CNOOC to tender one FEED for two TLPs in Liuhua
The national oil company (NOC) China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) made its mind up regarding the conceptual design to be used for the development of the offshore oil and gas fields Liuhua 11-1 and Liuhua 16-2 in favor two tension legs platforms (TLPs) to be anchored in the South China Sea.
With in-place reserves estimated to 1 billion barrels of crude oil Liuhua is the largest offshore field in production in China.
Operated by the London-based major company BP since the first discoveries in 1987, CNOOC took it over in 2003 as sole stake holder of this giant field.
Located 240 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong, Liuhua is lying by 370 meters of water depth.
Because of this water depth the development of the neighboring fields Liuhua 11-1 and Liuhua 16-2 could be considered in very different manners causing 6 months discussions in CNOOC to align all opinions.
Since the two fields Liuhua 11-1 and Liuhua 16-2 are very similar and close to each other, this benefit was in fact multiplying options.
In order to optimize the amount of capital expenditure, CNOOC asked DMAR Engineering (DMAR) from Houston, Texas, in USA to conduct a conceptual study.
During the conceptual study, DMAR compared the TLPs architecture with conventional semi-submersible platforms.
DMAR had also to integrate in this feasibility study the existing Nanhai Shengli floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) in place since 1996 to operate Liuhua 11-1.
CNOOC to combine TLPs and new FPSO in Liuhua
Based on these parameters DMAR and CNOOC came to the conclusion that the optimize scenario to boost oil and gas production from Liuhua was to rethink the development of the whole field in combining two TLPs and a new FPSO.
From this conceptual design , CNOOC is considering a:
– TLP on Liuhua 11-1
– TLP on Liuhua 16-2
– New FPSO to replace the existing Nanhai Shengli vessel
The new Liuhua FPSO should provide the two TLPs with the power generation to supply the electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) required to rise up the heavy crude oil from the field.
Liuhua 11-1 will be supplied through a 7 kilometers power link.
Then Liuhua 16-2 TLP will be connected to Liuhua 11-1 by a 34 kilometers subsea electrical cable.
On oil and gas production side, the two TLPs, Liuhua 11-1 and Liuhua 16-2 will feed the FPSO through respective 35 and 7 kilometers umbilicals.
According to DMAR pre-front end engineering and design (Pre-FEED), the topsides for the Liuhua should weight:
– 9,000 tonnes for Liuhua 11-1
– 12,000 tonnes for Liuhua 16-2
These topsides will handle:
– Chemical injection process
– 15 to 20 wellhead slots
– ESPs power supply and operation
– Umbilicals
With the conceptual design completed and decided, CNOOC is preparing the call for tender for the front end engineering and design (FEED) of these TLPs;
From the qualified list of contenders, the foreign engineering companies should compete in partnership with a local company.
The FEED contract for the Liuhua 11-1 and Liuhua 16-2 TLPs should be awarded on second half 2014 in order to enable CNOOC to move into engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) in 2015 for a first production in 2018.
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