Marine Technology Reporter Blogs

PROCAP 3000: next ultra-deepwater exploration frontier.Over the past 23 years, Petrobras, forerunner in the use of the floating production concept, has always emphasized innovation and upgrade based on its professional expertise. The first PROCAP – Technological Development Program for Deepwater Production Systems was launched in 1986 in order to improve the company’s technical skills in oil and natural gas production in water until 1,000m. To do so, Albacora and Marlin fields were chosen as a development unit. The results obtained in this first program and the other discoveries in deeper water encouraged the company to create a new program in 1993, PROCAP-2000 - Technological Development Program for Deepwater Exploration Systems.

Flexibras is Technip Brazil´s flexible manufacturing plant in Brazil and has been operational since 1986. In Brazil, Technip integrates the professional experience of two large engineering and manufacturing companies: Technip Brasil and Flexibras, the flexible pipe plant located in the city of Vitoria, in the state of Espirito Santo. Present in Brazil since 1976, Technip has 2,200 employees and contributes to the development of the Oil and Gas industry. With an Engineering Center in Rio de Janeiro and an operational base in Macaé, Technip offers services and technological solutions for the production of Subsea deepwater fields, Offshore facilities and Onshore processing units, providing full capabilities and a dedicated vessel for pipeline installation.

The partnership between Schilling Robotics and FMC is having a very positive impact on nearly all of the fifteen projects FMC operates in Brazil.Since 1985, Schilling Robotics has been engineering, manufacturing, and delivering the highest quality subsea equipment in the subsea market. Its first small, hydraulically powered underwater remote manipulator went to market in 1986, and by 1988 Schilling had become a leading supplier of high-performance subsea remote manipulator systems used in offshore oil, telecommunications, scientific, and military operations. By 1997, Schilling had developed a suite of manipulator systems and accessories to fit a variety of needs and budgets.

With headquarters in the UK, Wellstream has invested heavily in the Brazilian O&G market since 2007 and currently has an ongoing contract with Petrobras for around 700km of flexible pipes. They are the acknowledged leaders in flexible riser manufacture in Brazil.Wellstream is a world leader in design and manufacture of flexible pipeline products, systems and solutions for fluid transportation in the O&G industry. The business, founded in 1983 is headquartered in Newcastle, UK, with manufacturing facilities in the UK, Brazil and USA. The company has over 1,000 employees worldwide and also has sales and project offices in Canada and Australia. Flexible pipe products are used in many offshore field developments, but particularly where floating production vessels are involved.

Increased investment in subsea systems instead of intensive use of rigs and FPSOs is looking to be the present and future trend in the Brazilian O&G market. Subsea system equipment manufacturers in all levels, from subsea trees to the smallest subsystem manufacturers, have a good reason to be happy with present and future business prospects in Brazil. Not only are the deepwater pre-salt plays being developed and other propective deepwater plays being drilled, but also various new post-salt shallow water fields have been recently discovered, most in the southern Campos Basin by OG X Petroleo and more recently by Petrobras, which has confirmed the potencial of its play adjacent to the Pampo field.

FMC signs an $80 million subsea service contract with Petrobras in January and is awarded a $400 million contract for subsea trees in February.FMC Technologies signed a subsea service contract with Petrobras effective through 2012 and expected to result in an additional $80 million in revenue. FMC's scope of supply includes storage, maintenance, commissioning and offshore services for subsea and topside control systems and drill pipe riser systems. "FMC has a strong and longstanding relationship with Petrobras," said John Gremp, Executive Vice President of FMC Technologies. FMC Technologies has signed a four-year subsea tree frame agreement with Petrobras.

The state of art facility in Rio das Ostras completes two years of operation with excellent results and having made a lasting contribution to the region and to regional supplier chain growth. The facility which was built in Rio das Ostras with an initial investment of around $10 million in 2007 and primarily manufactures for the Brazilian market, has also been able to deliver to other regions of the world. The facility, which has a workshop that covers a space of 2,450 square metres, offers clients services ranging from engineering and manufacturing to maintenance and technical support. The timing of the Rio das Ostras investment was…

The Subsea Technology Laboratory (LTS), part of COPPE/UFRJ, was created in 1989 in order to supply the increasing demand for deep water technology. Among other important projects they may soon earn international certification for a fiber optic sensor calibration system.In its 20 years of activitiy, LTS has concluded fifteen graduate projects, fifty-five masters degree dissertations and nine doctorate thesis. Presently under way are two graduate projects, ten masters degree dissertations and nine doctorate thesis. The laboratory has published over one hundred articles and papers in national and international magazine and events. Around two hundred and twenty technical consulting reports have also been developed.

Prysmian announces investmens of around $115 million to start flexible pipe production in its Vila Velha, Espírito Santo industrial plant.Prysmian Cabos e Sistemas do Brasil S. A., announced in november a $115 million investment for 2010, for the expansion of its industrial plant in Espirito Santo in order to produce flexible pipes along with umbilicals already produced at the plant. The event, had the presence of Prysmians’ Worldwide President, Valerio Battista, Prysmians’ South American President, Armando Comparato Jr., Petrobras management representatives and The Italian Minister of Economic Development, Claudio Scajola. “Petrobras and Prysmian have signed a technological cooperation agreenment in order to develop flexible pipes for Petrobras.

With major contracts secured in the last two years in Brazil, Cameron is in a great position to expand its presence in the Brazilian subsea market in 2010 and beyond.After being awarded a $100 million contract for 25 subsea Xmas tress for the Campos Basin by Petrobras in 2008, (deliveries completed in late 2009), Cameron entered into a frame agreement with Petrobras in 2009, expected to be worth approximately $500 million, for the supply of subsea trees and related running tools to Petrobras for use in their developments offshore Brazil. Under the agreement, Cameron is providing 138 subsea Christmas trees, with the installation to be supported by 18 sets of running tools that are also part of the scope of supply.

Subsea gas-liquid separation coupled with liquid boosting can be an effective means of oil reservoir exploitation. Despite advances, multiphase pumping technology remains limited in its capabilities. Dynamic (centrifugal and helico-axial) pumps function with reasonable efficiency for single-phase, low-viscosity liquids. However, they become very inefficient when a high-viscosity liquid is combined with high percentages of free gas. While use of multiphase pumps is in many instances an effective solution, special consideration must be taken when challenging conditions exist such as are found in deeper water or with long tieback distances, or when heavy-oil production is involved. More effective oil reservoir exploitation can be achieved using subsea separation coupled with liquid boosting.

Investing in subsea pipeline technology development, PROTUBO has been producing interesting pipe bending solutions.Pipes are one of the most costly equipments in subsea systems. Here in Brazil subsea pipelines can range from tens, to hundreds of kilometers. Usually subsea pipelines include bended sections and more recently ( T ) pieces are installed in them to facilitate intervention, specially in deep water sections, where intervention costs are huge and new rigless intervention techniques are being introduced. In deep water pipelines, pipe in pipe technology is being extensively used and upgraded in order to optimize surveillance capabilities, where real time fiber optic surveillance technology appears to be the way to go.

The SUT Technical Conference 2010 will be held in Rio de Janeiro and promises to be the main subsea event of the year in Brazil.The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) is a multi-disciplinary learned society that brings together organisations and individuals with a common interest in underwater technology, ocean science and offshore engineering. SUT was founded in 1966 and has members from more than 40 countries, including engineers, scientists, other professionals and students working in these areas. Cross-fertilisation and dissemination of ideas, experience and information between workers in academic research, applied research and technology, industry and government. Development of techniques and tools to explore, study and exploit the oceans.

With major subsea contracts signed with Petrobras in 2009, the future looks bright for Aker Solutions and their range of subsea products and solutions in Brazil.In November 2009, Aker Solutions do Brasil signed two contracts to supply subsea connection systems for the P-55 platform, which will operate at the Roncador field offshore Brazil. The contracts were signed with Petrobras and Subsea 7. For Petrobras the contract involves three Plets (pipeline-end termination systems), two rigid jumpers, tools and accessories. For Subsea 7 the contract involved two sets of 12" Plets, one set of 12" ILT (t-shaped pipeline), tools and accessories. The values for each contract were not disclosed.

Northrop Grumman delivered PCU New Mexico to the Navy 4 months early.The Navy took delivery of its newest attack submarine, PCU New Mexico (SSN 779), from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) Dec. 29, four months earlier than its contract delivery date. New Mexico is the sixth Virginia-class submarine and the third delivered by NGSB. USS North Carolina (SSN 777) and USS New Hampshire (SSN 778), the two submarines delivered prior to New Mexico, were completed after 82 and 71 months, respectively. New Mexico completed construction in just 70 months. New Mexico's delivery in 2009 wraps up a successful year for the Virginia-class program.

The purpose of the Geoprober Drilling System (GDS) is to reduce the cost of acquiring G&G data for exploration activity in deepwater by 50%.They plan to achieve this by establishing a well in a one trip operation. This speeds up operations and improves data acquisition options and reduces the environmental impact of exploration. Geoprober Drilling was established in 2004 as a new kind of data acquisition drilling contractor, specialising in deep water exploration in areas such as West Africa, Brazil, India and the Far East. Geoprober is currently developing a deep water exploration drilling system deployed from a mono-hull vessel on a (JIP) Joint Industry Project funded by Chevron and StatoilHydro.

After tests the diverless hot tap proved to be interesting for deep water and shallow water operations.During early August 2009 the world’s first diverless hot tap operation on a pressurised pipeline was performed by Statoil on the Ormen Lange field in the Norwegian Sea. This was the catalyst for the development of the world’s only remote hot tapping machine. “Connecting a pipe to an existing deepwater line would historically mean shutting down and draining the pipeline, cutting into it, adding a special tee spoolpiece and welding it or securing it in place, ensuring the seal is leak-tight. All the water in the pipe would then have to be displaced before the line could come back onstream.

Knowing that new deepwater contracts in Brazil will be forthcoming in 2010, DOF Subsea invests in the new Cougar XTi ROV from Saab Seaeye to boost its already highly competitive profile.DOF Subsea, has taken delivery of an advanced design of deep-swimming ROV from Saab Seaeye, destined for Brazil. The new 3000 metre-rated Cougar XTi ROV features technological developments that open up a greater range of deep water applications. It will be permanently commissioned aboard a specially built DOF Subsea vessel, along with two hydraulic work-class vehicles. The vessel has been constructed in Norway and will operate offshore in Brazil for Light Well Intervention. The onboard Launch and Recovery System (LARS) has been built by ODIM, and includes Active Heave Compensation.

Easy to dismiss but it could potentially happen. Open for thoughtful consideration and discussion.The head of Chinese shipping giant Cosco has suggested that container ships should be powered by nuclear reactors in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, said to account for 4% of the global total. Shipping companies have gradually been introducing 'super slow steaming', a measure designed to cut fuel consumption and substantially reduce emissions by running engines at very low speed. However, Wei Jiafu, Cosco's president and CEO, speaking at the Senior Maritime Forum of the China International Maritime Exhibition (Marintec China) in Shanghai, said that introducing nuclear-powered ships could be an even cleaner solution.

With 8 exploratory wells producing hydrocarbon discoveries during the year and with estimates of recoverable oil of around 5 billion barrels, OGX ends 2009 on a very positive high.OGX Petróleo e Gás Participações S.A., announced two days ago that it had completed the drilling of well 1-OGX-2A-RJS, located in the BM-C-41 block, in the shallow waters of the southern part of the Campos Basin. OGX holds a 100% working interest in this block. The well was drilled to a depth of approximately 3,550 meters, resulting in the finding of hydrocarbons in five different reservoirs: Eocene, Upper Cretaceous, Albian, Aptian and Barremian. Once the drilling of the well was concluded…