Flowlines & Risers

Chris Braithwaite, COO

Wellstream International Limited

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Wellstream Snapshot

• Manufacturer of unbonded flexible flowlines & risers since 1989

– Strong #2 in industry
– HQ in Newcastle since 1996
– Bespoke technology for deepwater
– Key enabler in floating production and subsea developments
– Fast developing onshore capability - FlexSteel
– Developing installation capability
• Major exporter
– More than 90% of all output
• New plant in Niteroi, Brazil opened May 2007
• Significant R&D investment

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

History in North East

• Headquartered in the North East since 1996

– Corporate, technology and manufacturing global centre
– First production Dec-97
• Site selected from > 20 potential locations in Europe
• Attracted by:
– Deepwater access and heavy lift load-out capability
– Strong engineering & manufacturing base of North East
– Local & government support

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Global Locations

Calgary
Newcastle upon Tyne
Denver

Houston Panama City

Niterói, Rio de Janeiro

Perth

Offshore Systems Manufacturing

Sales and Customer Support
Project Management & Engineering
FlexSteelTM – Onshore Systems Manufacturing

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

 Terminology – Flowlines & Risers

Transfer
Lines Jumpers

Risers

Flowlines

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

In-Field or Flowlines

• From wellhead or manifold to platform or FPSO

• Carry a mixture of oil, gas, water and sand
• Short lengths <30km
• Small diameter <12”
• Flexible or rigid or bundle
• Laid by reel, J-lay, S-lay or towed methods
– Depends on cost
– Water depth, vessel availability, diameter and coating
– Many other factors

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Riser Applications

• Section of line from seabed to

fixed or floating topsides
• Many types and uses:
– Drilling
– Production
– Water injection
– Export/import
– Workover
– Control, power and chemicals

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Flexible Production and Export Risers

FPSO

Storage vessel Turret with

bend stiffeners
Anchor cables
Catenary riser
Distributed
Tethered mid- buoyancy
water arch buoy
Flowline risers Export risers
(lazy S) (lazy wave)

Clump weight
Subsea Touchdown
manifold clamp and tether

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Rigid Risers to Floating Vessels

FPSO vessel Shuttle

SPM
Turret

W riser
Bare pipe Top- tensioned
riser
Buoyant Lazy wave
sleeves steel catenary riser

Buoyant
sleeves
Compliant
vertical Steel
axis riser catenary
riser Bare pipe

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Hybrid Risers

• Rigid tower
Buoyancy
– Self-buoyant
– Minimise transfer
of load to FPSO
• Linking flexibles Export lines
• Fixed vessel from
Flexible
FPSO to SPM
orientation risers
– Benign conditions

Rigid
riser
tower

Girassol field
with hybrid risers
and flowline bundles

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Key Design Considerations

• Gross structural integrity • Local analysis

(tension, pressure) – Gap span
– Flexlok stress analysis
• Riser interaction (clashing,
interference and – Corrosion fatigue
entanglement) – Material compatibility

• Fatigue (curvature and tension

ranges)

• Collapse
• On-Bottom Stability
• Upheaval Buckling
• Touch down point
– Abrasion
– Local armour buckling (bird-caging)

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Flexible versus Rigid Solutions

FPSO

Fixed Structure

TLP / SPAR
Semi-Sub

“Dynamic” “Static”

Niche Application Low

- Dynamic Material Cost

Ideal for fast-track (EPS) Technically

Long straight forward
Tested prior
Export
to Delivery
Lines
FLEXIBLE Known Product
Lowest RIGID
Subsea Steel
installed costs SOLUTION SOLUTION
Step Catenary
Flexible Flowlines Outs Risers High Installation Costs
Economic Short Lengths Riser
Towers
Naturally Insulating
High Mob / De-Mob
Congested Field Infrastructure
Corrosion Resistant Lower flexibility
(not re-usable)
Re-Use

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.

Flowlines and Risers – Services and Products

PRODUCTS SERVICES

Rigid linepipe
Pipe & Riser Installation

Pipe coating
Project Management

Flexibles & Bundles Raw Materials;
Design

End fittings
Fabrication

Ancillaries
Inspection

PLETs & PLEMs
Repair & Maintenance

Pumps & Compressors
Remote Intervention

Subsea support structures
Decommissioning

Approx. 50% of SURF spend is associated with flowlines and risers

© Wellstream International Limited. Duplication in full or in part is prohibited.