Wood modified and applied an onshore technology to provide a more efficient (one-year timeline) solution on Anadarko’s Lucius deepwater Gulf of Mexico production facility. Long-time Wood client, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, upon commencing first production discovered unanticipated production chemistries. The natural gas produced on its Lucius floating spar production facility exceeded anticipated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) that required a remedial solution for longer-term operation.
Wood was selected to provide pre-FEED, FEED and detailed design for this project as it had for the Lucius facility itself and numerous other Anadarko deepwater facilities.
The project was both technology- and schedule-driven. During pre-FEED, Wood engineers researched available technologies for CO2 removal. Standard offshore options were either weight- or size-prohibitive, or would take too long to design and implement. Therefore, the project pivoted to considering approaches widely used in other industry applications. Specifically the onshore world provided a compelling case when considering the high number of units already in use, and as a subset the rental market, which had existing equipment that could be modified for offshore use.
Wood performed a comparative assessment of the onshore equipment against the offshore offering and recommended pursuing an already built onshore equipment opportunity for weight, footprint and schedule advantage versus the pre-packaged modular offshore offering.
Ultimately, an MDEA (methyldiethanolamine) amine technology and onshore vendor were selected that, while proven in onshore applications, would see its first implementation on a floating offshore facility in the Gulf of Mexico.
Anadarko was able to secure an available amine unit that had to be reconfigured and modularised to adapt to a compact cantilevered extension of the facility and take up real estate on the main deck without exceeding weight limits or exceeding the facility’s center of gravity limitations.
Unlike onshore applications, the amine unit had to withstand vessel motions and the offshore marine environment. Internal and external component parts and vessels had to be reinforced with thicker walls or internal coating to extend their useful lives in the corrosive offshore environment. Components and devices on the unit were required to meet applicable rules and regulations for safety and reliability.
The compressed schedule dictated innovative construction sequencing. To save time, Anadarko’s selected contractors did significant pre-fabrication of equipment onshore to minimise offshore hookup. This work included fabrication of double-decked skid modules for re-assembly on location. Offshore work also required parallel efforts by engineering and construction personnel to complete multiple tasks concurrently. Other schedule and cost savings included modifications to the facility’s existing pedestal crane so heavy lifts could be accomplished without the need for a heavy-lift vessel.
These efforts produced safe and exceptional outcomes for the project. The results, accomplished by a close-knit team of experienced, dedicated and trusted partners, came in under the total installed cost (TIC) budget and on schedule. Wood engineered and supported Anadarko to safely meet its scheduled equipment and engineering deliverable dates and total required facility shut in duration for construction.
The Lucius amine project established itself as a Wood offshore benchmark for innovation, maintaining fast-track schedule and technology adaptation.
For more details contact donnie.thompson@woodplc.com
Reproduced from Inspired Issue 3 2017