Subsea Processing presents significant potential for cost savings by moving some of the traditional topsides fluid processing to the seabed. Subsea separation and local re-injection of produced water and/or gas to the reservoir or to a dedicated disposal zone will allow flowlines and topside processing equipment to be used more efficiently. Subsea gas/liquid separation and liquid boosting can increase the production rate in low-energy reservoirs.
Here are the main features of Subsea Processing:
- Subsea bulk water removal, with re-injection or disposal
- Subsea single-phase or multi-phase boosting of well fluids
- Subsea sand and solids separation and sand handling system
- Subsea gas/liquid separation and liquid boosting
- Subsea gas treatment Subsea gas compression
- Monitoring-, control- and instrumented safety systems
The FMC Technologies concept of Subsea Processing is a modularized system based on widely used subsea production technology, providing:
- Robust and reliable subsea solutions
- Fully modular architecture – retrievable units
- Flexibility over life of the field
- Stepwise installation and cost exposure
- Installation and intervention similar to a conventional subsea production system
- Utilization of existing tie-in and connection tools and components for optimum and cost efficient operations
Investment costs for both flow lines and topside processing equipment can be reduced by up to several tens of million US dollars, subsea separation of the well stream can increase the project NPV (Net Present Value) and life of the field by up to 20 years.