Subsea Systems Engineering

Tricia Hill
SUT Subsea Engineering and Operations Chair

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Presentation Topics

• Field Architecture
Design Drivers
• Subsea System
Components
• Riser Systems
• Export Systems
• Installation
SIMOPS
• Emerging
Technologies

2
Potential Deepwater Field Development Issues

Pipelines Subsea
Processing Topside Umbilicals
Flowline Export PL Termination
Installation
Cathodic Protection Materials Separation Chemicals / Controls
Stability & clashing
Standard / custom Flex Tails Pumping
Metocean Downtime Vessel Availability Sand Prod Lay Method Tube materials
Compression Qualification testing
Geotechnical hazards # of Flowlines Rigid / Flex Tie-in architecture
Vessel Cost
Insulation Bundles Core Size & Quantity
As-built Seabed congestion SIMOPS Instrumentation &
Flow velocity Spans control
Retrievable Power / Signal Requirements
Crossings Logistics Subsea
Pigging Corrosio Powermodules
supply Termination
Pile / Mudmat Foundations Buckle n Field Architecture
Maintenanc
arrestors
Horizontal Service Type Connectors e Multi-bore Ancillary Equipment
vs Conventional Production Rate Connector
Type Size /Weight
Insulation Materials Constraints
Field Connection
Trees Flowbase
Developmen System
Size
Well t Type of Mono-bore
Quantity
Erosive flow Quantity Jumpers System
Issues Master
Materials
High Temp & Instrumentation Instrumentation Control Station Installation Method
Pressure Erosion
Process Flow Diagram Power / Signal Types
Connectors Dimension Cladding CRAs HPU
Insulation constraints Hydraulic Fluid Type
Corrosion Connectors
High Temp Inhibitor Fluid Cleanliness
Piggable Production &
Test Headers Functions / Module Injection Chemicals
Cathodic
Foundation Wet CO2 Protection
Double barriers
Elastomers
Expansion Configuration Sour Service Subsea Controls
Manifolds
Valve Actuation
Materials

Each of these elements can effect some or all of the other elements. 3
Typical elements in a subsea production
system (API RP 17A Figure A.1)

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Reference Subsea System Standards
API RP 17A — Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems
API RP 17B, 17J, 17K, 17L1, 17L2 – Flexible Pipe & Ancillary Equipment
API SPEC 17D — Subsea Wellheads and Trees
API SPEC 17E — Production Umbilicals
API SPEC 17F — Production Controls
API RP 17G — Completion/Workover Risers
API RP 17H — ROV Interfaces & ROT Intervention Systems
API RP 17N — Subsea Reliability & Technical Risk Management
API RP 17O — High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS)
API RP 17P — Templates and Manifolds
API RP 17Q — Subsea Equipment Qualification
API TR 17TR4 — Equipment Pressure Ratings
API TR 17TR5 — Avoidance of Blockages in Production Control Systems
API TR 17TR6 — Attributes of Production Chemicals in Subsea Systems
API STD 2RD — Dynamic Risers for Floating Production
API SPEC 6DSS — Subsea Pipeline Valves
API RP 1111 — Design of Offshore Pipelines

And many more API, ISO, ASME, NORSOK, ETC

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 Subsea Production Systems
Design Basis Document / Basis of Design

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 System Design Drivers

• Production fluid properties

• Production profile
• Reservoir structure
§ Multiple drill centers
• Water depth
• Existing infrastructure
• Geographical Location
• Metocean
• Geophysical

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 Bathymetry

• Flowline Traps
• Slug flow
• Flowline Stability
• Mud flows
• Faults

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 Flow Assurance
Potential Issues
• Hydrates
• Paraffin deposit
• Asphaltenes
• Corrosion control
• Pressure Drop
• Slug flow

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 Flow Assurance

• Prediction / Prevention
• Field Life / production profile
• Mitigation
Gas Hydrate Dissociation Lines for Live Oil with inhibitors
§ Thermal Management
10000
§ Chemicals 10%MeOH+10%NaCl

• Hydrate Remediation 20%MeOH+10%Na

Cl
5%MeOH
§ Pressure Reduction 5%NaCl
Fresh

Pressure (Psi)
Water
§ Intervention/Chemicals 1000

§ Heating
Symbol … Experiment
Line … Simulation

100
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
o
Temperature ( F)

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 Flowline Thermal Management

• Bonded Foam Insulation

• Wet polyurethane insulation
• Pipe-In-Pipe Insulation
• Bundled Pipes
• Active heating
• Operating Strategies &
Procedures
§ Startup & Planned
shutdown
§ Unplanned shutdown

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Basic Subsea Hardware Components
Mature Technology Emerging Technology
• Trees • Subsea Separators
• Manifolds • Subsea Pumps
• Template Manifold
• Subsea Compressors
• Sleds
• HIPPS
• Jumpers
• Umbilicals • HP/HT
• Controls
• Flowlines
• Risers

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Subsea Well Cluster, Trees, Manifold,
Umbilical termination & Dual Flowlines

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Subsea Tree Functions
• Throttle flow to commingle
with other wells
• Shut in production
• Isolate Tubing/Casing
Annulus
• Interface with Subsea
Wellhead
• Suspend Completion
Tubing
• Provide Workover Access
• Chemical Distribution
• Actuator Hydraulic Control
• Actuator Pressure
Compensation
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 Subsea Tree – Design Considerations

• Choke Valve
• Chemical injection
• Sensors
• Jumper Connection(s)
• Running Tool Access
§ Control Module
§ Choke insert
§ Jumper(s)
• ROV Interfaces
§ Physical
§ Visual / camera

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Controls System

Design Considerations:
• Water Depth
• Offset Distance
• Number of Wells
• Well Management Philosophy
• Redundancy
• Chemical Injection Control
§ Metering topside / subsea
• Phased/Future Developments
• Hydraulic & Electrical Umbilicals
§ Separate or combined

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 Umbilical Service
• Hydraulic power
Combination Umbilical with
• Chemicals Electrical Control Cable
• Electrical
• Gas lift
• Fiber Optics

Armored Steel Tube Umbilical Integrated Service Umbilical 17

Subsea Umbilical Termination Assembly
(SUTA)

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 Flying Leads: Local Interconnections
• Hydraulic & Chemicals
• Steel Flying Lead for deepwater (SFL)
• Electrical Flying Lead (EFL)
• Fiber Optics

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 Subsea Controls - Types of Systems
DRILLING Monitor
• Direct Hydraulic Keyboard &
§ One hydraulic line / valve Mouse

• Piloted Hydraulic Modem Rack

§ One pilot line / valve

View Server
§ One hydraulic supply line
Control Server

Comms Sever

PRODUCTION
•Electro/Hydraulic
§ One hydraulic supply line
§ Electric solenoid valve / valve
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Subsea Manifolds Commingle Production
Design Considerations
• Working Pressure
• Number of Well slots
• Piping & Valve arrangement
• Valve actuation
• Instrumentation & controls
• Expansion Capability
• Pigging Requirements
§ Barred tees
§ Pigging loop
• Installation
§ Pile
§ Mudmat

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 Manifold Piping
Production & Test Management
Pigging Loop

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 Jumper Connection System
§ Conduit types:
ü Pipe
ü Flexible
§ Connector types:
ü Collet
ü Clamp
ü Other
§ Running Tool:
ü Soft landing
ü Coarse Alignment
ü Lock / Unlock
§ Seal Replacement
§ Fabrication Fixtures:
ü Metrology
ü Testing

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 Jumpers Connect….

• Trees
• Flowlines
• Manifolds
• Subsea Processing
• Sleds
• Export pipelines

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 Flexible Jumper

Gooseneck Connector
Running tool

Bend Restrictors

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Pipeline End Termination (PLET)

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 Round Trip Pigging

§ Topside launchers and receivers

§ Able to circulate hot fluid prior to startup
§ Able to depressurize up & downstream of hydrate plug

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 Flowline Design Considerations
• Hydrostatic Collapse
• Flow Assurance
• Hydrographic survey
§ Route survey
§ Avoid hazards
• Crossings
• Installation
Pipeline Profile S-Lay vs J-Lay
S-Sample Case
§ S-Lay
§ J-Lay (record deepwater)
18” Pipeline - 7,000’ Water Depth
S-Lay J-Lay
Lay Tension 610 Kips 470 Kips

§ Reel-lay
Bottom Tension 189 Kips 63 Kips
Touchdown (-)6,162ft (-)2,964 ft

• Wet buckle (buckle arrestors)

• Pipeline Repair
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 Deepwater Riser Systems
Riser Functions: Riser Types:
• Drilling • Top Tension
• Workover • Flexible
• Production • Steel Catenary
• Injection • Hybrid
• Export

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 Top Tension Riser Configurations
TLP System Spar Buoy System

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 Flexible Riser Configurations

Simple Catenary

Lazy Wave

Steep Wave Riser

Steep “S” Riser

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Export Pipelines

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 Flowline versus Pipeline
Production Flowline Export Pipeline
• Higher pressures • Pressure controlled (pumps &
• Smaller bores compressors)
• Produced fluids • Larger bore
change with time • Longer distances
• Flow Assurance • Single phase, clean (separate
issues: oil & gas)
§ Water
§ Asphaltines
§ Wax
§ H2S
§ Wet CO2
§ Corrosion

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 GoM Deepwater Installation - SIMOPS

• Vessel coordination, position,

and control
• Dropped objects
• Weather window
• Loop Currents
• Potential clash (tight
clearances) between
following items during PLET
retrieval and installation:
§ Risers
§ Umbilicals
§ Vessels
§ Flowlines
§ Lifting Cables
§ Mooring lines 34
 Emerging Technologies
• Subsea Processing
§ Separation
§ Pumping / Boosting
§ Compression
• HIPPS
• HPHT

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Caisson Separation and Boosting

Electric
Submersible
Pump (ESP)
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 High-Integrity Pressure
Protection Systems (HIPPS)
HIPPS are designed to protect flowlines that are not rated for the full
shut-in wellhead pressure.

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High Pressure / High Temperature (HPHT)

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 Subsea Systems Engineering
Tricia Hill
SUT Subsea Engineering and Operations Chair

39
 Vertical vs. Horizontal Tree

Dual Bore SpoolTree™

(Vertical) (Horizontal)

VERTICAL TREE: HORIZONTAL TREE:

§ Vertical Valve Bores § Horizontal Valve Bores
§ Tubing Hanger in Wellhead § Tubing Hanger in Tree
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 Piles
Type
• Jetted
• Suction

Functions
• Flowline Initiation
• Foundation
§ Manifold
§ Sleds
• Anchor for surface facility Suction Pile

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 Horizontal Tree Schematic

CIDHU

CIDUM
THV

CIDHM CITH

DHPT
SV2
CIDLM
SV1
CITM
ACV PCV
AWV
AAV

PMV PWV
PPTU
APT1 APT2

XOV2 XOV1 PPTD FIV

AMV

CVC HUB

GTV

GT
AAP

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Subsea Umbilical Installation

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