BP 20K technology to takle high temperature-pressure
The international oil company (IOC) BP from UK and the independent company Devon Energy Corporation (Devon) from Oklahoma, USA, are considering to use a floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to develop the ultra deep Kaskida oil and gas field in the US Gulf of Mexico.
Discovered in the deep water of the Keathley Canyon in 2006, Kaskida is the first finding of the geologic formation called Paleogene.
During years before this discovery all the companies were wondering if this formation could contain any oil and gas reserves, and if it should, how it could be physically possible to develop these hydrocarbons.
Located 480 kilometers southwest of New Orleans in Louisiana, Kaskida and the two other BP discoveries in this Paleogene formation, named Tiber and Gila, are lying by only 1,700 water depth but 10,000 meters total depth.
At such a depth the oil and gas trapped in the reservoir is submitted to ultra high temperature and ultra high pressure far beyond the actual limits of the technology and standards admitted at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 15,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
But in respect with the reserves held in such tough conditions estimated between 10 and 20 billion barrels of oil, BP has decided to develop the corresponding technologies to cope with these conditions.
In February 2012, BP presented his 20K project aiming at operating oil and gas fields in withstanding 20,000 psi pressure and 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
BP to award Kaskida FPSO pre-FEED contract in 2014
In November 2012, BP signed a project management consultancy (PMC) contract with the Houston-based engineering company KBR to provide BP with engineering services to implement the 20K project around four key areas:
- Drilling rigs, risers, blowout preventers (BOP)
- Wells
- Well intervention and containment
- Subsea production system (SPS)
In February 2013, BP and the Danish Maersk Drilling (Maersk) signed an agreement to develop drilling rigs to operate in ultra deep ultra high temperature and ultra high pressure.
With all the equipment for drilling and production in these extreme conditions well in progress, BP has to define the concept of the surface production unit.
For Kaskida, BP is opting for a FPSO that should have production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day (b/d).
In respect with the quantity of additional processes to extract and treat Kaskida oil and gas, BP is planning large space topsides to support the addition of equipment during the life of the field.
In this perspective, the pre front end engineering and design (pre-FEED) to be awarded will have to propose the most convenient hull between the 160,000 tonnes Suezmax-type and 250,000 tonnes VLCC-type.
In Kaskida BP and Devon share the working interests such as:
- BP 70% is the operator
- Devon 30%
Assuming the pre-FEED awarded in 2014, BP and Devon expect to start Kaskida FPSO engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) in 2016 for the first production out of the Keathley Canyon in the Gulf of Mexico by 2020.