OTC 16561 Subsea gas compression - A future option

Bernt Bjerkreim, Norsk Hydro ASA

Copyright 2004, Offshore Technology Conference This paper was prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 36 May 2004. This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Offshore Technology Conference or its officers. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented.

Abstract Ormen Lange is a long step-out gas field developed with gas processing facilities 120 km from the production wells. The development strategy is to deplete the reservoir. In order to maintain the production platau as long as possible and recover the anticipated gas and condensate resources, future compression is required for Ormen Lange. This paper describes the base case future compression alternative, the floating production platform. The paper also describes subsea gas compression as an alternative to the floating production platform and how the qualification strategy is outlined in order to ensure a qualified subsea gas compression system at the time of concept selection for future gas compression. Introduction Ormen Lange is a gas field located 100 km off the northwest coast of Norway on the Norwegian continental shelf, in water depth varying between 850 and 1,100 meters. The reservoir covers an area 40 km long, eight to 10 km wide and 3,000 meters below the surface. Recoverable reserves are estimated to approximately 397 billion Sm3 dry gas and 28.5 million m3 condensate. Ormen Lange is under development and production will start October 1, 2007.

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Fig. 1. Ormen Lange development

Summary The main drive mechanism for the Ormen Lange reservoir is pressure depletion. The estimated recoverable reserves are based on the use of future compression facilities for pressure boosting upstream from the onshore plant, as the reservoir pressure declines. The Ormen Lange subsea units and layout will be designed to accommodate the flexibility to evaluate and decide the type of offshore compression unit(s) at a later stage. The options considered are: Subsea compression. Topside compression on a platform. The final decision on an offshore compression concept can be postponed for a number of years after subsea production start-up of the Ormen Lange field. An evaluation of the maturity of the required technology and risk assessment for the two alternatives will be performed when required, as determined by production experience. This, in combination with pressure boosting onshore, upstream of the processing plant, will define the best timing of further compression facilities offshore. Installation of offshore compression in 2016, as indicated by this report, is therefore to be considered as an example only. Onshore compression is considered as proven technology and is therefore not described further in this report. Topside compression, represented by a semi submersible, is chosen as the base case for offshore compression.

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It should be noted that the subsea control of the gas production, MEG supply, etc., will still be from the on shore terminal CCR, even if an offshore compression platform is installed. A qualification program for the subsea compression concept is proposed executed until a decision for implementation is taken. In this report, the cost for this qualification program is included as part of the base case cost estimate. The decision for possible implementation will be taken after sufficient production experience has been obtained. Installation and commissioning, related to the semi submersible, riser towers, tie-in of production jumpers, etc., will have no minimum impact on the continued gas production from the subsea production units Design premise This section covers platform based compression, subsea compression and onshore precompression. The facility design basis describes the purpose of the future compression facility as follows: The main drive mechanism is pressure depletion. The estimated recoverable reserves are based on use of future compression facilities for pressure boosting upstream of the onshore plant, as the reservoir pressure declines. The production can be described by the following production phases: Early production o Production prior to installation of future compression facilities. o Installation of future compression facilities. o A flowing wellhead pressure of typically 140 bara is required to meet an onshore arrival pressure of 75 bara and a sales gas export rate of ~60 MSm3/sd, and this determines the time for installation of the future compression facilities. Production after installation of future compression facilities: o Onshore plant arrival pressure is maintained at 75 bara, and the sales gas export rate is maintained at ~60 MSm3/sd. Tail production: o The future compression facilities can no longer provide pressure boosting to meet an onshore arrival pressure of 75 bara and a sales gas export rate of ~60 MSm3/sd, this corresponds to a flowing wellhead pressure of typically 100 bara. o The production flow gradually decreases. o Flowing wellhead pressures continue to decrease to a pressure of typically 60 bara, which is the minimum pressure accommodated for. o Onshore plant arrival pressure is typically maintained at 75 bara (as an alternative, the onshore plant arrival pressure may also be further reduced). The design premise requirements are reflected as follows: The Ormen Lange facilities will include flexibility for installation of future compression facilities, being one or a combination of the following: o Offshore compression platform. o Subsea compression.

o Onshore booster compression upstream gas processing. Bypass of the compression facilities will be possible. Onshore pre-compression Site arrangement shall allow for installation of future onshore compression facilities for pressure boosting upstream of gas processing, to provide the possibility to accommodate potentially low onshore plant arrival pressures (i.e. considerably less than 75 bara). The required site area arrangements include reservation of space for two gas booster compressor trains (one per 30 pipeline/slug catcher arrangement), located downstream the slug catchers. Offshore compression The offshore compression will be designed to: Receive wellstream from each of the four template headers on the two initial templates (A and B), and to receive wellstream from the two future templates (C and D). Distribute compressed wellstream to each of the two 30 pipelines, with the possibility to also distribute the compressed wellstream to the third optional 30 pipeline. Offshore compression platform. The offshore compression platform will include the following (as basis for PDO): Two compressor trains only. Local (offshore) power generation. A flowing wellhead pressure of typically 100 bara corresponds to a platform top riser pressure of typically 90 bara at a sales gas export rate of ~60 MSm3/sd. A minimum flowing wellhead pressure during tail production of typically 60 bara corresponds to a minimum platform top riser pressure of typically 50 bara. Subsea compression. The subsea gas compression station(s) will include power distribution equipment. The power distribution equipment will be designed to: Receive required amount of power from the main transformer. Distribute the electrical power to all users. Individually regulate the speed of all electrical motors. The required power will be delivered at Ormen Lange with a main power cable. The power system will be designed to: Deliver required electrical power and transform down the power from the transmission voltage and down to a distribution voltage level. Supply all control functions. Enable power connection to the power distribution equipment. Enable control connection to the gas compressor station(s). Technical description onshore pre-compression No specific study has been performed for the onshore compression system. Space has been reserved in a suitable location at the plant, and conventional VSD driven gas compressors are assumed to be installed at the appropriate time. The compressors would take feed gas off the slug-catchers and no precooling would be required. The existing feed gas heaters could be converted to serve as compressor aftercoolers.

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Leadtime for design, purchase and installation of such a system will be 36 months minimum and no qualification is required. The cost for such a solution will depend on the size of the compression installed. This will be decided at the appropriate time based on production experience and market considerations. No cost has therefore been assigned to this option. Installing onshore precompression does not influence the selection of technology for offshore compression, but it delays the time when such facilities will be required. Technical description offshore compression platform The offshore compression platform has the following design data: Capacity: Gas export of 60 MSm3/d to shore. Inlet pressure*: 140 bara initially, decreasing to 70 bara with time. Export pressure*: 140 bara (fixed) at riser-top. Inlet temperature: Starting at 30 oC, decreasing with time. Export temperature: 50 oC Slug capacity: 50 m3 instantaneously. Living quarter 80 persons.
*Inlet and outlet pressure will depend on the final riser configuration and the location of the platform.

Emergency power is supplied by 2x100% diesel driven generators. Hull. The semisubmersible is a four-column structure with a quadrangular pontoon supporting the deck structure. The term "lower hull" is used to identify the hull up to the top of the columns, while the term "upper hull" means the deck structure between the top of the columns up to and including the main deck. The pontoon gives flexibility with respect to riser connection/hang-off, in addition to advantageous strength characteristics for temporary conditions (transport/mating). The cross sections of the pontoons are rectangular to ease fabrication and to improve motion characteristics through high natural damping. The pontoon height selection is based on experience from similar constructions mostly related to strength requirements. To ensure robustness with respect to longitudinal center of gravity the pontoons are made asymmetrical. The length between columns is both NS and EW c/c 66.56 meters. The column dimension is 17.92x17.92 meters with a bilge radius of 5.76 meters. Topside. The main load-carrying element of the upper hull is a rectangular box structure with the perimeter aligned with the outer edges/center bulkheads of the columns in transverse and longitudinal direction. The living quarter are a separate module supported at main deck level. Layout. The prevailing wind direction is from southwest. The living quartera (LQ) are located at the west side of the deck, with the heli-deck positioned above in the SW corner. The location of the flare is in the opposite corner from the helideck. (NE). The overall dimensions of the deck are as follows: 93.5 meters long x 66.56 meters wide. That includes the LQ and riser balcony. The total area taken up by the process is approximately 2,900 m on both main- and cellar- deck levels. This includes area taken up by walkways, future area and spare area. The upper process deck (main deck) is 8 meters above the cellar deck. The CCR and CER are located on the mezzanine deck level, directly underneath the LQ. Workshop and central stores are located close to the living quarters on the main deck level. There are direct walkways and escape routes to the lifeboats from the workshops. Good access is provided for forklift truck access to workshop and central stores. A fire/blast wall segregates the process area from the utility area. A main transport and walkway is located on both deck elevations. For vertical transport, a lift is located near the workshop and main stores. One pedestal crane is located on the south side. The duty for the pedestal crane is common laydown, and laydown for the living quarter. The crane can also be used to assist with installation of future equipment in spare areas. For vertical transport of goods down to the hull, there is one lift in both the NW and SE shafts.

The future compression platform is required when the wellhead pressure decreases so that a rate of 60 MSm3/sd to the onshore facilities can not be maintained without boosting. The topside design is based on minimum processing of the fluid. The process involves separation of the gas and liquid phases, with compression of the gas and boosting of the liquid. The gas and liquids are mixed and transported to shore in the same multiphase pipelines used prior to platform installation for further processing onshore. Bypass of the compression platform is designed for. The production rate onshore is then limited to the hydraulic capacity of the pipelines at the relevant wellhead pressure, decreasing with time. For the minimum processing platform, the focus has been to keep the process as simple as possible. A two-train configuration has been chosen due to limitation in equipment sizes. The challenge with this configuration is to have high energy efficiency throughout the lifetime of the installation. Rebundeling of the compressors is planned. The current driver chosen for each of the compressors is an LM2500+ tubine. Powerwise, the LM2500+ is too big for the initial phase and on the short side for the later phase. Future investigations will look at the possibility for making a compressor selection that by means of later rebundling, would make up two 100% units in the initial phase and two 50% units in the later phase with the higher pressure ratio. BAT evaluations will be performed in basic design with regard to overall energy efficiency. The 24 hours-a-day control and monitoring of the platform will be done from the onshore CCR. The platform CCR will normally be manned during daytime by an operator, while there are field operators around on the platform continuously accessible by wireless communication. The main power supply configuration is 2x100%, two gas turbine driven generators with LM1600 gas turbines.

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Both emergency generators and firewater-pump generators are located on the cellar deck. Process description. Due to equipment limitations (vessel sizes and compressor drivers), the main process is divided in two parallel trains. Each train is provided with a supply header connected to dedicated risers. The supply headers for the two trains are not connected. A subsea manifold system makes it possible to route the different wells to both supply headers, depending on the characteristics of the wells. The two pipelines to shore may also be operated at different pressures. The process system is designed for full shut-in pressure. HIPPS solutions are regarded feasible and will be considered in the basic engineering for this concept. Each gas train consists of a two-phase Inlet Separator, two parallel suction coolers, a suction scrubber, a gas compressor and two parallel after coolers. Each liquid train consists of a condensate booster pump and a condensate export pump. The two trains have a common set of spare pumps. Technical description subsea compression

potential templates and deliver the compressed gas to all three potential pipelines to shore. The physical interfaces between the initial Ormen Lange development and the subsea compression alternative will be the same as for the platform compression alternative. Subsea compression system layout. The two subsea gas compression stations will be positioned adjacent to the well templates. The discharge from the compression stations will be connected to a modified pigging loop located at the end of the two multiphase pipelines transporting the gas to the landbased gas processing facilities.
Subsea compression
D
2x16" 2x16"

C
20" 20"

2x16" 30" 30" 2x18" 2x18"

2x16"

Summary. Subsea gas compression is estimated to have a significantly lower investment cost than the platform compression alternative, with the same core functionality of compressing gas for transportation purposes to shore for further processing and export. A subsea compression system is not qualified. If such a system is qualified at the time of concept selection for offshore gas compression, the advantages of applying subsea gas compression can be summarized as follows: Lower investment cost. Sequential development of offshore gas compression installation and thereby staggered investment cost profile. Possibly reduced operational cost. In order to ensure fully qualified subsea compression equipment and create general confidence in such equipment by the decision makers, two years of pilot testing the subsea compression system has been proposed. Qualifying subsea gas compression might also yield potential new and more cost-effective design for the offshore platform alternative. Location for the subsea compression piloting could be at Nyhamna (dedicated test facilities) or as part of a satellite development tied back to existing infrastructure, where increased calculated risk for such a development is accepted and accounted for. Both pilot options will be explored, but the dedicated test facility at Nyhamna remains the base case option until otherwise decided. Design premise. In order to ease the comparison between platform compression and subsea compression, the subsea compression alternative will have the same basic functionality as the platform compression alternative. The subsea compression alternative will be arranged such that compression power can be utilized for the two first templates and two pipelines are installed. The arrangement will additionally have the capability to compress gas from all four

20"

20"

4x20"

25 MW Gas Compressor Template Main Transformer module

Fig. 2. Ormen Lange development including future subsea compression.

Qualification strategy. Subsea gas compression consists of the following two main parts: Subsea gas compression station. Long step-out power supply.
Technical qualification and Basic design
Selection of one contractor for piloting

Competitive tendering

Feed studies and competitive tendering

Selection of one contractor For Ormen Lange

System studies

EPC of pilot And testing

EPC of subsea compression

Information flow between contracts handled by Company

Fig. 3. Ormen Lange subsea gas compression qualification stragegy.

For each of the two parts, qualification activities will be conducted with selected vendors in order to mature identified critical components. All results from the qualification activities will be supplied to potential main contractors through system studies. At the completion of this two year qualification phase, all prequalified main contractors will compete during competitive tendering for the subsea gas compression pilot. At completion of the subsea gas compression pilot (estimated to take three years) and the subsequent two years test-

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ing period, the subsea gas compression system is regarded as fully qualified. After completion of the subsea gas compression pilot, FEED and competitive tendering might well be conducted for delivery of subsea gas compression system at Ormen Lange. Subsea gas compression generic pilot set-up. In order to ensure competitive tendering and include all components, which might be required for a future subsea gas compression system at Ormen Lange, a generic pilot set-up has been developed. All main contractors competing for the subsea gas compression system pilot must ahere to this generic pilot set-up. The generic set-up offers: Flexibility with regard to: o Future technical content. o Market competitiveness. Putting the focus on a gas compression system rather than compressor technology. Allowing all vendors to deliver their products and technologies. Requiring vendors to demonstrate if some functionalities can be omitted. Final optimization of the gas compressor system may be postponed until after qualification rather than as a prerequisite for the technical qualification and piloting activities.
Anti surge valve Connectors and penetrators CB and VSD Compressor**

Main Transformer compensation Long step-out power supply Selected generic system for pilot set-up (draft) Penetrator

Combined power&control cable

Termination

Date: 2004-01-19 Page: 8 Hydro Oil & Energy

Fig. 5. Possible generic set-up for long step-out power supply.

Subsea compressor piloting at Nyhamna. A pilot test facility at Nyhamna is used as a base case for the cost estimate of a fully qualified subsea compression system. The test facilities will be able to conduct representative wet gas compression, representing Ormen Lange conditions. In addition, the test facilities should be made such that the subsea gas compression system pilot can be utilized as an additional gas export compressor and/or on-shore precompression.

Wet gas handling test mode.

Test

Com. for VSD and swith gear LV Power Control and utilities

Anti surge cooler

Input cooler

Separator* Control system

Inflow based liquid added dewpointed Choke pressure dump gas and in slug

Sand trap

Closed loop for during

CB and VSD
*Slug handling, liquid separation, fines handling and gas scrubbing Date: 2004-01-19 Page: 5 Hydro Oil & Energy

Pump

** Liquid tolerant or not

Fig. 4. Subsea gas compression generic pilot set-up.

Figure 6.: Nyhamna test facility set-up.

Long step-out power supply generic set-up. As for the subsea gas compression generic pilot arrangement, a generic setup is in the process of being established for the long step-out power supply.

Functional requirements. The Nyhamna plant will have the following general requirements in order to support its test facilities: Capacity to control and operate the test facility and equipment being tested from the central control room. 132 kV, 20 MVA power supply to the test facility. 690 V power supply to the test facility. 440/230 V power supply to the test facilities. Gas supply for wet gas testing: o 15 MSm3/d gas supply to the test facilities, with capabilities for choking and adding representative liquid and solids to the gas. Gas supply for durational testing: o 5 MSm3/d gas supply to the test facilities. Capability to pump the liquid from the test facility to the process system.

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Capability to pump seawater to and from the test pit. The following are the preliminary specific requirements for a Nyhamna test facility: General test area of 25x50 meters (including the indoor area). Local HPU and chemical injection room (3x4 meters). Indoor test pit 20x30 meters, 12 meters deep. Indoor lay-down area of 20x10 meters. Pump system to empty and re-fill the test pit. Overhead crane (100 tonnes), capable of: o Reaching the indoor lay-down area. o Reaching the test pit.