Wet Gas News

After several years of technology development, construction and testing the first subsea wet gas compressor in the world is now installed at the Gullfaks C platform in the North Sea. In May and June Gullfaks subsea compressor project (GSC) completed successful structure and module installation campaigns for the subsea station. The compressors were installed at the end of June. Subsea wet gas compression at Gullfaks C will add 22 million barrels of oil equivalent, and extend plateau production by about two years. “The installation campaigns have been successfully performed by Subsea Seven,” says project manager Bjørn Birkeland. The project has now entered the last phase, testing and preparing for hand-over and start-up in the last quarter of this year.

The Society for Gas and Marine Fuel (SGMF) recently interviewed members with Sean Andersen and Tony Haston of Dixon Valve & Coupling, who weighed in on their company, its products, operations and place within the marine fuels industry. Dixon Valve & Coupling - who are you and what do you do? What products/services do you provide? Dixon, founded in 1916, is a premier global manufacturer and supplier of hose couplings, valves, dry disconnects, swivels and other fluid transfer and control products. Dixon provides a wide range of products for numerous industries including petroleum exploration, refining, transportation, chemical processing, food and beverage, steel, fire protection, construction, mining and manufacturing. What does Dixon hope to achieve in the next five years?

Drillsearch Energy Limited announced a new wet gas discovery on the Western Cooper Wet Gas Fairway of the Cooper Basin. The Varanus South-1 well in PEL 513 (Drillsearch 40% and Santos 60% and Operator) is the first well to be drilled by Santos and Drillsearch under the joint venture between the companies announced in July 2013. Varanus South-1 was drilled to a total depth of 3,154 metres as a near-field exploration well. Drillsearch’s preliminary interpretation of wireline logs has confirmed an aggregate best estimate of 18 metres of net gas pay over a gross interval of 365 metres in the Patchawarra Formation and an additional 9 metres of net hydrocarbon pay over a gross interval of 37 metres in the Tirrawarra Formation, which was considered a secondary target.

The world’s first subsea wet gas compressor station is now ready for the final testing at Horsøy outside Bergen before being prepared for installation and hook-up to Gullfaks C in 2015. By adding 22 million extra barrels of oil equivalent from the Gullfaks South Brent reservoir the compressor will help extend the field’s productive life. Starting back in 2008 the efforts to develop and qualify the compressor in line with Statoil’s requirements represent a good example of Statoil’s cooperation with the Norwegian supply industry to develop robust improved oil recovery solutions.

DNV GL has initiated a joint industry project (JIP) to promote the use of multi-phase ultrasonic flow meters for wet-gas applications. Seven industry partners have committed to the JIP, but it is open for more partners. Currently, multi-phase flow meters and wet-gas flow meters are used for both topside and subsea measurements, enabling operators to improve reservoir modeling and management, optimize production, and manage flow assurance. The output of wet-gas flow meters is also used to determine sales allocation between E&P companies and the royalties payable to the host government. The technology has been used for dry-gas metering over the last decades, and the first results under wet-gas conditions are promising. However, there is no systematic approach to its use for wet gas.

Floating production has been one of the most significant developments in the oil and gas industry over the past four decades. Since the first floating production unit (Argyll) was installed in 1975, more than 350 offshore fields too deep, too remote or too small for fixed platforms have been developed using floating production facilities. Looking forward, the future of the sector continues to look very promising, but some barriers and threats to growth have appeared. Three hundred and twenty (320) oil/gas floating production units are now in service…

Dana Gas, one of Middle East’s largest regional private sector natural gas company, announces its financial results for the third quarter and nine month ended September 30, 2013 with a net profit of $28 million and $121 million (USD) respectively. Gross revenue for the third quarter was significantly higher at $170 million, an increase of 21% on Q3 2012. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization and exploration (EBITDAX) was $93 million which was considerably higher by $6 million than in Q3 2012. Net profit remained flat year-on-year due to higher royalty and higher depreciation in line with higher production in Egypt. Accordingly, the Group posting a net profit of $28 million in Q3 2013 compared to $29 million in Q3 2012.

Siemens will deliver the key components for a power station that is going to supply the future Yamal LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) production plant in Northern Russia with electricity and heat. The Siemens scope of supply comprises the design, manufacture, factory testing, delivery, installation and commissioning of eight SGT-800 industrial gas turbines as well as nine step-up transformers. Four of these turbines will additionally be equipped with waste heat recovery units. The power plant will have an electrical output of 376 megawatts (MWe). The order has been placed by the Russian engineering company Technopromexport (TPE), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rostec State Corporation.

Energy consulting, testing and certification company DNV KEMA will open a new Multiphase Flow Laboratory (MPFL) in Groningen, the Netherlands. The facility will allow equipment manufactures and oil and gas companies to test, validate and calibrate multiphase technologies – e.g. separators and flow meters – for the production of oil and gas and the measurement and trading of gas. As the MPFL is operating in a unique true-to-life environment, the facility will help increasing the accuracy of future multiphase flow meters, as well as the efficiency of future multiphase separators.

The Hanseatic trading city of Bergen, on the edge of the Norwegian North Sea, has a long maritime tradition. From shipping to aquaculture to offshore oil and gas, this is a city whose economic identity is defined by its ties to the sea. The city is by far Norway´s largest port, with more than 13 million metric tonnes of cargo transported to and from Bergen in 2010. Bergen is also the country´s largest center for aquaculture and marine science research, and is home to the Institute of Marine Research and an active marine science research centre at the University of Bergen.

Leading international oilfield services company Expro, has secured a contract worth in excess of $6 million (£3.7 million) with Hess Australia for an appraisal drilling campaign off the North West Shelf of Western Australia. The contract is due to commence in quarter four 2011 and the Jack Bates semi submersible drilling rig will be used to undertake the campaign through mid-2012. The project will involve the deployment of Expro’s well testing, subsea, slickline, fluids and sampling and wet gas meter capabilities. Ed Anderson, Expro’s Asia region director, said:  “At Expro, we offer integrated solutions to help our customers achieve their goals throughout the full life cycle of a well, from exploration and appraisal through to abandonment. “Hess is a new client for us in Australia.

Chesapeake Energy and CNOOC Limited executed an agreement whereby CNOOC International Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, will purchase a 33.3% undivided interest in Chesapeake’s 600,000 net oil and natural gas leasehold acres in the Eagle Ford Shale project in South Texas. The consideration for the sale will be $1.08 billion in cash at closing, subject to adjustment. In addition, CNOOC Limited has agreed to fund 75% of Chesapeake’s share of drilling and completion costs until an additional $1.08 billion has been paid, which Chesapeake expects to occur by year-end 2012. Closing of the transaction is anticipated in the 2010 fourth quarter.

McDermott International, Inc. announced that a subsidiary of J.Ray McDermott, S.A. has been awarded a contract by Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (3) to provide engineering, procurement, construction and installation services for new facilities in Qatar’s North Field, as part of the Phase 2 Offshore Expansion Project. Contracts of this type are typically valued at approximately $0.5 billion. “RasGas is a valued client of J. Ray and its trust in our management, operations and quality of services explains the repeatability in our project work and the longevity of our relationship,” said Bob Deason, President and Chief Operating Officer of J. Ray.