Classification: Internal

Flexible risers at Kristin

Flexible Pipelines and Risers PSA Norway 12.12. 2007

Nils Terje Nordsve, StatoilHydro
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Drift Nord Hammerfest

Harstad

Alve Urd
Idun Norne

Skarv
Heidrun
Sandnessjen
sgard
Kris
*
Brnnysund
tin
*
Mikk
el

Njord
Draugen

Stjrdal
Ormen Lange Tjeldbergodden
Trondheim
Kristiansund
Nyhamna
Krst
SLP/UK
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Key data for Kristin

Water depth: 320 m
Reservoir pressure: 911 barg
Reservoir temperature: 170 C
Production capacity
Gas: 18.3 MSm3/sd
Condensate: 20000 Sm3/sd
Number of risers: 9
Number of umbilicals: 5

Photo: Trond Sigvaldsen

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Kristin field layout

Possible
sidetrack to
existing N-3H
well
N sgard C
Permanent
P&A
Not To sgard
N-102/N-201 accessible Grid FOC-1/B-401
N- North l
Oi le
P 101
-2
P or
11 t
ti cal
cab
p p
ex re o
S-4 target Fib
FORE P-
101

ort
sgard Transp
P-212 Pig
Template N direc
and well P-212 Gas export tion
P-212
P-102/P-
slot IDs: AF S loop
Kristi

P-121
201
S3T S4
ST POR
B S2 S T
n
FOR1 Semi
E
S-103/S-
201
16
Toft
S

e 10" ID prod (13% Cr.) w/ DEH
12" oil export (CS)
Completed well
S- 18" gas export (CS) Completion ongoing
101 Umbilical w/ 2" ID centre line
S- 3.5 ID service line (CS) Drilled and capped
R-103/R-201
102 Fibre optical cable (FOC) well
Direct el. heating (DEH) risers
Drilling commenced
R Future tie-in hub
SSIV
ROV operated ball valve Planned well
R-
Check valve
101 Spare well slot
Diverless hot tap tee
FORE R-102 Temporary pig launcher Not available well slot
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Kristin risers historical account until early November 2006

The export risers were parked on seabed in October 2004

The flexible risers were tied back to the platform in April to June 2005
Annulus vacuum testing performed in May/June 2005 confirmed that
all risers were intact after installation
First production took place 3rd November 2005 (through S-101)
Problem with one riser detected early November 2006 (S-101)
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Leakage detected early November 2006
End by annulus vent monitoring system
fitting
Valve opens
automatically to
release gas when
pressure gauge
measures 0.5 barg
Gas diffusion or leakage through polymer liner

Water
spray

Air
pressure
1.7 barg

Normal Rapid
gas
permeation
pressure build
up
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Kristin riser S-101 early work done to identify damage

Water spraying
Supposed reason was leakage of hydrocarbons
(prod. risers only)
from riser bore through the pressure sheath into
annulus
Riser S-101 was depressurized down to ambient

20.5 m
pressure RGTs pressurised to ~

Frequent pressure relief of annulus continued 1.7 barg (P &GE risers)

after ambient pressure was achieved
The pressure in the riser was increased to 80 bar;
the riser remaining out of service

17 m
The pressure in the Riser Guide Tube was reduced

RGT water level

to ambient pressure

20.5 m
1.0 m
Frequent pressure relief of annulus ended Cast insert

7.5 m
=> The phenomenon was due to leakage in
the outer sheath
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S-101 Test to determine location of damage

Testing was
carried out 20th
to 21st
November 2006

20.5 m
17 m
RGT water level

20.5 m
Damage

1.0 m
location Cast insert

7.5 m
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Kristin risers damages detected

Scheduled vacuum tests in November 2006 showed that all export risers were
intact
Vacuum tests in December 2006
Damage to four risers
confirmed:
S-101, R-101, R-102 and
P-211A
Damage to riser S-102
detected May 2007
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Consequences of damage
Tensile armours are exposed
Possible wear against RGT inner
surface
Corrosion fatigue in aerated sea
water
Riser calculated fatigue lives in aerated
sea water
Production risers: Five to eight years
Condensate export riser: 2.5 years
Gas export risers: Six months
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Potential causes as evaluated at an early stage

Possible material problem?
TP-Flex is a new material
Brittle behaviour?
Bad wear resistance?
Mechanical damage due to inadequate Riser Guide Tubes?
Surface roughness?
Misalignment?
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Material testing performed

Fatigue of tensile armours
Tensile testing of outer sheath
Wear testing of outer sheath

Fracture
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Preliminary wear test results of outer sheath materials

Riser RGT
Testing carried out for 0.13 to 2.0 MPa contact pressure
Wear rate varies linearly with contact pressure
TP-Flex wears faster than Rilsan (dry and wet)
Both materials wear faster wet than dry
Largest difference between Wet TP-Flex and dry Rilsan

Contact pressure
Wear depth
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Roughness typically measured with profile

print-outs at three points for all bellmouths
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Kristin vs. sgard B guide tube solution

Hang-off at
Riser balcony

SG B
KRI
Contact force difference:
load=sin 5x50 tonnes=4.5 tonnes

Kristin, vertical + 5 bend sgard, straight 5 inclined

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Wear protection collars at Vrnes

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Installation of wear protection collars

A
1. Mount clamp anti-sliding clamp (A) on riser
1
2. Install collars consecutively; neck down
2
3. Mount extra locking clamp (B) on neck of lowermost collar
3
4. Hang clump weight on lowermost collar
28/42
5. Release and remove anti-sliding clamp (A)
29/43 6. Release collars from clump weight
30/44 7. Collars will then slide into the RGT driven by buoyancy
B
Locking mechanism

ROV handles
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Wear protection collars on R-101 entering RGT

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Experiences from installation of wear protection

Practice makes perfect:
From more than one hour per collar to typically four collars per hour
Due to friction against the RGT the collars may stop on their way
upwards:
Will eventually move during rougher seas
Tilting the platform and/or adding buoyancy would help
One some collars the locking mechanism opened
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Examples of wear protection collars that have opened

P-211A
P-212S
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16 collars missing on riser P-212N

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Lost collar - Picture taken after recovery

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Wear protection collar locking mechanism

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Dry riser repair

Project with Aker Reinertsen
Kick-off 28th March 2007
Cheap
First riser repaired 20th August 2007
Safe
Complex project with short execution time Fast

Close co-operation between the

parties involved was required
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Damage to riser P-211A before cut-out for welding

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Damage to the R risers before cut-out for welding

R-101 R-102
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Damage to the S risers before cut-out for welding

S-101 S-102
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Connection of patch to outer sheath

By Sikaflex By welding

R-102
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Application of heat shrink R-102

 30

Temporary offloading of condensate during repair of P-211A

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Summary of damages and repairs

Damages were detected as follows:
S-101: 5th November 2006
R-101: 19th November 2006
R-102: 25th November 2006
P-211A: 16th December 2006 (vacuum test OK in November)
S-102: 11th May 2007
Repair carried out:
R-102 repaired 20th August 2007; second time 5th October 2007
S-101 repaired 28th August 2007
P-211A repaired 10th September 2007
R-101 repaired 18th September 2007
S-102 repaired 25th September 2007
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New risers
Contract with Technip:
Delivery 01.09.2008
6 new risers (1 x condensate export, 1 x gas export, 4 x production)
Outer sheath material:
Rilsan for all risers
Rilsan protective sheath in RGT area
Cooling of production risers required for flow temperatures
exceeding 92C
Wear protection collars most likely to be used for new risers
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Lessons learned so far

Damage is due to wear rather than fracture
Rilsan has better wear resistance than TP-Flex
Wear resistance is better dry than wet
Riser Guide Tubes are important
Geometry
Inner surface condition
Riser configuration is important
Locking mechanism of Wear Protection Collars is crucial
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Concluding remarks
Wear protection collars installed on all risers
Problems with the locking mechanisms encountered
Design changed
Fast track repair project
All suppliers have met schedule
No HES incidents
Work ongoing to clarify cause of damages
Wear of outer sheath against inner surface of RGTs
RGT geometry?
Riser configurations?