The offshore industry anticipates the need for production-riser systems in ultradeepwater fields. The development of these fields [this paper considers a field located in the central Gulf of Mexico (GOM)] leads to many challenges with respect to the selection of the riser concept; in some instances, such applications may require extending riser technology beyond its current limits. This paper evaluates the feasibility of a number of production- and export-riser configurations for ultradeepwater applications.
Riser-Wall-Thickness Sizing
Please note that riser-design criteria, methodology, and data (riser functions and associated pipe sizes; riser internal-fluid properties; and riser-strength assessment) are provided in the complete paper.
Production Risers. Steel-catenary-riser (SCR) wall-thickness sizing is initially carried out when considering X65 line pipe. For a design pressure of 5 ksi, the wall thickness of the production riser is primarily driven by collapse because of external hydrostatic pressure.
