Preliminary Technical Agenda

Keynotes

A keynote presentation will address global energy demand scenarios and how these may impact the supply of hydrocarbons from field developments where subsea processing can be applied.

Session I: Boosting

Session Managers: Henning Gruehagen, Rune Mode Ramberg

This session will provide an overview of the ‘whys and ‘how-tos’ of subsea boosting, based on concrete examples of technology applications. Experience gained with implementing and operating these technologies will be shared, using case studies to promote discussion.

Key drivers for, and hurdles against selecting subsea boosting over other EOR methods will be reviewed, followed by a summary of the experience gained from greenfield and brownfield subsea boosting applications.

Acknowledging that subsea gas boosting may be the next technology on the horizon, the session will also give a brief overview of the status of this technology, and discuss the hurdles to be overcome before it becomes an accepted part of the subsea toolbox.

Session II: Processing

Session Managers: Knut Nyborg, Tim Whitaker

In this session the experiences gained from the operation of subsea separation equipment will be presented and key lessons learned identified. Case studies of oil/water separation with produced water injection, and gas/liquid separation with liquid boosting will be presented and discussed.

For both types of system the drivers, benefits and alternatives will be reviewed. Discussion will also focus on how to ensure the required water injection quality and how to challenge future injection water quality requirements.

Discussion will be encouraged around functionality; fabrication; installation; operation maintenance and retrieval issues.

Session III: Power

Session Managers: Richard Kopps, Martin Sorensen

This session will focus on subsea power systems and the associated challenges with power transmission and distribution. There is a need to discuss the key drivers for, and hurdles against using this technology. Some of the key questions to be answered include, “Why do we need subsea power distribution? Are the advantages worth the investment? What are the future applications for the technology – is it an enabler or enhancer?”

There are many technical challenges related to the application of the technology. Discussion will focus on how to better understand the trade-offs for various solutions based on cost, performance, and reliability. The question whether we are jumping to DC technology before the AC ”infancy” stage is over will be addressed and the session will also investigate how to assess and define the current and future operational limits of subsea power systems.

Session IV: Qualification/Testing/Risk Reduction

Session Managers: Tracy Fowler, John Vicic

This session will address questions surrounding qualification, testing, and reducing the risk of new subsea processing technologies. For example, “What do we mean by qualified? What are the practical limits of qualification? Where can we test equipment, and to what extent? How do we assess risk? How effective are existing standards and where are standards lacking?”

The session will examine how operators, suppliers, contractors and regulators are handling qualification and testing of subsea processing equipment and mitigating the associated technical, schedule and commercial risks throughout a project. The session will also address the availability and capability of testing facilities for development and qualification of subsea processing hardware. Discussions will focus on the possibility for developing common industry guidelines for testing and qualification and acceptance of subsea processing equipment that can facilitate more rapid acceptance and deployment by operators worldwide.

Session V: The Next Steps–Actions that can be taken over the next 3 years

Session Managers: Simon Davies, Frank Pattee

To conclude the workshop, attendees will identify near-term barriers and opportunities relative to deployment of subsea boosting and processing systems.

The emphasis in this session will be on identifying opportunities and actions that can be realised within 3 years. This will be accomplished through facilitated breakout sessions. Session Five will build on the findings from earlier sessions in this Workshop and the 2008 workshop.