Flowlines & Risers

Chris Braithwaite, COOWellstream International Limited

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Wellstream International Limited

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

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– Developing installation capability

• Major exporter

– More than 90% of all output

• New plant in Niteroi, Brazil opened May 2007

• Significant R&D investment

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

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– Deepwater access and heavy lift load-out capability

– Strong engineering & manufacturing base of North East

– Local & government support

Global Locations

Calgary

Denver

Houston Panama City

Newcastle upon Tyne

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Niterói, Rio de Janeiro

Perth

FlexSteelTM – Onshore Systems Manufacturing

Offshore Systems Manufacturing

Project Management & Engineering

Sales and Customer Support

Terminology – Flowlines & Risers

Jumpers

Transfer

Lines

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Flowlines

Risers

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

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• 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

Riser Applications

• Section of line from seabed to

fixed or floating topsides

• Many types and uses:

– Drilling

– Production

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– Production

– Water injection

– Export/import

– Workover

– Control, power and chemicals

Flexible Production and Export Risers

FPSO

Storage vessel Turret with bend stiffeners

Anchor cablesCatenary riser

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Export risers(lazy wave)

Flowline risers(lazy S)

Clump weight

Tethered mid-water arch buoy

Catenary riser

Subsea manifold

Distributed buoyancy

Touchdown clamp and tether

Rigid Risers to Floating Vessels

FPSO vessel

Bare pipe Top- tensioned riser

Shuttle

W riser

SPMTurret

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Buoyantsleeves

Compliant vertical

axis riser

Lazy wave steel catenary riser

Bare pipe

Buoyantsleeves

Steel catenary

riser

riser

Hybrid Risers

Export lines from

FPSO to SPMFlexiblerisers

Buoyancy• Rigid tower

– Self-buoyant

– Minimise transfer

of load to FPSO

• Linking flexibles

• Fixed vessel orientation

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Rigidrisertower

risersorientation

– Benign conditions

Girassol fieldwith hybrid risers

and flowline bundles

Key Design Considerations

• Gross structural integrity

(tension, pressure)

• Riser interaction (clashing,

interference and

entanglement)

• Fatigue (curvature and tension

ranges)

• Local analysis

– Gap span

– Flexlok stress analysis

– Corrosion fatigue

– Material compatibility

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• Touch down point

– Abrasion

– Local armour buckling (bird-caging)

• Collapse

• On-Bottom Stability

• Upheaval Buckling

Flexible versus Rigid Solutions

FPSO

TLP / SPAR

Fixed Structure

Semi-Sub

“Dynamic” “Static”

Niche Application Low

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FLEXIBLESOLUTION

RIGIDSOLUTION

Steel Catenary

Risers

RiserTowers

Long Export Lines

Ideal for fast-track (EPS)

Re-Use

Niche Application - Dynamic

Tested prior to Delivery

Corrosion Resistant

Naturally Insulating

Congested Field Infrastructure

High Mob / De-Mob

High Installation Costs

Technically straight forward

Known Product

SubseaStep Outs Flexible Flowlines

Economic Short Lengths

Lower flexibility (not re-usable)

Low Material Cost

Lowest installed costs

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

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� PLETs & PLEMs � Repair & Maintenance

� Pumps & Compressors � Remote Intervention

� Subsea support structures � Decommissioning

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