FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned

Study - April 2002

Report Presented by David Llewelyn, OLF - 14.11.02

OLF FPSO Experience Transfer Workgroup

Workgroup Objectives:
“To enable FPSO operators to learn from each other to
improve operations and influence future designs”

2002 Scope of Work:

• Gather lessons learned from existing Norwegian FPSOs
• Develop an OLF website for the sharing of FPSO lessons
• Establish links with the UKOOA FPSO subcommittee and
consider/implement options for co-operation
• Hold a seminar on topics of relevance to FPSO operators

Workgroup Membership:
ExxonMobil Norsk Hydro
Statoil Enterprise/Shell
BP Norge NPD (Observer)
OLF
OLF FPSO Best Practice/
Lessons Learned Study – April 2002
Process:

• 3 interviewers (OLF, RGU, Marintek) conducted 1-2 hr

interviews with 23 Statoil, ExxonMobil and Norsk Hydro
staff from 4 FPSOs

• Interviewees included 3 OIMs, 5 Maint Supts, 2 Prodn Supv,

2 Ops Supt, 6 FPSOs specialists, 4 Project Mgmt, 1 DNV rep.

• Findings jointly written up against 64 topics and categorised

for importance and underlying causes
OLF FPSO Best Practice/
Lessons Learned Study – April 2002

Analysis:
• 350 lessons documented (220 Design, 56 Ops, 42 Const, 32 Comm.)
• Reviewed topics to develop 37 FPSO Lesson Summaries and
21 FPSO Challenges. (A Challenge is defined as a problem not
yet solved by the industry)
• Made a comparison with UKCS results

Publication:
• Report and Database publised 27.9.02 to UKOOA and OLF
• Included on OLF Open FPSO website and LL database 8.11.02
FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned Study

Key Findings – Project Issues

Critical
Capex Over-runs/Schedule Delays

Major
Project Learning/input Construction Management
Capex vs Opex design input (C)

Important
Documentation-Industry Standards (C)
FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned Study

Key Findings – Marine Systems

Critical
Green Water Hull Cracking
Turret Location Turret Bearing Peformance
Marine Standards (C)

Major
Ballast/Cargo pipework Butterfly Valves thru Hull
Oil Storage Capacity Mooring Systems
Motions Underestimated Hull Shape Optimisation (C)
Through Hull Caissons (C)
Hydrocarbon Rich Inerting (+)
FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned Study

Key Findings – Marine Operations

Major
Tank Coatings Failures Sea Chest/Marine Growth (C)
Thruster Removal/Repair(C) Tank Entry Methods(C)
Good Off-loading performance (+)

Important
Submersible pumps Standby Vessel Utilisation
Splash Zone painting (C) Classification adding value to Ops (C)
Motion effects on people (+)
FPSO Best Practice/ Lessons Learned Study

Key Findings - Topsides Issues

Critical
Gas Comp. liquid carry-over

Major
Hydrocarbon Venting Drag Chains
Solids/Sand Management Module Supports/interfaces
Compressor Vibration Power Generation Problems
Long Life Paintwork(C)
Swivels (+)

Important
Compression Start-up
Swivel Seal Replacement
Produced Water Sheen (C)
New Field Tie-ins (C)
Solids Disposal in Slops
Separator Internals Strengthening
HP Gas Supply to Diesels (C)
FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned Study

Key Findings – Operations

Critical
Layout Issues Insufficient Accommodation
High Delivered Uptimes (+) Good Safety Performance/Morale (+)

Major
High Manning/multi-skilling
Helicopter Operations
Temporary Accomodation (C)
Vendor Involvement in Ops (C)
Crane Selection
Riser Ops and Inspection
Mechanical Handling (C)

Important
HVAC Design issues Workshop location
 FPSO Best Practice/Lessons Learned
Study - UK/NOR Comparisons
UK Nor
Problems reported from 10 UK FPSOs UK No
Ranking Ranking
Emphasis on initial capital rather than whole life cost. 7
Much incomplete construction and or testing at sailaway. 7
Designed lay-down areas and bumper bars were inadequate. 5
Insufficient design attention paid to total mechanical handling requirements. 5
Carry over of construction work and limited POB gives operational problems. 5
Specifications not sufficiently clear. 4
Inadequate valve isolations. 4
Construction managers were inexperienced. 4
Marine construction and inspection standards were not as stringent as those of
4
the process industry.
QA/QC during construction was generally poor. 4
Leakage occurred in swivel. 4
General compressor-related problems. 4
Contractual relationship inhibited remedial work being done onshore. 4
The design POB was too low to allow for commissioning and remedial work 3
Operations suggestions were discounted. 3
Insufficient gas compression capacity. 3
Functional specs not clarified down the supply chain 3
Too much faith in the knowledge of the supplier. 3
OLF FPSO Experience Transfer Workgroup

Demonstration of FPSO Website

Overview

Links to UKOOA Website

Lessons Learned Report

Lessons learned Database – Entry and Search Tools

Address; www.olf.no