Marginal fields, and in particular those in deep wafers, call for innovative technologies to enable economical exploitation. The subsea development is gaining acceptance as one of the most promising options and appears the only one able to offer a viable rate of return when moving into deep waters. Most of the anticipated development applications call for either a high level of complexity in case of multiwell systems or a reduced equipment set up for limited recoverables. Subsea multiphase boosting of untreated well streams is also proposed as an alternative to natural drive. The ENI Group has been devoting great attention to multiphase production and boosting for several years. Different concepts of multiphase boosting equipment have been developed and manufactured. In particular, the application of a twin screw pump has been thoroughly investigated through laboratory and onshore field endurance testing. The Offshore Industry then required long term testing to prove the suitability of a subsea prototype boosting unit to perform in real operating conditions. To this end underwater testing has been undertaken at Agip Prezioso oil field off Sicily through the design and fabrication of a subsea boosting unit housing a vertical twin screw pump, as described in the paper. First, the twin screw pump as developed and manufactured by Nuovo Pignone for underwater application is described with special focus on the pressure balancing, lubrication and seal oil systems. The overall subsea trial system configuration is then provided together with an outline of both the support facilities set up and the test conditions allowed by the site characteristics. Moreover, the key features of the subsea prototype boosting unit are presented and the basic criteria for its design and manufacturing are discussed with particular reference to the requirements for the multiphase pump monitoring and ease of retrieval for maintenance purposes. Finally, the paper outlines the underwater tests implementation program together with the operating philosophy of the system. INTRODUCTION Several alternatives are proposed by the offshore industry for the safe and economical exploitation of marginal fields. For many applications, multiphase systems as opposed to conventional technologies can represent the answer to the problems related to such developments by moving to the sea bottom the overall production plant in a configuration whose economics are much less affected by environmental parameters and are almost exclusively dependent on the magnitude and productivity of the reservoir. Multiphase boosting in particular appears to be a viable solution, [1]. Additional requirements are also posed by deep water application. In such demanding conditions all aspects of the system may become decisive for both the technical feasibility and the economics of the field development. Deep water design therefore requires an integrated approach to installation, operation and maintenance. Since 1985 Agip, Snamprogetti and Nuovo Pignone have been active in the field of multiphase production and transportation.
This paper was selected for presentation by the OTC Program Committee following review of information cantained in an abstract submititi W the author(s). Contents of the PaPar, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to correction by the author(s). The matarial, as prasented, dms not necessarily raffacf mv oosltlon of the Offshore Tachno{ocw Con fare"ce or its officers. Permission to copy ISrastrlcted to an abstract of not mom than 300 words, Illustrations may not ba coplad. The abstract -..,r. . ..-.should mntaln conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom tha paper is presented. ABSTRACTThe subsea multiphase production -based on the transportation over long distance of the untreated oil-well fluids (oil, water and gas) -is expected to be one of the most efficient tool for economic exploitation of deep offshore and marginal fields.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.