A low-cost deepwater gas development solution using subsea dehydration
Richard Moore A and Ian Long BA SubCool Technologies Pty Ltd.
B INTECSEA, WorleyParsons Group.
The APPEA Journal 56(2) 604-604 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ15110
Published: 2016
Abstract
Existing solutions for deepwater gas are being challenged in the present economic environment. Surface solutions result in large facilities that are heavy and costly to build. Additionally, subsea solutions are also challenged when confronted with long distance tie-backs. A new approach has emerged—a hybrid sales gas subsea process using subsea dehydration.
Existing subsea gas developments rely on either adding chemicals or heat and insulation to avoid hydrate formation. This has been very successful across short to medium tie-back distances and relatively shallow waters. Across longer distances and deeper waters, however, it can prove far less efficient and more costly—this is not the standard method to process gas either onshore or on platforms.
The main way to avoid hydrates is to remove the water. Gas dehydration is a standard process operation in surface facilities. This technology now exists in the subsea environment. Active cooling is used to remove the bulk of the water above the hydrate formation temperature. A Sales Gas Subsea process is then used to produce a dry single-phase gas. Power generation and condensate export (if needed) is provided by a simple low-pressure floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) or equivalent surface facility. This process, together with an innovative hybrid development concept, is described in this extended abstract. For many gas fields, this concept can deliver a 20–40% cost reduction at an acceptable project risk.
Richard Moore is the founder and CEO of SubCool Technologies Pty Ltd. He has more than 30 years of experience in the international oil and gas industry. Richard began his career in the mid 1980s with Esso-BHP on the Bass Strait fields. Later, he moved to the UK where he worked for BP, BG, and Granherne-KBR. Richard returned to Australia in 2001 where he worked with Woodside until 2011. Subsequently he established his own consultancy and worked with the engineering contractor, Fluor, before returning as founder of SubCool Technologies Pty Ltd. Richard has both a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Melbourne, and an MBA from London Business School. |
Ian Long is Principal Consultant at INTECSEA, WorleyParsons Group. Ian has total of 28 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry in a wide range of roles from Study and Project Manager, Director of Technology, Process Chief/Department Manager, Operations Principle Process Engineer. His experiences include oil and gas processing, LNG, and field development studies that include topsides and subsea developments, and he has worked internationally in the UK, Thailand, Australia, China, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan. Ian has a degree in chemical engineering from Aston University, UK, and is a chartered member of the IChemE. |
