chris braithwaite, coo wellstream international limited · chris braithwaite, coo wellstream...

Flowlines & Risers

Chris Braithwaite, COOWellstream International Limited

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Wellstream International Limited

Wellstream Snapshot

• Manufacturer of unbonded flexible flowlines & risers since 1989

– Strong #2 in industry

– HQ in Newcastle since 1996

– Bespoke technology for deepwater

– Key enabler in floating production and subsea developments

– Fast developing onshore capability - FlexSteel

– Developing installation capability

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

– Developing installation capability

• Major exporter

– More than 90% of all output

• New plant in Niteroi, Brazil opened May 2007

• Significant R&D investment

History in North East

• Headquartered in the North East since 1996

– Corporate, technology and manufacturing global centre

– First production Dec-97

• Site selected from > 20 potential locations in Europe

• Attracted by:

– Deepwater access and heavy lift load-out capability

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

– Deepwater access and heavy lift load-out capability

– Strong engineering & manufacturing base of North East

– Local & government support

Global Locations

Calgary

Denver

Houston Panama City

Newcastle upon Tyne

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Niterói, Rio de Janeiro

Perth

FlexSteelTM – Onshore Systems Manufacturing

Offshore Systems Manufacturing

Project Management & Engineering

Sales and Customer Support

Terminology – Flowlines & Risers

Jumpers

Transfer

Lines

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Flowlines

Risers

In-Field or Flowlines

• From wellhead or manifold to platform or FPSO

• Carry a mixture of oil, gas, water and sand

• Short lengths <30km

• Small diameter <12”

• Flexible or rigid or bundle

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

• Flexible or rigid or bundle

• Laid by reel, J-lay, S-lay or towed methods

– Depends on cost

– Water depth, vessel availability, diameter and coating

– Many other factors

Riser Applications

• Section of line from seabed to

fixed or floating topsides

• Many types and uses:

– Drilling

– Production

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

– Production

– Water injection

– Export/import

– Workover

– Control, power and chemicals

Flexible Production and Export Risers

FPSO

Storage vessel Turret with bend stiffeners

Anchor cablesCatenary riser

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Export risers(lazy wave)

Flowline risers(lazy S)

Clump weight

Tethered mid-water arch buoy

Catenary riser

Subsea manifold

Distributed buoyancy

Touchdown clamp and tether

Rigid Risers to Floating Vessels

FPSO vessel

Bare pipe Top- tensioned riser

Shuttle

W riser

SPMTurret

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Buoyantsleeves

Compliant vertical

axis riser

Lazy wave steel catenary riser

Bare pipe

Buoyantsleeves

Steel catenary

riser

riser

Hybrid Risers

Export lines from

FPSO to SPMFlexiblerisers

Buoyancy• Rigid tower

– Self-buoyant

– Minimise transfer

of load to FPSO

• Linking flexibles

• Fixed vessel orientation

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Rigidrisertower

risersorientation

– Benign conditions

Girassol fieldwith hybrid risers

and flowline bundles

Key Design Considerations

• Gross structural integrity

(tension, pressure)

• Riser interaction (clashing,

interference and

entanglement)

• Fatigue (curvature and tension

ranges)

• Local analysis

– Gap span

– Flexlok stress analysis

– Corrosion fatigue

– Material compatibility

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

• Touch down point

– Abrasion

– Local armour buckling (bird-caging)

• Collapse

• On-Bottom Stability

• Upheaval Buckling

Flexible versus Rigid Solutions

FPSO

TLP / SPAR

Fixed Structure

Semi-Sub

“Dynamic” “Static”

Niche Application Low

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

FLEXIBLESOLUTION

RIGIDSOLUTION

Steel Catenary

Risers

RiserTowers

Long Export Lines

Ideal for fast-track (EPS)

Re-Use

Niche Application - Dynamic

Tested prior to Delivery

Corrosion Resistant

Naturally Insulating

Congested Field Infrastructure

High Mob / De-Mob

High Installation Costs

Technically straight forward

Known Product

SubseaStep Outs Flexible Flowlines

Economic Short Lengths

Lower flexibility (not re-usable)

Low Material Cost

Lowest installed costs

Flowlines and Risers – Services and Products

PRODUCTS SERVICES

� Rigid linepipe � Pipe & Riser Installation

� Pipe coating � Project Management

� Flexibles & Bundles Raw Materials; � Design

� End fittings � Fabrication

� Ancillaries � Inspection

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

� PLETs & PLEMs � Repair & Maintenance

� Pumps & Compressors � Remote Intervention

� Subsea support structures � Decommissioning

Approx. 50% of SURF spend is associated with flowlines and risers