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will be stored
within the vessel's 14 storage tanks. These tanks have a capacity ranging from over 50,000 barrels to
nearly 78,000 barrels. The biggest tanks are 27m x 17m x 26m high.
The Terra Nova FPSO is double hulled - providing double containment. The oil cargo tanks are
located within the inside hull, and are surrounded by a series of ballast tanks, which contain
seawater. The FPSO's storage tanks can store up to 960,000 barrels and have a heating system to
help prevent any build up of wax in the tanks.
To move oil to market from the Terra Nova field, oil is transported by a shuttle-tanker capable of
storing 850,000 barrels of oil. However, oil must first be moved from the FPSO into the shuttle
tanker via the vessel's offloading system - designed for wave 'significant' heights of up to about five
metres (16.5 feet).
When it is time to transfer oil, the shuttle tanker positions itself about 70 metres behind the FPSO.
The FPSO then sends a messenger line toward the tanker. Attached to this line is a mooring line
known as the Mooring Hawser and an Offloading Hose - a hose 20 inches in diameter that transports
the oil from the FPSO to the tanker.
Once the offloading hose is securely connected to the tanker, and the vessels meet a series of safety
checks and balances, the transfer of oil can begin. Fuel is pumped from the FPSO's storage tanks into
two export pipes, through the export line to the Offloading Hose. Crude flows through the
Offloading Hose at a rate of up to 50,000 barrels per hour.
During the transfer, the oil passes through what is known as the Export Oil Fiscal Metering Package.
This allows the Terra Nova owners to calculate the amount of crude offloaded and available for sale
in the market.
It will take about 24 hours to transfer a full load of crude from the FPSO to the tanker.
The Terra Nova FPSO is a sophisticated ocean-going oil production installation. From
dynamic positioning to fresh water generators, numerous state-of-the-art systems and
features have been designed into the vessel to make it as safe and efficient as possible.
Staying on station
A redundant Dynamic Positioning (DP) system is used to help the FPSO maintain position,
monitoring the heading of the vessel, its side-to-side and fore and aft movements. The
vessel's location is constantly monitored by two independent global positioning satellite
systems, and a Hydro-Acoustic Position Reference (HPR) system, which receives location
signals from six transponders on the seabed.
The vessel is equipped with five powerful thrusters (five megawatts each), which can be
used to keep the FPSO within two to three metres of a given set point. This is especially
important during operations to connect the FPSO with the spider buoy, and when offloading
oil to a shuttle tanker.
Maintaining balance
The FPSO's ballast system works in conjunction with its oil cargo system. The more oil that
is stored in the inner storage tanks, the less ballast water is kept in the outer hull, and viceversa. Vessel Control Systems operators keep a close eye on the amount of oil and water
being stored and where it is located.
Terra Nova plans to keep the FPSO at an operating draught of between 12.5 and 18.5
metres providing optimum stability to the vessel, as well as keeping the deck high out of the
water. When the FPSO is carrying a full load of crude, it will weigh approximately 200,000
tonnes.
Closely related to the oil cargo system is the Inert Gas system. This system burns diesel
fuel to produce an oxygen deficient air which can be stored on top of oil in the cargo tanks,
providing an extra measure of safety by preventing the build up of combustible fumes in the
tanks.
Generating power
The turbine generators are the main source of power for the FPSO. Each of these
generators can produce 40 megawatts of power, which is enough power for 50,000 homes.
Shortly after first oil, the generators will be fueled by gas from the Terra Nova field. The
generators are also capable of running on any combination of field gas and diesel.
Converting salt water into fresh water
The FPSO uses between 20 to 30 cubic metres of water a day, mainly in the
accommodations complex for showers and for operations in the galley. While some of this
water will be loaded from supply vessels, the FPSO can provide its own water, through two
fresh water generators that convert salt water into fresh water. The combined efforts of
these generators can provide 50 cubic metres of water - about twice the daily amount
needed for the FPSO.
Heating the vessel
The FPSO also has a specialized Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system
that provides temperature control and air circulation. In an emergency, the HVAC system
will provide for internal circulation of air to the Temporary Safe Refuge (TSR) area for two
hours.
The Terra Nova project is pioneering subsea technology on the Grand Banks. Advances
include the use of 'glory holes' - depressions in the seabed to protect subsea equipment
from scouring icebergs. It also has the world's largest disconnectable turret that will allow
the FPSO to halt production and leave the area if threatened by ice or icebergs.
Offshore interfaces
When the Terra Nova FPSO arrives at its offshore site, it will connect to the spider buoy,
which is approximately 20 metres in diameter and weighs over 1 300 tonnes. The spider
buoy is connected to a series of flexible pipelines, called risers, which will deliver oil, gas
and water to and from the FPSO.
The Terra Nova FPSO has four main topsides modules - the M02 water injection module,
the M03 separation and high pressure compression module, the M04 produced
water/glycol module, and the M05 separation and low pressure/ medium pressure
compression module.
In addition to containing modules that process and separate the oil, gas and water
produced from the wells, the topsides structures also include the turret assembly, the flare
tower, the power generation module, the offloading reel, and the platform cranes.
Once reservoir fluids enter the FPSO, it moves up through the turret and into the topsides
modules. In the separation and compression modules, the fluids are separated into oil,
water and gas streams. The processed oil is then routed to the vessel's storage tanks, from
where it will eventually be loaded onto tankers and shipped to market.
The separated water and gas streams will undergo further treatment. The produced water
will be cleaned and routed to the ocean. The gas may go back through the turret to be reinjected into the well or reservoir to aid in oil recovery. Additionally, some of the gas will be
used to run machinery on the FPSO, such as the boilers and power generation modules. In
the event of a process upset or shutdown when the gas compressors are not running, a
small portion of the gas could be burned off through a flare tower located at the rear of the
vessel.
Modules M02, M04, the flare tower and miscellaneous deck assemblies were built at the
Bull Arm Fabrication Site, where the power generation module was also assembled. The
M03 and M05 modules were constructed in Scotland. The modules, which weigh up to 2
200 tonnes each, were lifted onto the FPSO at Bull Arm in late May and early June by the
heavy lift crane Asian Hercules II.
Terra Nova's flare tower is among the largest ever built, rising 100 metres from the rear
deck of the vessel. In fact, a counterbalance was required to keep the flare structure upright
when it was being lifted onto the FPSO.
The turret is the mooring point for the FPSO as well as the interface between the subsea
systems and the topsides modules. It serves as a connecting point between the FPSO and
the subsea systems, and is the pathway for getting oil from the reservoir into the vessel.
Water and gas, used for injection into the reservoir, will also leave the vessel through pipes
in the turret.
Weighing more than 4 000 tonnes with an overall height of 70 metres, the Terra Nova turret
is the largest disconnectable turret mooring system ever built. Constructed to operate in the
harsh North Atlantic environment to cope with hazards such as icebergs, it is composed of
the upper turret, lower turret and spider buoy.
The spider buoy - approximately 20 metres in diameter and weighing over 1 300 tonnes,
supports nine anchor chains and up to 19 risers.
When connected to the spider buoy, the Terra Nova turret is stationary. Specialized
bearings allow the FPSO to rotate, or 'weathervane', around the turret, so that the front of
the vessel is always facing into the wind. In an emergency situation, the FPSO can
disconnect in about 15 minutes. If the FPSO must disconnect, the spider buoy settles into a
mid-water depth - ready to reconnect when the FPSO returns.
The lower turret provides the connection with the spider buoy and includes winches and
other equipment needed to maintain the connection between the FPSO and the spider
buoy.
The upper turret houses a collection of manifolds, hydraulic and electrical control
equipment, as well as the swivel stack. The swivel stack serves as the interface between
the subsea production system and the topsides processing and storage system. The
swivels form a series of fluid flow paths which connect to piping on the FPSO itself. These
swivels allow fluids or electrical signals to move back and forth from the subsea to the
topsides while permitting the vessel to rotate around the turret.
Mooring Systems
A significant proportion of UKCS hydrocarbon reserves
are produced by turret moored FPSOs which will remain
permanently on location for periods between five and 25
years. Over the years, mooring line quality control has
improved significantly and designs have evolved to
minimise the consequences of possible failure.
However, many different types of mooring system are
used in UK waters today, and approaches to their inspection, repair and replacement can
vary from company to company. UKOOA is keen to identify which management procedures
are the most effective, so that the highest standards of safety and operation may be
promoted across the whole of the industry.
In April 2001, UKOOA commissioned Noble Denton Europe Ltd to look into the design,
construction and operation of mooring systems over the last five years, including seabed
anchors, mooring lines, the turret interface and associated systems such as winches and
thrusters. The work includes recommendations for improving mooring system integrity.
What is an FPSO?
An FPSO is a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit and is just one of a range of
different types of floating systems used by the offshore oil and gas industry today. It is
similar in appearance to a ship but is designed quite differently and carries on board all the
necessary production and processing facilities normally associated with a fixed oil and gas
platform, but with the addition of storage tanks for the crude oil recovered from the wells on
the seabed below. It is moored permanently on location and is connected to the wells
below by flexible risers.
Click on the picture below to view it in full:
Sea, which came on stream in July 2001and BG's Blake field which is linked by pipeline
(known as a "tie-back" system) to Talisman's existing FPSO facility on the Ross field.
Amerada Hess used FPSO technology in the North Sea with the commissioning of the
Petrojarl I in the early 1990s to produce oil from the small Angus field. Interestingly, new
production technology has given Angus a fresh lease of life and after lying dormant for
eight years, it has been redeveloped and oil has once again started to flow. This time,
production is tied-back by pipeline to another FPSO, the Uisge Gorm, which already
services the Fife, Fergus and Flora fields 18 km away to the south east.
In the remote, deep waters to the west of Shetland, two floating facilities produce oil from
BPs' Schiehallion and Foinaven fields respectively, the only fields currently in production in
the Atlantic Margin.
The following is a list of the FPSOs and FPS operating on the UKCS today:
Operator
Field
AGIP
Conoco
Texaco
Amerada
Hess
Shell
BP
Kerr-McGee
Kerr-McGee
Kerr-McGee
Conoco
Enterprise
Talisman
BP
Shell
Balmoral
Banff
Captain
Chestnut
Amerada Hess
Curlew
Foinaven
Gryphon
Janice
Leadon
MacCulloch
Pierce
Ross
Schiehallion
Teal, Teal South and
Guillemot A
Triton - Bittern,
Guillemot West &
North West
Type of floating
system
FPS
FPS
FPSO
FPS
Installation Date
FPSO
FPSO
FPSO
FPS
FPSO
FPSO
FPS
FPSO
FPSO
FPSO
September 1997
November 1996
September 1993
February 1999
September 2001
April 1997
February 1999
March 1999
July 1998
August 1996
FPSO
March 2000
June 1986
January 1999
December 1996
July 2001
FPSO - HULL
The bare hull was built in Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Korea and moved out
of dry dock in July 1999. It will be able to store two million barrels of crude oil and support
processes with a capacity of 200,000b/d. It has an overall length of 300m, a moulded
breadth of 59.5m, a moulded depth of 30.5m and a design draught of 22.77m. The design
life of the hull is 20 years without dry docking.
Current deadweight is 343,000t which includes 98% of cargo capacity and 50% of slop
tanks.
The hull features a double-sided construction with 12 ballast wing tanks measuring 7m
wide, as well as two fore-peak and two aft-peak ballast tanks. In total, it has 12 cargo tanks.
TOPSIDES
The main contractor, MAR Profundo Girassol - a joint venture between ETPM and
Buoygues - originally subcontracted to build the integrated deck at Fos-sur-Mer in France.
It has since re-awarded the contract to Hyundai. This deck is 180m long by 60m wide. It
weighs approximately 20,000t.
It contains living quarters, oil treatment, storage, metering and offloading, gas treatment
and reinjection facilities.
The process deck is located 7m above the deck of the hull. It contains facilities for
produced water treatment at a flow rate of 180,000BPD as well as facilities for 3 million
m3/day gas lift, 8 million m3/d gas compression at 285 bars, and gas dehydration.
ACCOMODATION
The living quarters unit is located at the aft end of the hull and is designed to accommodate
140 people in 80 cabins.
HOOK-UP
The integrated deck will be transferred to the hull, and the hook-up of the hull/topsides as
well as the pre-commissioning will be complete.
MOORING
The FPSO will be towed from Korea to the Girassol Field, offshore Angola, where the risers
and umbilicals will be installed and connected ready for commissioning and for first oil.
The FPSO will be spread-moored with 16 lines, four at each corner. The anchor lines will
be a composite assembly of chains and cables connected to 16 suction anchors.
RISERS AND UMBILICALS
The east side of the FPSO will be designed to receive the umbilicals and risers from three
riser towers. Each of the riser towers will be connected to the FPSO by a riser. In addition,
ten umbilicals will be connected to the base of the riser towers. The west side of the FPSO
is designed to receive further risers and umbilicals if needed.
OFFLOADING
The FPSO is designed for two offloading systems, one for normal operation with a buoy,
one as back-up offloading, in tandem.
Both systems are located at the bow of the FPSO.
The main offloading system includes a loading buoy, located approximately one mile away
from the bow of the FPSO. This can accommodate tankers from 80,000 to 400,000DWT,
with a nominal offloading rate of 6,000m3/h through two rigid steel catenary 16in lines.
The tandem offloading is a conventional system with a mooring hawser assembly and
handling system, and an offloading hose and its handling system. It is designed to
accommodate tankers up to 200,000DWT at a nominal offloading rate of 8000m3/hour.
The field will come on-stream in 2001.
The Seaway Eagle will carry out most of the installation work on the Girassol field.
A CAD detail of the top of the riser tower (left) and the riser tower on the seabed
(right).