Redeployable Subsea Manifold Riser System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high costs associated with offshore hydrocarbon production, particularly in deepwater locations with small or dispersed reserves, make traditional subsea production methods economically challenging due to the need for extensive and expensive drilling and production equipment.
Innovation Solution
A redeployable subsea manifold-riser system that allows for the relocation of a subsea manifold module and marine riser from one production location to another using a marine riser as both a running and retrieval tool, with a tensioning means to maintain tension and a flexible fluid connector for directing fluids to a floating production unit, enabling efficient redeployment and reuse of equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional subsea production equipment is installed at each production location, then reliable fluid production is achieved, but the unit cost of development becomes prohibitively high due to extensive equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The subsea manifold module is designed as a universal piece of equipment that can be deployed at multiple production locations sequentially. The same manifold module serves different wells at different locations over time, eliminating the need to install new equipment at each site and significantly reducing the unit cost of development while maintaining reliable production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables recovery and reuse of the subsea manifold module after completion at one location. The manifold is retrieved from the first production location and redeployed to a second location, transforming a disposable installation approach into a recoverable and reusable asset model that reduces overall development costs.
2Productivity
If expensive drilling and production equipment is deployed for deepwater locations, then adequate production capacity is achieved, but cost exposure increases significantly in the event of poor reservoir production outcome
Solution Approach 1:
By designing the subsea manifold module as a multi-functional, relocatable asset, the system allows a single piece of expensive equipment to serve multiple production locations. This reduces the total number of units needed and lowers cost exposure per location, while maintaining adequate production capacity through sequential deployment across different sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic flexibility by enabling the manifold module to be moved from one location to another based on production outcomes. This dynamic approach allows operators to adapt to poor reservoir performance at a given location by relocating equipment rather than being locked into a fixed, high-cost installation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the marine riser is used as both a running tool and retrieval tool, then equipment redeployment is enabled, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The marine riser is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the running tool for deploying the subsea manifold module to the ocean floor and as the retrieval tool for recovering the module for redeployment. This multi-functionality enables equipment redeployment while managing system complexity by using a single versatile component rather than separate specialized tools.
Data Source
AI summary
A subsea manifold-riser system is redeployed from a first production location to a second production location. A manifold module is lowered to the ocean floor at the first production location using a marine riser as a running tool by adding threaded pipe sections to the upper end of the marine riser. The manifold module is raised from the ocean floor at the first production location for redeployment at the second production location using the marine riser as a retrieval tool by removing threaded pipe sections from the upper end of the marine riser.