Offshore Engineering and Production

Offshore Engineering and Production

This book includes every aspect of today’s offshore exploration and production: virtually every element of equipment used and each phase of the procedures, various specifications and relevant regulations, etc are covered in understandable terms. It should be a permanent part of every engineer's baggage, and it will be as valuable to the experienced engineer as to the new recruit. Today's offshore engineer must carry out an enormous range of tasks and so a full appreciation of the industry is an essential prerequisite to success.

Foreword
The Author
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Glossary
Standards, Guidance Notes and Codes of Practice

1 Introduction and Background
1.1 Worldwide Oil and Gas Production – Perspective
1.2 Field Developments – Field Size
1.3 Reserves
1.4 Oil and Gas Prices

2 Offshore Structures and Support Vessels
2.1 Offshore Structures
2.1.1 Fixed Steel Structures
2.1.2 Concrete Gravity Base Structure (GBS)
2.1.3 Tension Leg Platform (TLP)
2.1.4 Semi-Submersible Vessel (Semi-Sub)
2.1.5 Floating Production Systems (FPS)
2.1.6 Self-Elevating Jack-Up
2.1.7 Single Point Mooring (SPM)
2.2 Support Vessels
2.2.1 The Offshore Supply Boat
2.2.2 Standby Vessels
2.3 Offshore Installation Descriptions
2.4 Fixed Steel Structures – Installation
2.4.1 Construction
2.4.2 Load Out and Transportation
2.4.3 Installation
2.4.4 Piling Operations
2.4.5 Topside Installation
2.4.6 Abandonment
2.4.7 RWE DEA UK ‘Cavendish’ Installation

3 Safety Systems
3.1 Fire-Fighting Equipment
3.1.1 Equipment Approval
3.1.2 Guidance Notes and Standards
3.1.3 Active Fire Protection
3.1.4 Portable Fire-Fighting Equipment
3.1.5 Helideck Fire-Fighting Equipment
3.1.6 Remote Stops and Closing Devices
3.2 Passive Fire Protection
3.2.1 Fire Divisions – Designations
3.2.2 Fire Divisions – Penetrations
3.2.3 Draught Stops
3.2.4 Furnishings
3.2.5 New Developments
3.3 Life-Saving Appliances
3.3.1 Life-Saving Equipment
3.3.2 Lifeboats
3.3.3 Liferafts
3.3.4 Descent Devices
3.3.5 Lifejackets and Personal Survival Equipment
3.3.6 Lifebuoys
3.3.7 Maintenance
3.4 Navigational Aids – Fixed Offshore Installations
3.4.1 Visual Navigation Aids
3.4.2 Audible Navigational Aids
3.4.3 Navigation Aids Failure
3.4.4 Helideck Illumination
3.4.5 Identification Panels
3.5 Hazardous Areas
3.5.1 Hazardous Areas and their Determination
3.5.2 Ventilation Systems and Machinery in Hazardous Areas
3.5.3 Hazardous Area Equipment
3.6 Emergency Systems
3.6.1 Emergency Shutdown System (ESD)
3.6.2 Process ESD Valves
3.6.3 Gas Detection
3.6.4 Fire Detection
3.6.5 Containment Systems
3.6.6 Fire Loop
3.6.7 Emergency Shutdown Valves – Pipelines
3.6.8 Guidance Notes and Reference Standards
3.7 Deepwater Horizon – Impact for the Industry
3.7.1 Background
3.7.2 The National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling
3.7.3 The Events Leading up to the Incident
3.7.4 Analysis of the Incident
3.7.5 The First Changes After the Incident

4 Piping Systems and Process Pressure Vessels
4.1 Piping Systems
4.1.1 Hydrocarbon Process
4.1.2 Utility Systems
4.2 Process Pressure Vessels
4.2.1 Gas/Oil (Condensate)/Water Separators
4.2.2 Gas/Liquid Separators
4.2.3 Oil/Water Separators
4.2.4 Holding Tanks
4.3 Piping and Pressure Vessel Design
4.3.1 Piping Systems – Installation and Layout
4.3.2 Piping Systems – Design
4.3.3 Pipeline System – Design
4.3.4 Pressure Vessels – Design
4.4 Piping Systems – Construction
4.4.1 Piping Classes
4.4.2 Pipe Materials
4.4.3 Fittings
4.4.4 Valves
4.4.5 Bolting
4.4.6 Pressure Testing
4.4.7 Pipeline Testing
4.4.8 Golden Welds
4.4.9 Pipeline Commissioning

5 Oil and Gas Production
5.1 Gas Production
5.1.1 Wellheads
5.1.2 Slug Catcher
5.1.3 Meter Run and Test Separator
5.1.4 Production Header
5.1.5 Production Separator
5.1.6 Heat Exchanger
5.1.7 Glycol Contactor (or Absorption Tower)
5.1.8 Discharge Header
5.1.9 Export Line
5.1.10 The Liquid Process
5.2 Oil Production
5.2.1 The Oil Process
5.2.2 Improvement in Oil Production
5.2.3 Associated Gas
5.3 Enhanced Oil Recovery and the Oil Drive Mechanism
5.3.1 The Oil Drive Mechanism
5.3.2 Enhanced Oil Recovery Systems
5.3.3 Water Injection
5.3.4 Minox De-Oxygenation System
5.3.5 Gas Injection
5.3.6 Gas Lift
5.3.7 The Deepwell/Submergible Pump

6 Underwater Engineering
6.1 Diving
6.1.1 Air Diving
6.1.2 Saturation Diving
6.1.3 Equipment
6.1.4 Vessels
6.2 Underwater Surveys
6.2.1 Splash Zone Visual Inspection
6.2.2 Swimaround Survey
6.2.3 Non-Destructive Examination
6.2.4 Flooded Member Survey
6.2.5 Marine Growth Measurement
6.2.6 Scour Survey
6.2.7 Cathodic Protection Examination
6.2.8 Differential Settlement Survey
6.2.9 Air Gap Measurement
6.3 Subsea Wells
6.3.1 Subsea Development Options
6.3.2 Subsea Wells
6.4 Subsea Developments
6.4.1 Subsea Separation
6.4.2 Multiphase Pumping and Metering

7 Drilling
7.1 Introduction
7.1.1 The Formation of Oil and Gas
7.1.2 Exploration
7.2 The Well
7.2.1 Well Construction
7.2.2 The Cement Job
7.3 Equipment
7.3.1 Drilling Derrick
7.3.2 The Drill String
7.3.3 Drilling Mud
7.4 Operations
7.4.1 The Drill Crew
7.4.2 Making Hole
7.5 Well Control Equipment
7.5.1 The Diverter
7.5.2 The Blowout Preventer
7.5.3 BOP Operations
7.6 Drill Ship Equipment
7.7 Deviated Wells
7.7.1 Directional Drilling Techniques
7.7.2 Horizontal Wells
7.7.3 Geosteering
7.7.4 Multi-Lateral Wells

8 Component Parts
8.1 The Christmas Tree
8.1.1 Solid Block Christmas Tree
8.1.2 Wellhead Control Panel
8.1.3 Gate Valves and Actuators
8.1.4 Horizontal Trees
8.2 The Surface Wellhead
8.2.1 Base Plate/Landing Ring
8.2.2 Starting Head
8.2.3 Casing Head Spools
8.2.4 Tubing Head Spool
8.2.5 Christmas Tree
8.3 Mudline Suspension Systems – (MLSS)
8.3.1 Pre-Drilling of Wells
8.3.2 Subsea Wells
8.4 Mudline Safety Valve
8.5 The Production Packer

9 Well Maintenance
9.1 Wireline Operations
9.1.1 Wireline Equipment
9.1.2 Wireline Tool String
9.1.3 Wireline Operations
9.2 Workover Operations
9.2.1 Well Stimulation
9.2.2 Well Modifications

Appendices
Appendix I – Structural Steel
Appendix II – Welding
Appendix III – Non-Destructive Examination
Appendix IV – Units of Measurements
Appendix V – Table of Line Pipe Dimensions
Appendix VI – UK Legislation Index