Arctic Drilling Technologies

191 Pages·2013·8.08 MB·English

POLITECNICO DI MILANO

Scuola di Ingegneria Industriale

Corso di Laurea
Ingegneria Energetica orientamento Idrocarburi

Arctic Drilling Technologies:
Challenges, State of Art, Riser analysis on Scarabeo8

Relatore: Prof. Ing. Giovanni LOZZA

Co relatore: Dott. Germana GALLINO

Tesi di Laurea di:

Lorenzo PEZZOLA Matr. 782680

Anno Accademico 2012 - 2013.

Ringraziamenti

Giunto alla conclusione di questo documento, volgendo lo sguardo ai mesi passati,
comprendo l’importanza di persone che han condiviso forza, conoscenze ed
esperienze. Queste poche righe sono il ringraziamento più sentito a tutti voi al
raggiungimento di quest’obiettivo che termina gli importanti anni passati al
Politecnico di Milano.
Per prima vorrei ringraziare il mio tutor aziendale, Germana Gallino, per la sua
pazienza e disponibilità dimostrata nei miei confronti in questi mesi di lavoro.
Grazie a Davide M. Gaviraghi e Nicola Carini che han saputo condividere il sapere e
insegnare il fare nel breve tempo a nostra disposizione creando un clima lavorativo
accogliente, giovanile e stimolante.
Un ringraziamento speciale a Marco Pezzola, che oltre a essere mio fratello, è un
buon insegnante, capace di correggermi e aiutarmi con grandissima disponibilità e
competenza.
Grazie a chi in questi mesi mi ha consigliato ed aiutato nella ricerca e scrittura di
questo documento.
Il più grande ringraziamento è per coloro che hanno creduto in me,
permettendomi di intraprendere questo arduo percorso: i miei genitori Angela ed
Ezio. Il vostro supporto e la vostra esperienza mi han donato forza in ogni mia
scelta permettendomi di scolpire il mio essere.
Un grazie speciale a Monica che ascolta con amore le mie note e condivide ogni
giorno i suoi colori.
Per ultimo, un grazie a tutti i miei amici che in questi anni hanno partecipato alle
mie avventure e difficoltà e che ogni giorno mi donano una parte dei loro universi.

Index
Index ......................................................................................................................I
List of tables ...................................................................................................... VII
SOMMARIO ........................................................................................................ IX
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ X
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1
2. GEOGRAPHICAL & GEOLOGICAL ASPECTS ................................................... 3
2.1. INTRODUCTION & HYSTORY .................................................................... 3
2.2. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................ 7
2.3. CHEMICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 10
2.4. BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT .................................................................. 11
2.5. SITE CARACHTERIZATION & COMPETITORS .......................................... 14
2.5.1. West & East Greenland ...................................................................... 15
2.5.2. Beaufort, Chukchi Sea and north Aleutian basin ............................... 17
2.5.3. Barents Sea, Svalbard & Yamal .......................................................... 20
2.5.4. Canadian Grand Banks ....................................................................... 22
2.5.5. Sakhalin Island .................................................................................... 25
2.5.6. North Caspian Sea .............................................................................. 29
2.6 RESERVOIR’S ESTIMATION AND COSTS ...................................................... 31
3. CHALLENGES & STATE OF ART ................................................................... 35
3.1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT..................................................................... 36
3.1.1. BLOW OUT & OIL SPILL ....................................................................... 37
3.1.2. ON SHORE IMPACT ............................................................................. 38
3.1.3. OFF SHORE IMPACT ............................................................................ 40
3.1.4. H2S AND ARCTIC CONDITION ............................................................. 44
3.1.5. RECOVERY AND CLEAN UP ................................................................. 44
I
3.1.6. WASTE MANAGEMENT ....................................................................... 47
3.1.6.1. ZERO HARMFUL DISCHARGE ....................................................... 48
3.1.6.2. ZERO DISCHARGE......................................................................... 49
3.1.7. EXHAUST MANAGMENT ..................................................................... 52
3.1.8. IMPACT OF THE POTENTIAL ROUTINE ATIVITIES ................................ 54
3.2. ICE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 57
3.2.1. OFFSHORE ........................................................................................... 57
3.2.1.1. Ice measurement and control ..................................................... 59
3.2.1.2. Ice breakers and POLAR CLASS .................................................... 62
3.2.2. ONSHORE ............................................................................................ 64
3.3. ARCTIC DRILL SITE SELECTION ................................................................ 66
3.3.1. ON SHORE drill system option ............................................................ 66
3.3.2. OFF SHORE drill site options ............................................................... 66
3.3.2.1. Gravel Island ................................................................................ 67
3.3.2.2. Ice Islands .................................................................................... 67
3.3.2.3. GBS (gravity based system) ......................................................... 69
3.3.2.4. Jackup rig ..................................................................................... 70
3.3.2.5. TLP ............................................................................................... 71
3.3.2.6. Spar .............................................................................................. 71
3.3.2.7. Semi-submersible rig ................................................................... 72
3.3.2.8. Monohull Drlling ship .................................................................. 74
3.3.2.9. Arctic circular drilling platform.................................................... 76
3.3.2.10. Hybrid Semi-sub-circular platform .............................................. 77
3.3.2.11. Unmanned seabed rig ................................................................. 77
3.3.2.12. Comparison between technologies............................................. 78
3.3.2.2 ICE REGIMES .................................................................................... 80
3.4. HYDRATE’S DISCUSSION ......................................................................... 83
3.5. DEEPWATER/ULTRADEEP CHALLAGES ................................................... 88
II
3.5.1 Deep-offshore impact experience: Macondo blowout ...................... 90
3.6. ARCTIC CEMENTING ............................................................................... 92
3.7. ARCTIC WELL CONTROL ......................................................................... 93
3.8. SAFETY: EXCAPE EVALUATION AND RECOVERY..................................... 95
3.9. LOGISTIC & WINTERIZATION ................................................................. 97
4. CASE STUDY: SCARABEO 8 IN BARENTS SEA, A RISER ANALYSIS IN ARCTIC
CONDITIONS ...................................................................................................... 99
4.1 VESSEL DESCRIPTION ................................................................................ 100
4.1.1 Technical characteristics .................................................................. 101
4.2 ENVIRONMENT DESCRIPTION ................................................................... 103
4.3 RISER DESCRIPTION ................................................................................... 106
4.4 DESIGN ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA (API 16 Q) ............................................... 108
4.4.1 Data input in DeepRiser software. ................................................... 108
4.4.2 Simulation running. .......................................................................... 110
4.4.3 Software output interpretation and key parameters control: ........ 111
4.5 RISER ANALISYS ......................................................................................... 112
4.5.1 DEEPRISER SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION ............................................. 112
4.6 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION ............................................................................... 113
4.6.1 VESSEL MOTION MODELING ............................................................ 114
4.6.2 RISER MODELING ............................................................................. 122
4.7 STATIC ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 124
4.8 DYNAMIC ANALYSIS & OPERATIVE CONDITIONS...................................... 128
4.8.1 Connected ........................................................................................ 129
4.8.2 Disconnected .................................................................................... 130
4.9 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 131
4.10 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................... 136
Appendix A: JONSWAP spectrum [86] ........................................................... 139
Appendix B: Riser description and Analyses reports ...................................... 143
III
Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 174

List of figures

Figure ‎1.1-Arctic Circle map (www.geology.com) ...................................................... 1
Figure ‎2.1-Regional hydrocarbon potential ................................................................ 3
Figure ‎2.2-Norway (www.grida.no) ............................................................................ 6
Figure ‎2.3- Arctic sea ice extent (I). Source: NSIDC .................................................... 7
Figure ‎2.4- Arctic sea ice extent (II). Source: NSIDC ................................................... 8
Figure ‎2.5- Arctic sea ice extent (III). Source: NSIDC .................................................. 8
Figure ‎2.6- Arctic sea ice extent (IV). Source: NSIDC .................................................. 9
Figure ‎2.7- Arctic sea ice extent (V). Source: NSIDC ................................................... 9
Figure ‎2.8- Plot of methane plumes emanating from gas hydrates on the Arctic
seabed. From Marine Geochemistry Group, National Oceanography Center,
Southampton, UK, 2012. .......................................................................................... 11
Figure ‎2.9-Example of an Arctic food chain .............................................................. 11
Figure ‎2.10-Beluga Whale ......................................................................................... 13
Figure ‎2.11-Beluga Whale Sonogram – Scripps Institution of Oceanography –
Whale Sound Lab, 2012 ............................................................................................ 13
Figure ‎2.12- Arctic water depth. Source: www.eoearth.org .................................... 14
Figure ‎2.13- Arctic areas ........................................................................................... 15
Figure ‎2.14- Greenland licenses map ....................................................................... 16
Figure ‎2.15- Alaska. Source: Northern Economics ................................................... 17
Figure ‎2.16- Kulluk. Source: progerissivealaska.blogspot.com ................................ 18
Figure ‎2.17-Arctic ocean oil leases 2011 .................................................................. 19
Figure ‎2.18- Map of gas hydrates, freegas and oil fields in Alaska North Slope ...... 20
Figure ‎2.19-Barents region. Source: Unep ............................................................... 21
Figure ‎2.20- Canadian Grand Banks. Source:cbc.ca ................................................. 22
Figure ‎2.21-White Rose conceptual field production layout. Source:ceaa.gc.ca..... 23
Figure ‎2.22- Hibernia platform. Source: heritage.nf.ca ............................................ 23
Figure ‎2.23-Hebron platform. Source: dcnonl.com .................................................. 24
Figure ‎2.24- ORLAN Platform and ice ridges. Source: exxonmobil.com .................. 25
Figure ‎2.25- YASTREB rig and horizontal wells. Source: jalopnik.com.br ................. 26
Figure ‎2.26-LUN-A platform. Source: Wikipedia ...................................................... 27
Figure ‎2.27- Sakhalin Island. Source: Live Journal ................................................... 28
IV
Figure ‎2.28-North Caspian fields. Source: impex.co.jp ............................................ 29
Figure ‎2.29- Arctic reserves. Source: USGS .............................................................. 32
Figure ‎2.30.Production cost curve in function of cumulative available resource.
Source: USGS ............................................................................................................ 33
Figure ‎2.31-Undiscovered Oil & Gas resources map. Source: USGS........................ 34
Figure ‎3.1- Booms. Source: eoearth.org .................................................................. 44
Figure ‎3.2- Cutting reinjection scheme; Source: ENI ............................................... 50
Figure ‎3.3-Developing ice management strategies. Source: Noble associates llc;
PETER G. NOBLE ....................................................................................................... 58
Figure ‎3.4- Ice management warning areas. Source: Noble associates llc; PETER G.
NOBLE ....................................................................................................................... 58
Figure ‎3.5- Ice towing ............................................................................................... 61
Figure ‎3.6 -Ice management warning areas. Source: Blade .................................... 62
Figure ‎3.7- Ice ridge .................................................................................................. 63
Figure ‎3.8- Floe ice ................................................................................................... 63
Figure ‎3.9- Ice rubble ............................................................................................... 63
Figure ‎3.10-The danger of thin ice. A Super-B-Train truck hauling diesel fuel broke
through the Mackenzie River ice crossing near Fort Providence, Northwest
Territories, Canada. Source: CBC news .................................................................... 65
Figure ‎3.11-Low ground pressure vehicle ................................................................ 65
Figure ‎3.12 - Gravel island ........................................................................................ 67
Figure ‎3.13- Ice island construction. Source: Blade ................................................. 68
Figure ‎3.14- Ice island prospect. Source: Masterson et al 1987 .............................. 68
Figure ‎3.15- Hibernia platform. Sources: freerepublic.com .................................... 69
Figure ‎3.16- Jack up. Source: footage.shutterstock.com ......................................... 70
Figure ‎3.17- TLP. Source: modec.com ...................................................................... 71
Figure ‎3.18- Spar. Source: anadarko.com ................................................................ 72
Figure ‎3.19- Scarabeo 8 semisubmersible. Source: Saipem .................................... 73
Figure ‎3.20- Monohull drillship. Source: Stena ........................................................ 74
Figure ‎3.21 - Mooring system. Source: intsok.com ................................................. 75
Figure ‎3.22- Kulluk vessel. Source: Shell .................................................................. 76
Figure ‎3.23- Cylindrique type Unit. Source: JBF ....................................................... 77
Figure ‎3.24- Unmanned seabed rig. Source:rds.no ................................................. 77
Figure ‎3.25- Boston Square Matrix. Source: Blade .................................................. 78
Figure ‎3.26 - Geographical description based on ice regimes. Source: Blade ......... 81
Figure ‎3.27- second year ice. Source DMI ................................................................ 82
Figure ‎3.28- Multiyear ice. Source DMI ................................................................... 82
V
Figure ‎3.29- Hydrate structure. Source: sps.esd.ornl.gov ........................................ 83
Figure ‎3.30- Hydrate on fire. Source: dco.gl.ciw.edu ............................................... 84
Figure ‎3.31- Hydrocarbon phase envelope and hydrates equilibrium curves. ........ 84
Figure ‎3.32- Hydrates equilibrium curves in function of MEG concentration ......... 87
Figure ‎3.33- Hydrate plug. Source: pet.hw.ac.uk ..................................................... 87
Figure ‎3.34- Atlantis deep-water technology. Source: Holding AS .......................... 89
Figure ‎3.35- Frozen deck. Source: Termon ............................................................... 97
Figure ‎3.36- Heating equipment system .................................................................. 98
Figure ‎4.1- Scarabeo 8 .............................................................................................. 99
Figure ‎4.2- Scarabeo 8 actual position. Source: Marinetraffic ...............................103
Figure ‎4.3 -Riser model. Source: drillqiuip.com .....................................................106
Figure ‎4.4- Auxiliary lines layout.............................................................................107
Figure ‎4.5- DeepRiser hierarchy .............................................................................113
Figure ‎4.6- Vessel degrees of freedom. Source: km.kongsberg.com .....................115
Figure ‎4.7- SURGE frequency response amplitude ................................................116
Figure ‎4.8- SURGE frequency response phase .......................................................116
Figure ‎4.9 - HEAVE frequency response amplitude ................................................117
Figure ‎4.10- HEAVE frequency response phase .....................................................117
Figure ‎4.11 - SWAY frequency response amplitude ...............................................118
Figure ‎4.12- SWAY frequency response phase .......................................................118
Figure ‎4.13- YAW frequency response amplitude ..................................................119
Figure ‎4.14- YAW frequency response phase .........................................................119
Figure ‎4.15- ROLL frequency response amplitude .................................................120
Figure ‎4.16- ROLL frequency response phase ........................................................120
Figure ‎4.17-PITCH frequency response amplitude .................................................121
Figure ‎4.18- PITCH frequency response phase .......................................................121
Figure ‎4.19 – Minimum tensioner setting curves for N°1 riser configuration .......125
Figure ‎4.20– Minimum tensioner setting curves for N°2 riser configuration ........125
Figure ‎4.21– Minimum tensioner setting curves for N°3 riser configuration ........126
Figure ‎4.22– Minimum tensioner setting curves for N°4 riser configuration ........126
Figure ‎4.23– Minimum tensioner setting curves for N°5 riser configuration ........127
Figure ‎4.24- Upper Flex Joint rotation ....................................................................132
Figure ‎4.25- Von Mises stress .................................................................................133
Figure ‎4.26- Riser first vibration mode ...................................................................134
Figure ‎4.27- Riser second vibration mode ..............................................................135
Figure ‎4.28- Riser third vibration mode .................................................................135
VI