Joint industry project seeks to advance subsea standardization

摘要

Subsea production systems are an integral part of FPSO and other floater-based field developments, as well as for new tie-ins to old installations. Over the past 15 years, subsea technology has moved from subsea wells, manifolds, flowlines, and templates, to include subsea boosting, separation, and now compression. In the near future, deepwater wells will require more complex subsea equipment. Looking further ahead, the industry expects to see automated production entirely located on the seabed, piping oil and gas directly to shore through the "subsea factory" concept. The recent downturn in the oil and gas market has led to a greater focus on cost efficiency. Though cost has always been an integral part of offshore field development, falling oil prices have forced the subsea industry to reassess what counts as best practice in the manufacturing and employment of subsea equipment. To this end, the industry has begun a series of joint industry projects (JIPs), led by DNV GL, to set guidelines and recommended practices in five areas: re-engineering, workovers, component catalogues, compliance with established standards, and standardized documentation. A sixth JIP, dealing with specifications for forgings, has already resulted in a new recommended practice.