NEWS


110km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the southern Campos Basin. Wärtsilä’s vice president for offshore, Magnus


Miemois, said: “It is significant that Wärtsilä’s technology has been selected for this important project to harness these offshore oil and gas production resources. Since the engines can run on treated well gas or treated crude, as well as MDO (marine diesel oil) virtually no MDO will need to be shipped to the P-63. Tis will notably reduce operating costs. Furthermore, this efficient gas-fired power solution will also have significantly lower levels of CO2


emissions compared to conventional


technologies. In real terms, it is estimated that the levels of carbon emissions will be reduced by as much as 93,000tonnes per year.”


testing activities being undertaken by leading energy operators worldwide to determine the commercial nature of their reservoirs. The importance of well testing to determine the


nature of reservoirs has become even more critical lately as ultra-deepwater exploration with pre-salt fields now has operators exploring in water depths surpassing 3048m (10,000ft). Not only is the depth a challenge but also the complexity of the reservoir structures. A vessel or mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)


with the equipment and capabilities to engage in well testing, either short-term or extended, is key in gathering onsite data to determine the size and quantity of the hydrocarbon potential. Testing onboard these units is usually performed


to determine the size, viability and optimum production capabilities of a field under exploration. With a processing plant onboard, a well test vessel can salvage the products from the well by separating the oil, water and gas and processing the oil to refinery standards. ABS vice president of Energy Development,


Wärtsilä’s main power modules for Quip (Credit: Wärtsilä Corporation).


Designed and produced by Wärtsilä, each power


module will include two 18-cylinder 50DF tri-fuel engines in V-configuration, as well as alternators and all required auxiliary equipment. Te 323,000dwt ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC), the


BW Nisa, will be utilised for the P-63 project. BW Offshore will deliver the marine scope of the FPSO conversion, including the hull, the offloading systems, and mooring equipment. QUIP will provide the topsides facilities on the P-63 to process approximately 140,000bopd of crude oil, 35mmscfd, and 325,000bpd of produced water. Facilities to inject approximately 340,000bpd of seawater will also be also included. QUIP and BW Offshore will jointly operate the FPSO for a period of three years with a gradual handover to Petrobras.


Regulations


MODUs notation Leading offshore classification society ABS has issued a series of notations in support of critical well


ABS issues well test 8


Kenneth Richardson, said: “Well test vessels, especially those on station for an extended period of time, are relatively sophisticated vessels so this notation now provides a testament to their capability. In terms of systems you have to consider well control equipment, process pressure vessels, piping and electrical components, control systems, burners and gas flares and burners and flare booms.” The ABS Guide for Well Test Systems takes into


account the different scenarios during the life of the vessel or unit with flexibility to cover the surface systems and equipment safety aspects. Guidance is provided for both permanent well test systems (well test systems installed onboard for at least 30 months are considered permanent, Well Test Service) and temporary well test systems (well test systems installed onboard for less than 30 months, WT-TEMP). The Guide also offers a notation to those vessels or units designed to perform well test activities but the well test systems have not yet been installed on board, WT-Ready. Outfitting vessels or units for well testing means


close attention to issues such as the deck structure so that the deck is appropriately reinforced to support the well test systems. This includes the crude storage tank structure permanently installed onboard and designated for crude storage during well testing operations in compliance with applicable class structural requirements, hazardous areas for electrical equipment created by the presence of hydrocarbons and spill containment provided in areas which may be subject to hydrocarbon


Offshore Marine Technology 3rd Quarter 2010


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