Gene Kliewer • Houston
Seabed gas processing study begins
The Western Australia Energy Research Alliance has targeted seabed gas processing as its first research project. The target of the three-year project is to prove the feasibility of a subsea dehydration system.
This is the first phase of a longer-term project in deepwater subsea remote gas systems.
WA:HERA consists of the University of Western Australia, Csiro Petroleum, and Curtin University of Technology.
Goosander subsea tie-back delivered
Petrofac Brownfield has delivered the subsea tie-back from the Goosander field to the Venture Production-owned Kittiwake installation. The Goosander project includes a single production well tied back to the Kittiwake platform through a bundled subsea flow-line providing production, gas lift, and water injection facilities.
Goosander tie-back to Kittiwake delivered.
Three risers were installed together with the control umbilical in a caisson configuration. New topsides reception facilities were provided in addition to chemical injection and support utilities. The field is 11 km north-west of the Kittiwake installation.
“We believe that this project is industry-leading with respect to the speed of implementation,” said Bill Bayliss, director of Petrofac Brownfield. “Venture provided us with the clear responsibility to deliver this project under the management of our own systems of work. We were made clearly accountable for our performance and I am extremely proud of how everyone stepped up to the challenge that was set”.
“As lead contractor on this project Petrofac interfaced well with the Venture Goosander project delivery team and has enabled us to bring these new barrels on stream almost a month ahead of schedule,” said Chris Bird, field development manager for Venture Petroleum. This is testament to the value of building strong contracting relationships between oil companies and service companies and we look forward to reaping more benefits from this approach in the future.”
Statoil sets concert record to celebrate Troll anniversary
Singer Katie Melua set a new world record when she performed at the bottom of one of the concrete shafts on the Troll A platform on Oct. 2. The concert venue 303 m below sea level qualified for “the world’s deepest underwater concert performed in front of an audience”.
Statoil’s platform manager Jan Hauge had the idea of a concert in the shaft as part of the 10-year anniversary of gas production starting on Troll A. He even got to tickle the ivories on the electric piano during one of the numbers. “A fantastic experience,” he said.
Together with her five band members, the Georgian-Irish artist played for around 35 minutes.
“This was definitely the most surreal gig I’ve ever done,” Melua said during the concert. The environmentally aware artist pointed out that she had looked at
Platform manager Jan Hauge, at left, accompanied Melua on one of her songs. Some 22 metric tons of equipment was moved to the bottom of the shaft for the show.
Statoil’s environmental profile before she agreed to do the concert and the profile met her requirements.
Astrid Sørensen, senior vice president for the Troll/Sleipner business cluster, was in the audience. “Cool,” she said. “This underpins Troll’s significance to Norway as a gas nation and it is a feather in our cap as a company.”
Editor-in-chief Craig Glenday of The Guinness Book of Records says that all criteria were met before he approved the record.
