HPHT—the Next Generation of Challenges

9 May 2007 Aberdeen Evening Meeting

Chairman Alistair Birnie, Aker Kvaerner Subsea Ltd
Sponsored by Aker Kvaerner

Flyer

With the global increase in demand for energy, the drive to exploit more difficult reserves becomes ever greater. Significant amounts of hydrocarbons are contained within high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) reservoirs that have huge potential value. However, unlocking these reserves relies on sophisticated technologies, and there are still many challenges that will need to be understood and addressed to allow even higher pressures and temperatures to be accommodated. This evening event focused on looking at some of the key issues around subsea infrastructure and production trees and discussing how these problems could be solved.

Presentations

HPHT Production—New Frontiers and Challenges

Andy Dyson, VP Technology: Trees, Wellheads and Workover Systems, Aker Kvaerner Subsea Ltd

HPHT technology has been around for some time, but extending the working limits of subsea components beyond 175 degrees Celsius brings a new wave of extreme challenges and issues that cannot be resolved with current technologies. This presentation discusses the status of current technologies and highlights key challenges where technology development will be required to meet these demands.

Impact of HPHT for Flexible Pipe and SCR Design

Dr Patrick O'Brien, Group Executive Director, MCS

The Beatrice Windfarm Demonstrator is part of the EU sponsored Downwind project. This aims to prototype technologies for large offshore wind turbines in deeper waters more distant from shore. If successful it will create the potential for large scale (giga watt) on the UKCS where the turbines will not be visually intrusive, thus overcoming one of the major hurdles to windfarm development.