Major Tchnical and Regulztory Issues for Monohull Floating Production Systems in the Gulf of Mexico

摘要

Monohull based production platforms are the msot widely used floating production systems worldwide. They are proven as a reiable workhorse and have provided the industry with a commercially attractive platform for producing large and small offshore oil developments in most major offshore producing regions. The ship-shsaped monohull offers low cost "real estate" for production facilities, and its integrated storage and offloading feature eliminates the oil export pipeline. STo date an FPSO has not been employed in the US GUlf of Mexico because of the extnesive infrastructure of existing host platforms and pipelines on the cpontinental shelf. Howver, in recent OCS lease sales, poperators have acquired vast, undeveloped acreage that is incresingly remote from this infrastructure. Beoyond the shelf, the potential for a low capital cost platform and elimination of, what can be a cripplingly expensive oil export trunkline, has many operators considering FPSOs to develop these remote, deepwater prospects. This paper that the industry (rgulators, operators, contractors) must collectively address prior to introducing the first FPSO into the US Gulf of Mexico.