Conoco builds offshore gas production unit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): When Conoco needed flexibility to move fast to
\ndevelop several large natural gas discoveries in the West Natuna
\nSea, it developed a completely new technology that provides
\nconsiderable operational efficiencies and cost savings.<\/p>\n
The solution to capture the clean-burning fuel is a
\ntechnological marvel: a movable offshore gas production unit, or
\nMOgPU, for use in Indonesia's Block B fields.<\/p>\n
Conoco will be able to relocate the unit at a relatively small
\ncost as older reserves are depleted and new fields are brought
\nonstream. Construction on the MOgPU began in Korea earlier this
\nyear and production will begin in mid-2001.<\/p>\n
The MOgPU was created after Conoco led negotiations to bring
\nabout the first export sale of pipelined gas from Indonesia to
\nanother country -- in this case Singapore. Last January, workers
\nbegan laying a new, 300-mile subsea pipeline to Singapore, which
\nwhen completed will be the longest natural gas supply and
\ndelivery system in Asia-Pacific.<\/p>\n
\"Conoco plans to make Southeast Asia a major area of
\noperations for our company by building a multi-billion dollar
\nbusiness in the region by 2003,\" said Archie Dunham, Conoco's
\nchairman and CEO in a press release.<\/p>\n
\"In 1999, Conoco made five discoveries offshore Indonesia
\nthat doubled our Indonesian gas reserves. We have produced oil in
\nIndonesia since 1979, so we knew that to economically capture the
\ngas and deliver it to the growing Asian market would require us
\nto truly think creatively and develop new solutions,\" Dunham
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The biggest advantage of the MOgPU is mobility,\" said John
\nHopkins, Conoco vice president for exploration production
\ntechnology.<\/p>\n
\"Basically, we can pick it up off the seabed and quite easily
\nmove it to another location and ultimately it can be abandoned
\nwith minimal effort and cost,\" Hopkins said.<\/p>\n
Traditionally, offshore platforms require heavy construction
\nequipment with large barges and cranes for installation, plus
\nextensive hook-up and commissioning efforts.<\/p>\n
\"The MOgPU can be built onshore where labor and other costs
\nare cheaper than assembling it in water. Then it can be towed
\noffshore and is almost immediately ready to go. In fact, the same
\nvessels that tow it out can be used to position and install the
\nplatform,\" Hopkins added.<\/p>\n
Once this new steel gravity platform reaches its destination,
\nit will be floated off its transportation vessel to essentially
\nbecome a barge capable of floating on its own buoyancy. To lock
\nit in place, the MOgPU utilizes a set of very simple cable strand
\njacks that lower the base structure and pull the platform up on
\nthe legs. The jack-up system can be rented, then returned,
\nproviding significant cost savings over traditional heavy
\nconstruction equipment and barges.<\/p>\n
Another advantage of the MOgPU is the elimination of motion
\nproblems usually associated with comparable floating facilities.<\/p>\n
\"Barges are subject to waves and movement, and traditional
\nfloating platforms need expensive flexible risers,\" Hopkins
\nexplained. \"Since the MOgPU is a fixed platform, we eliminate
\nboth motion and the need to employ expensive risers and mooring
\nsystems.\"<\/p>\n
Along with that stability comes another advantage: when the
\nunit is installed, it can continue normal operations in 100-year
\nstorms with waves of up to 30-feet high.<\/p>\n
\"The MOgPU concept proves that once the market opens up,
\nConoco can move quickly to deliver energy to customers,\" said Rob
\nMcKee, Conoco executive vice president for worldwide exploration
\nand production.<\/p>\n
\"The West Natuna Group has signed a 22-year sales contract
\nwith Pertamina to sell gas to Singapore. Conoco is poised for
\nsimilar growth in other Asian markets in the near future,\" said
\nMcKee.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/conoco-builds-offshore-gas-production-unit-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}