With global demand on the rise, oil and gas companies are venturing into deeper water to find new reserves. For this deep and ultra-deep oceanic exploration, the industry is increasingly turning to Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels as a safe and economical option for hydrocarbon production, processing, and storage. More than 170 FPSOs currently operate worldwide with more expected to go into service over the next few years. The challenging environment in which these complex offshore energy assets operate requires safe and reliable systems that ensure continued production. Instituting appropriate independent inspection and certification regimens protects the substantial investment these vessels represent. FPSOs are offshore production facilities with both processing equipment and storage tanks below decks. Typically, FPSOs gather oil and gas from subsea production wells through a series of in-field pipelines which transport the hydrocarbons to the FPSO on the ocean surface. Processing equipment similar to that found on a traditional production platform then completes water separation, gas treatment, oil processing, water injection, and gas compression operations. Crude oil is stored onboard until it can be transferred to a tanker or a pipeline for transport. Gas produced at the FPSO is either transferred to shore through a pipeline or re-injected into the field to boost production.
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