Feature 1 | GULF OF MEXICO
First FPSO for GoM
BW Pioneer Ltd has awarded Keppel Shipyard a contract to convert the fi rst
FPSO for the Cascade and Chinook fi elds in the US Gulf of Mexico.
hen completed in the third 16mmscfd. Th is FPSO unit will be leased
quarter of 2009, the converted by Petrobras America Inc, and production
WFPSO will be turret moored at on the Cascade and Chinook fields is
a water depth of around 2600m – thought expected in the fi rst quarter of 2010.
to be the deepest waters ever for an FPSO. BW Pioneer will be a converted 1992-built
It is designed to disconnect and move by double-hull Aframax tanker, which BW
its own propulsion to safe waters from an Off shore took delivery of in 2008.
approaching storm. Th e FPSO will have a traditional topside
Mr Svein Moxnes Harfjeld, chief plant and also a fl aring system.
executive officer of BW Offshore BW Offshore’s subsidiary, APL will
commented: “Being the fi rst FPSO for the deliver a complete Submerged Turret When completed in the third quarter of
US GoM waters, the Cascade and Chinook Production (STP) buoy and mooring 2009, this converted FPSO will be turret
project represents a great challenge in system to the oil field. The APL STP moored at a water depth of around 2600m
many ways. Keppel Shipyard’s competence technology is a disconnectable turret in the GoM – thought to be the deepest
is therefore of strong value.” system with a good track record of more waters ever for an FPSO.
To be named BW Pioneer, the FPSO will than 1500 disconnect/connect operations,
have a storage capacity of approximately enabling the FPSO to disconnect from
600,000 barrels of oil, a process capacity its moorings and seek sheltered waters disruption to operations. Th is will be the
of 80,000bopd and gas export facilities of in a hurricane situation with minimum deepest application to date for the STP
system and the fi rst APL turret and swivel
delivery to a Petrobras-operated fi eld.
FPSO BW Pioneer will be located at
around 300km off the south coast of New
Orleans, Louisiana, which is a well known
cyclone spot for the Gulf of Mexico. Th e
FPSO is being designed with that in mind,
and will be capable of disconnecting and
moving with its own propulsion to safe
waters in the event of a tropical storm.
Th e APL turret and mooring system has
been combined with a high-pressure
multi-path swivel to create a complete
mooring, turret and swivel package for
off shore fl oating production based on the
use of ships/ship-like structures.
Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and Petrobras
America Inc have signed a certified
verifi cation agent (CVA) contract for the
FPSO, and the unit will also be converted,
installed and operated under DNV class.
As with the CVA, DNV will ensure that
the US MMS requirements are complied
with for all the fi ve signifi cant elements in
this project. Namely: hull, topsides with
topside-hull interfaces, turret with turret-
hull interfaces, polyester mooring system
The last in a series of fi ve LeTourneau Super 116 jack-up rigs is set for work in the US Gulf and piled foundation.
of Mexico. DNV will perform CVA work during
14 Offshore Marine Technology 4th Quarter 2008
OOMT_4Q08_p12+13+14+15+16.indd Sec1:14MT_4Q08_p12+13+14+15+16.indd Sec1:14 110/20/08 2:28:59 PM0/20/08 2:28:59 PM
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