The Low Motion FPSO (LM-FPSO); a Novel SCR and TTR Friendly Floater

摘要

In the development of remote offshore oil and gas fields with minimal or no infra-structure, the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel is the preferred solution. Steel Catenary Risers (SCRs) are the preferred solution in wet-tree applications due to their simplicity, robustness and low capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) compared to other riser options. Also, Top Tensioned Risers (TTRs) have their well-known advantages in allowing direct vertical access to production wells and hence enhanced recovery. However, due to its relatively high dynamic motion, FPSO is not a feasible host for SCRs or TTRs in most environments. In this paper a novel Low Motion FPSO (LM-FPSO) design with the ability to host TTRs and SCRs is presented and evaluated for applications in deep-water field developments. The paper presents detailed description of this novel design and its in-service performance. A case study is presented where the LM- FPSO is used in harsh environment to support TTRs and SCRs to demonstrate their feasibility. The identified risks and associated mitigations for the new design compared to the conventional FPSO are investigated and reported. The paper includes discussions on the project execution plan and cost benefits when developing fields using this novel design.