facility design

Brent crude oil price finally had reached $75/bbl at the time of writing. So far, this oil price is the highest since before the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a good sign that demand is picking up. Oil and gas offshore projects also seem to be picking up; most offshore greenfield projects are dictated by economics and the price of oil.

The paper examines the potential for larger and more-complex facilities to be converted to a mostly unattended status.

Why is designing with human error in mind so critical? Consider that nearly 80% of all offshore facility accidents are caused by human errors, and 64% of these accidents happen during operations.

Three case studies discuss the challenges of defining efficient facilities in difficult locations.

Bridging the gap between facilities and reservoir engineers is critical in designing systems that are flexible enough to allow a spectrum of reservoir feed conditions to be accommodated over the life cycle of the field. While subsurface uncertainties can't be eliminated, they can be managed.

Engineering culture is largely a safety culture. We have to assume that people will make a mistake and protect them from themselves through the way we design facilities.

This paper reviews the key areas for facility designers and engineers to include when designing facilities to ensure safe facilities. Use and incorporation of the principles outlined in this paper should enable engineers and designers to build safe facilities that reduce the risk of major incidents.

A recent workshop titled “Bridging the Gap Between Reservoir Engineering and Facilities Design” brought together more than 120 representatives of both disciplines to discuss the topsides/reservoir interface. Reservoir uncertainties and how they affect design was a key topic.

The ultimate success of a deepwater project depends on phases from early concept selection, design, construction, commissioning, and startup to operation. However, the boundaries and transfer of responsibilities may not be sharply demarcated between phases.