Deepwater, HP/HT challenge design

摘要

As separate operational environments, deepwater and HP/HT present difficult problems. The combination is the "greatest technological and regulatory challenge to the oil and gas industry today." Since 2000, more oil has been produced in the deepwater of the Gulf of Mexico than in shallower water. As onshore and shallow water developments mature, activity is moving not only into deeper waters, but increasingly into high pressure/high temperature (HP/HT) environments. In these deepwater HP/HT environments, the technologies currently in use for exploration and production may have limited applicability. Indeed, the US Minerals Management Service calls HP/HT development the "greatest technological and regulatory challenge to the oil and gas industry today."