Proceedings of the ASME 2011 30th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering

OMAE2011
June 19-24, 2011, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
th
Proceedings of the 30 International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering
OMAE 2011
June 18-24, 2011, Rotterdam, Netherlands

OMAE2011-50167
OMAE2011-50167
INSTALLATION OF A SUBMERGED BUOY FOR SUPPORTING RISERS (BSR)
SYSTEM IN CAMPOS BASIN SITE
Jairo Bastos de Arajo
PETROBRAS - E&P
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
jairoba@petrobras.com.br

Jos Carlos Lima de Almeida

PETROBRAS - E&P
Maca, RJ, Brazil
jcalmeida@petrobras.com.br

Antonio Carlos Fernandes

LOC & LabOceano/COPPE UFRJ
Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
acfernandes@peno.coppe.ufrj.br
ABSTRACT
The BSR (Buoy for Supporting Risers) concept is
composed by a submerged buoy anchored to the sea bottom by
tethers and intended to support risers coming from the bottom
(probably SCRs Steel Catenary Risers) and going to the
floating platform (probably with flexible jumpers). For the case
under analysis here, the main dimensions of the BSR prototype
are 27.2 m length x 27.2 m width x 5.0 m depth. The paper
describes all final full scale installation step so that the BSR
may be considered a suitable technology. The installation
indeed was the great challenge of this design due the size of the
hull. The present work also evaluates numerically and
experimentally a specific new manner to install the BSR with
the support of auxiliary mooring lines among with the four
tethers connected to it. One of the installation premises was to
make use of Anchor Handling Supply Vessels instead of Crane
Vessels. After this numerical analysis, the work went on by
performing model tests that simulates the operation in a deep
water model basin using 1:40 scale. The model test anticipated
several problems such as the chain stopper weakness in the
operation and others as discussed in this paper. As a conclusion
the work was devised the most important parameters during the
system installation and suggested ways to improve the
methodology. In November 2009 the BSR was installed in 500
m of water depth at Congro field location, Campos Basin,
offshore Brazil. The tethers were adjusted in January 2010 and
in March 2010 two risers were installed. Thenceforward the last
edge of this knowledge was considered over passed.

INTRODUCTION
In the last years the oil extraction in Brazil has
occurred in deep and ultra-deep waters (more than 2,000 m). In
that condition the risers (even the SCRs) suffer larger tensions
due to the weight, current and wave direct actions and the
oscillatory motion of the connection point. An alternative to
mitigate this problem is to use a submerged buoy system for
supporting risers and referred here as BSR. The BSR scheme is
shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - Schematic view showing the BSR system.

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The hull itself is composed of steel cylindrical

members, anchored to the sea bottom by tight tethers and the
connection to the Floating Production Unit is made by jumpers
of flexible lines. It is well suited to support SCRs.
The BSR works as an intermediate buoyant element for
the hybrid risers system, and avoids the large oscillatory
motions at the connection point since the environment action on
BSR itself is much smaller since it is below the sea level (75 m
for the case study here). This conception has been numerically
analyzed and tested since the 90s. However the BSR
installation was considered an open issue until 2009.
A prototype BSR was fabricated in 2004, as showed in
Figure 2. Despite the adequate behavior obtained in the lab
tests, numerical analysis one had to close a main issue: how to
put a big hull below the sea level and keep it by tethers? So an
installation procedure was first developed by PETROBRAS.
Then several model testing were performed ocean basin of
LabOceano/COPPE/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to seek for
improvements of installation procedure. The references [1] and
[2] present the lab results and in 2005 the first BSR installation
takes place in Campos Basin with some good and partial results.

DW: Dead Weight.

MT: Metric tons.
FPU: Floating Production Unit.
KS: Hook modified to work like a subsea connector
and disconnector.
Pelikelo: Subsea connector that can open under
tension.
BSR DESCRIPTION AND ITS MAIN COMPONENTS
The first BSR prototype developed by PETROBRAS is
showed in Figure 2. Their main characteristics are presented in
Table 1.
Table 1 Main Properties of the BSR.
Length
27.2 m
Breadth
27.2 m
Depth
5.1 m
Diameter of each
2.4 m
cylinder (*)
Weight in air
287 MT
Net Buoyancy
619 MT
Nb. of ballast tanks
24
(*) The stern of BSR is characterized for existing two cylinders.
One connected above the other.
Chain stopper and chain sheave (see Figure 3)
constitute a passive system used to adjust the BSR tethers. The
chain stopper has a flap that restricts the chain in one direction
and the chain sheave is a pulley with free rotation to support the
chain.

Figure 2 BSR at the shipyard.

In 2008 another installation procedure was prepared
and the last lab test and numerical analysis detailing the phases
of the procedure were done and presented in references [3] and
[4].
Finally in November of 2009 the BSR is installed in
500 m of water depth, at 75 m below the sea level, at Congro
field, Campos Basin. The job developed and the final tasks on
the BSR installation are discussed afterward.
GLOSSARY
AHTS: Anchor Handling, Towing and Supply Vessel.
SV: Survey Vessel equipped with ROV.
ROV: Remote Operated Vehicle.

Figure 3 Chain Stopper and Chain Sheave of the BSR.

The BSR has a ballast system that is used to compound
the BSR weight during the installation. The system was
designed to work with compressed air and sea water. Each
ballast tank has two valves.

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Two receptacles were installed on the stern and bow of

BSR to connect risers and jumpers lines respectively.
The BSR has a set of four tethers, anchored at the soil
by torpedo anchor. Tethers were used to assist the BSR
installation before work with its specified function. Chain and
wire rope compounds the tethers and its characteristics are
showed in Table 2.

The bottom chain of tethers was divided in segments of 25 m

and 30 m. All 25 m were pre-set with the torpedo with the KS
shackle- pick-up buoy system on the free extremity, as shown in
Figure 4.

Table 2 Tethers Properties.

DESCRIPTION

Diameter

Length

Type

Bottom Chain

76 mm

55 m

R3

Wire Cable

78 mm

300 m

Six Strand

Top Chain

76 mm

70 m

R3 Studless

Four auxiliary mooring lines were used to support the

BSR installation and keep it on its right coordinate during the
hook up of the tethers. These mooring lines were also anchored
at the soil by torpedo anchor and its composition is shown in
Table 3.
Table 3 - Auxiliary Mooring Lines Properties.
DESCRIPTION

Diameter

Length

Type

Bottom Chain

76 mm

340 m

R3 Studlink

Wire Cable

87 mm

850 m

Six Strand

Top Chain

76 mm

100 m

R3 Studless

Four dead weights were fabricated and used to pull the

BSR below the sea level and towards its installation depth and
also to facilitate the hook up of tethers. Each dead weight has
40 MT in the sea water.

Figure 4 Bottom Chain (25 m) pre-set.

Phase 2: The BSR was towed from Guanabara Bay,
Rio de Janeiro, to Campos Basin site (see Figures 5 and 6).
Four AHTS and one SV were standing by with all remaining
auxiliary mooring lines and tethers components to start the
operation.

PREPARATION OF THE BSR PRIOR TOWING

BSR was prepared on shipyard in order to facilitate its
installation and transportation. The main tasks made were:
Installation of the towing system.
Installation of 08 top chain segments. Two in each
corner or 70 m of tether and 30 m of auxiliary mooring
line.
Ballasting of 06 tanks.
Checking the navigation lights.
Flushing of the ballast and vent lines.

Figure 5 BSR at site for installation.

INSTALLATION OF THE BSR

For better understanding of the installation procedure the
following phases have been devised as described below.
Phase 1: Some auxiliary mooring lines and tethers
components were pre-installed and laid down at the sea floor.

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The descent of the BSR until its required depth was

conducted simultaneously by the 04 AHTS as showed in Figure
8. Some steps that correlated the distance between AHTS and
BSR vs. length of the work wires were followed as Table 4.

Figure 6 BSR at surface site for installation.

Each auxiliary mooring line pre-set was fished on the
sea bottom by the AHTS and connected to the BSR through
Pelikelo. So the towing vessel was released. The lengths of the
top chain were adjusted on the deck of the AHTS.
Phase 3: With BSR safely moored with the four
auxiliary mooring lines the tethers hook up operation began.
Each remaining tethers lengths, as well their respective DW,
were on board each of the four AHTS. The tethers loaded in
each one of four AHTS were connect in their respective 70 m of
top chain pre-installed on BSR and paid out until the 30 m of
bottom chain. Then the DW was connected on the 30 m of
chain triplate through a sacrifice wire cable of 2 in X 4 m, a KS
on the 30 m of chain free end, the AHTS work wire on the DW
and the system was launched on the water as showed in Figure
7.

Figure 8 AHTS arrangement for the descent of BSR.

Table 4 Correlation Distance vs. Work Wire Length.

01

AHTS-BSR
Distance (m)
220

Work Wire
Length (m)
160

02

160

300

03

160

325

04

160

440

05

40

440

06

40

465

STEPS

Once the DWs reached near to the sea bottom, theirs

placement were guided by the ROV in order to facilitate the
connection between the KS hook and its shackle (see Figure 9).

Figure 9 KS hook connected on its shackle.

Figure 7 Line configuration for the descent of BSR.

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The ROV carried out the four KS connection, cut the

sacrifice wire cable and later on released the four auxiliary
mooring lines by opening the Pelikelos. Figure 10 shows the
final appearance of the BSR system after its installation.

Two months later two risers were installed on the BSR

(see Figure 12) to validate the procedure and the technology as
presented in reference [5].

Figure 12 Two risers installed on the BSR.

CONCLUSIONS
Figure 10 BSR installed.
It was necessary to adjust the length of 03 tethers due
to high trim and heel angles on the BSR after tethers hook up
operation. This adjustment was done using 03 DW with the
right leg length connected at auxiliary mooring line segment
hanging off on BSR corner. When the BSR was in the correct
level of trim and heel the 03 tethers top chains were pulled out
trough the respective chain stopper, as per Figure 11.

This installation procedure developed and carried out,

including the equipment, vessels and materials selected, proved
the technical and economical feasibility of the BSR technology
The installation in full scale experience clearly shows the
complete feasibility of the BSR concept. This may explain why
the two BSR concepts were chosen by the market in a recent
design competion.
The pre-salt area in Campos Basin is a scenario for the
BSR technology since it is a deep water scenario with a FPSO
as the choice for the FPU.
The possible trim and heel angles requires care during
the descent of the BSR stage. It must be addressed in later
stages.
The lengths of the auxiliary mooring lines and tethers
segments must have a fine control.
The adjustment system of the tethers must have proven
capabilities.
The tolerances for BSR trim and heel angles must be
defined in the design phase.
The hull of the BSR can be made by steel plate,
synthetic foam or a combination of both.

Figure 11 Tethers adjustment by pulling the top chain.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors acknowledge Petrobras and the CNPq (the
Brazilian National Research Council).
REFERENCES
[1] Fernandes, A.C., Santos, M.F., Sales, J.S., Arajo,
J.B., Almeida, J.C.L., Diniz, R. and Rangel, M.; Model Test
and Numerical Simulations for the Development of the First
Full Scale Riser Support Buoy (BSR)- XVIII International
Congress of Mechanical Engineering (COBEM); Ouro Preto,
Brazil, November 6-11, 2005.
[2] Fernandes, A.C., Almeida, J.C.L., Arajo, J.B., Rangel,
M., Santos, M.F. and Sales, J.S.; Numerical Simulation and
Experimental Analysis for a Riser Support Sub-surface Buoy
Rio Oil & Gas, Expo and Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
IBP241_04, October 04-07, 2004.
[3] Fernandes, A.C., Almeida, J.C.L., Arajo, J.B.,
Franciss, R., Rangel, M., Merino, J.A. and Sales, J.S.;
Parametric Evaluations of the Buoy Supporting Riser (BSR)
Installation - 1st Marine Operations Specialty Symposium 2008
(MOSS2008); paper MOSS-60, Singapore, March 5-7, 2008.
[4] Fernandes, A. C., Merino, J. A., Silva, A. R., Arajo, J.
B., Almeida, J. C. L., and Franciss, R.; Analysis of the
Installation of a Buoy Supporting Risers (BSR) by Numerical
Modeling and Model Testing - Dtec2008 - Deepwater
Offshore Technology Symposium 2008, Shangai, China,
November 17-19, 2008.
[5] Franciss, R., Almeida, J.C.L., Arajo, J.B., Gonzales,
E.C., Fernandes, A.C., Alternative Method of Buoy Supporting
Riser (BSR) Installation, OMAE paper 49862, June 18-24,
2011, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

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