Oil States International has sold Sooner
and its subsidiaries to Marubeni-Itochu Tubulars America for $600 million in aggregate
cash consideration.
Excalibar Minerals LLC has announced
plans to add a new, fully automated 66-in. Raymond Roller Mill to its grinding facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. The new milling system is
slated to be operational during 1Q 2014.
FoundOcean has opened an offce in
Houston.
Saab Seaeye has acquired manipulator and
ROV tooling maker, Hydro-Lek.
Stork Technical Services has signed an
agreement with Snap Ring Joint Ltd. in
relation to the distribution and installation of
the companys fagship products; the SRJ pipe
connector and the TSRC pipe repair clamp.
AXON Energy Products has set up a
specialist research and development facility in
Team Valley, Gateshead.
InterMoor UK Operations, part of
Acteons foundations and moorings business,
has operated for more than six years without
a lost time incident. InterMoor UK Operations includes Acteon companies InterMoor
Ltd., InterMoor Marine Services Ltd., and
ChainCo.
Trelleborg has signed and fnalized an
agreement that will see its Trelleborg Industrial Solutions business area acquire cuttingedge cryogenic hose system technology from
SBM Offshore.
Harkand has confrmed the acquisition
of the main assets and business of Veolia
Marine Services. The acquisition adds 150
onshore and offshore staff, three dynamically
positioned multi-purpose vessels, and six
work-class ROVs to its workforce and feet.
PG Marine Group Ing Per Gjerdrum
AS has selected W&O Supply as its exclusive
sales agent in the US and Canada.
The International Association of Drilling
Contractors has formed the Well Control
Institute (WCI), a new industry body that
will provide the drilling industry with a single,
universal well control training and assessment
standard. The WCI is expected to be fully
operational by mid-2014.
HB Rentals has offcially opened its
new Eastern Hemisphere headquarters in
Sauchen, Aberdeenshire.
ABS has formed the ABS Global Gas
Solutions Team to leverage the organizations LNG and LPG capabilities. This group
will work alongside owners, shipyards, and
equipment manufacturers to provide a range
of services to this growing market.
Intertek has launched asset integrity
management surveying services in Australia
and Brazil.
Ennsub has secured a 14,000-sq ft (1,300sq m) production and offce facility within the
Tees Valley One Twenty scheme in the Teesside area of northeast England.
Glacier Energy Services has acquired
Aberdeen-based Ross Offshore.
Fine Tubes has opened a new facility in
Houston.
Atlas Services Group Geophysics BV
has acquired Geomotive.
Viking SeaTech has signed a defnitive
agreement to be acquired by Actuant Corp.
for approximately 150 million ($225 million).
Moore Industries-International has
signed BBP Sales as a manufacturers representative for Louisiana and areas of southern
Arkansas and southern Mississippi.
KW International has opened its new,
state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Columbus, Texas.
T-REX Engineering + Construction has
unveiled its newly redesigned website and
launched a social media initiative.
Tritex NDT Ltd. has opened an offce in
Newark, New Jersey.
HSB Solomon Associates has acquired
Ziff Energy Group, an international energy
consulting frm. The transaction adds global
energy exploration and production benchmarking and North American natural gas
forecasting to Solomons suite of products and
services.
Presentations that travel so you dont have to.

Whether creating your own presentation or sponsoring an Offshore hosted webcast event,
youll be able to interact with attendees wherever they are from wherever you are.
Up to one hour in length, Offshore webcasts provide an interactive environment as if you were
in the room. Conduct your own Q&A and polls, personalize your event introduction or wrap up,
share videos, and upload white papers for guests to take away.
Create your interactive environment today.

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David Davis | 713.963.6206 | DavidD@PennWell.com
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ADVERTISERS INDEX
SALES OFFICES
PENNWELL PETROLEUM GROUP
1455 West Loop South, Suite 400, Houston, TX 77027
PHONE +1 713 621 9720 FAX +1 713 963 6228
David Davis (Worldwide Sales Manager)
davidd@pennwell.com
Shelley Cohen (Regional Sales Manager)
shelleyc@pennwell.com
Grace Jordan (Classified Sales) gracej@pennwell.com
GREATER HOUSTON AREA, TX
David Davis davidd@pennwell.com
USA CANADA
Shelley Cohen shelleyc@pennwell.com
WASHINGTON OREGON CALIFORNIA
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UNITED KINGDOM SCANDINAVIA
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PHONE +44 1622 721222 FAX +44 1622 721333
Roger Kingswell rogerk@pennwell.com
FRANCE BELGIUM PORTUGAL
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Prominter
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PHONE +33 (0) 1 3071 1119 FAX +33 (0) 1 3071 1119
Daniel Bernard danielb@pennwell.com
GERMANY NORTH SWITZERLAND
AUSTRIA EASTERN EUROPE
RUSSIA FORMER SOVIET UNION BALTIC
EURASIA
Sicking Industrial Marketing, Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 16
59872 Freienohl, Germany
PHONE +49 (0) 2903 3385 70 FAX +49 (0) 2903 3385 82
Andreas Sicking wilhelms@pennwell.com
ITALY
SILVERA MEDIAREP
Viale Monza, 24 - 20127 Milano, Italy
PHONE +39 (02) 28 46716 FAX +39 (02) 28 93849
Ferruccio Silvera info@silvera.it
BRAZIL / SOUTH AMERICA
Smartpublishing Ltd/ OGJLA Pennwell Brazil
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PHONE +55 (21) 2533 5703 or +55 (21) 3084 5384
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Jean-Paul Prates adm@pennwell.com.br
JAPAN
ICS Convention Design, Inc.
6F Chiyoda Bldg., 1-5-18 Sarugakucho
Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 101-8449, Japan
PHONE +81 3 3219 3641 FAX +81 3 3219 3628
Manami Konishi konishi-manami@ics-inc.co.jp
SOUTHEAST ASIA AUSTRALIA
13 Langrune Grove,
Port Kennedy, WA, Australia 6172
PHONE +61 8 9593 4405 or +61(0) 437 700 093
FAX +61 8 9593 3732
Mike Twiss miket@pennwell.com
INDIA
Interads Ltd., A-113, Shivalik, New Delhi 110 017
PHONE +91 11 628 3018 FAX +91 11 622 8928
Rajan Sharma rajan@interadsindia.com
NIGERIA/WEST AFRICA
Flat 8, 3rd foor (Oluwatobi House)
71 Allen Ave, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
PHONE +234 805 687 2630 or +234 802 223 2864
Dele Olaoye q-she@inbox.com
AAPG - Arctic Technology Conference ....83

ArcticTechnologyConference.org
Acteon Group .............................................87
www.acteon.com
Aker Solutions ...........................................23
www.akersolutions.com
Audubon Engineering ...............................34
www.audubon-engineering.com
Avondale.....................................................41
www.hii-avondale.com
Karmsund Maritime Offshore Supply .....58

www.kamos.no
KOBELCO / Kobe Steel Ltd. .....................61
www.kobelcocompressors.com
M-I SWACO ...................................................3

www.miswaco.com
Multi-Contact USA .....................................68
www.multi-contact-usa.com
Baker Hughes ............................................21

www.bakerhughes.com
Balmoral Comtec Ltd.................................40
www.balmoraloffshore.com
Bredero Shaw.............................................63
brederoshaw.com
Bristow Group, Inc. ......................................1
bristowgroup.com
C
Cameron ..................................................... 13
www.c-a-m.com
CANSCO .....................................................66
www.cansco.com
CGG Services US, Inc. ..............................29
www.cgg.com
Champions Pipe & Supply, Inc. ................33
www.championspipe.com
CJ Winter ....................................................31
cjwinter.com
Clover Tool Company ................................77
www.clovertool.com
Cortec Fluid Control ..................................69
www.uscortec.com
Cudd Energy Services ..............................65
www.cudd.com
D
Delta Rigging & Tools ................................71
www.deltarigging.com
Delta Subsea ................................................9
deltasubsea-rov.com
DORIS ENGINEERING ...............................36
www.doris-engineering.com
Dril-Quip ..................................................... 11
www.dril-quip.com
E
Elettrotek Kabel SPA .................................30
www.elettrotekkabel.com
Energistics .................................................84
www.energistics.org
ExproSoft AS ..............................................67
www.exprosoft.com/wims
F
FMC Technologies .............................. 73, C4
Frank Mohn Flatoy AS ...............................55
www.Framo.com
Fugro Geos Limited ...................................39
www.fugro.com
G
Gardner Denver, Inc. ..................................59
pumpingperfected.com
GVA Consultants AB .................................40
www.gvac.se
H
Harris CapRock
Communications (CAP)...............................7
www.harriscaprock.com
Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. ............37
www.hornbeckoffshore.com
I
L
Lincoln Electric .......................................... 17
www.lincolnelectric.com
M
N
National Oilwell Varco................................27
www.nov.com
Newpark Drilling Fluids. ............................51
www.newparkdf.com
Nylacast. .......................................................6
www.nylacast.com
O
Oceanic Marine Contractors .....................25
www.oceanicmc.com
OFD Engineering LLC ............................... 15
www.ofdeng.com
OneSubsea ................................................ C2
www.onesubsea.com
ORR Safety Corporation ...........................43
www.orrsafety.com
P
PennWell
Deepwater Operations
Conference & Exhibition ................ 57, 93
Offshore Group ......... 10, 81, 91, 101, 102
Offshore West Africa Conference
& Exhibition...........................................99
www.offshorewestafrica.com
PennEnergy Research ..........................92
www.PennEnergyResearch.com
PennWell Books....................................42
www.PennWellBooks.com
Subsea Tieback Forum
& Exhibition..................................... 57, 97
www.subseatiebackforum.com
Topsides, Platforms & Hulls
Conference & Exhibition ................ 57, 95
www.topsidesevent.com
Precision Polymer Engineering LLC ........16
www.prepol.com
R
REPSOL ......................................................85
www.repsol.com
S
Safway Services LLC ............................... C3
safway.com
Scantrol ...................................................... 19
www.scantrol.no
Sea Trucks Group. .....................................49
www.seatrucksgroup.com
Sembcorp Marine ......................................89
www.sembcorpmarine.com/sg
Superior Energy Services .........................75
superiorenergy.com
T
Tenaris ........................................................47
www.tenaris.com
TOTAL SA ...................................................45
www.total.com
V
Vallourec & Mannesmann USA.................35
www.vam-usa.com
Intellian Technologies ...............................79

www.intelliantech.com
Weatherford..................................................5
weatherford.com
JD Neuhaus Group ....................................53

www.jdngroup.com
The index of page numbers is provided as a

service. The publisher does not assume any
liability for error or omission.
BEYOND THE HORIZON
Resource nationalism in Latin America

threatens investment opportunities
The Western Hemisphere represents approximately one-third of
the worlds proven conventional and unconventional oil and natural
gas reserves; Venezuela alone has approximately 300 Bbbl of proven
conventional and unconventional oil reserves.
The United States Geological Surveys 2012 Assessment of Undiscovered Conventional Oil and Gas Resources of South America and the
Caribbean estimates that there is an additional 126 Bbbl of oil and 679
tcf (19 tcm) of undiscovered natural gas in South America and the Caribbeans 31 geologic provinces, including 55 Bbbl in deepwater Brazil
and approximately 14 Bbbl in the Guyana-Suriname offshore basins.
Most recently, a study from the EIA also showed that Argentina
and Mexico are the third- and fourth-largest holders, respectively, of
technically recoverable shale gas reserves in the world. According
to this study, nearly 50% of the worlds total shale gas reserves are in
the Western Hemisphere.
Even though the Western Hemispheres proven natural gas reserves only represent approximately 10% of the worlds total reserves, they play an important role in the regions energy balance.
With 305 tcf (8.6 tcm) of proven natural gas reserves, the US is
the largest regional holder of natural gas reserves, followed by Venezuela, with 176 tcf (5 tcm) of proven natural gas reserves. Canada,
Mexico, Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Brazil
are also important holders of natural gas reserves.
Today, Latin Americas energy potential is being undermined by a
number of serious geopolitical uncertainties, along with economic,
environmental, social, and regulatory issues that could impact the
monetization of the regions rich hydrocarbon resources.
High political risk, onerous fscal and contractual terms and conditions, populist political rhetoric, and the nationalization of foreign
oil companies assets have caused a decline in exploration and production investment in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and
Mexico. The nationalization of privately held oil and natural gas
assets by a number of governments, such as Venezuelas 2007 appropriation of Conoco and ExxonMobil assets and Ecuadors 2006
expropriation of Occidental Petroleum assets, underlines the reality
of resource nationalism in Latin America and its potential impact
on future development of the regions hydrocarbon resources.
Last year, Argentina fnalized the confscation without compensation of shares in YPF, owned by the Spanish oil company Repsol, giving the country a 51% controlling stake in the company and reinforcing the challenge of resource nationalism in the region. If Argentina, a
member of the G20, can carry on these policies without having to face
the consequences, the rule of law could be seriously undermined, creating a domino effect in other Latin American countries and further
deteriorating much-needed investment confdence the region.
The legal dispute by the government of Ecuador against Chevron
for the alleged ecological damage caused by Texaco and its partner
PetroEcuador at the Lago Agrio oil feld in the 1970s also raises questions about the seriousness of some governments in their long-term
commitment to sustainable development of their natural resources.
Latin America faces huge technological challenges in both upstream and downstream resource development and environmental
stewardship, along with governance and social responsibility issues
related to the management of oil and natural gas resource development. The development, production, and commercialization of conventional, unconventional, and renewable energy resources is highly
capital intensive and requires a high rate of technological evolution.
If countries in Latin America want to increase energy and resource development activities, they must offer fscal and contractual
terms and conditions that grant an acceptable rate of return to investors commensurate with the potential and associated technical,
commercial, and political risks.
In addition to increasing revenues to support social and educational programs, the objectives of the fscal and regulatory policies
of host governments should include:
Attracting foreign investment
Technology transfer
Infrastructure development and job creation.
The industry should encourage the design of fscal and investment models that create alignment between the objectives of host
governments and foreign investors, and should promote good governance standards and behaviors such as:
Rule of law, including incorruptible law enforcement agencies
and an independent judiciary
Division of responsibility between the supervisory, regulatory,
and enforcement authorities
Accountability, where public and private institutions can show
the extent to which their actions and decisions are consistent
with clearly-defned and agreed-upon objectives
Transparency, where government actions, decisions and decision-making processes are open to an appropriate level of scrutiny by others parts of government and civil society
Integrity, essential for building strong, socially responsible public and private institutions that resist corruption.
In order to take advantage of the vast energy investment opportunities in the region, the US, and the international community at
large, must strengthen the credibility of investment protection principles and instruments, along with continuity and stability in fscal
and political policies that would offer the long-term guarantees and
security investors require.
Jorge Pion
Interim Director, Center for International

Energy and Environmental Policy,
The University of Texas at Austin
This page refects viewpoints on the political, economic, cultural, technological, and environmental issues that shape the future of the petroleum industry. Offshore
Magazine invites you to share your thoughts. Email your Beyond the Horizon manuscript to David Paganie at davidp@pennwell.com.
THE SMART WAY

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