9/14/18
Company studies lower-cost configuration for next pre-salt contracting
Petrobras is developing a new risers configuration for its pre-salt projects. Named Dampened Steel Catenary Riser (DSCR), the technology promises to generate savings by reducing the number of buoys of the traditional Steel Lazy Wave Riser (SLWR) model used in the Sapinhoá field, for example.
The solution consists in the use of hydrodynamic dampers that induce a controlled bending (buckling) of the suspended section of the structure, also allowing the reduction of the total length of the line and the susceptibility to problems of interference with other risers.
“We are studying this possibility for future contracts. We will give this option to the suppliers in the bids, “Cenpes executive manager Orlando Ribeiro said during a meeting with reporters on Thursday.
Since the incidents with flexible risers in the pre-salt cluster, the rigid ducts and the hybrid configuration – combining flexible and rigid pipes – was once again adopted by Petrobras. This was the case in the Mero 1 and Sepia fields.
Although low at the moment, the 100% flexible solution in the pre-salt is not discarded, as indicated in the charter of the FPSO Búzios V charter, which will be installed in the onerous assignment area.
Industry 4.0 to leverage results
DSCR is one of about 1,000 projects underway at Petrobras’ research center on the Island of Fundão, in Rio de Janeiro, where 1,300 employees work in 227 laboratories.
According to Ribeiro, one of the focuses of his team is to work intensively the use of technologies developed in the so-called industry 4.0 to leverage the results of the oil company.
“The idea is to convey the knowledge of our best interpreters to the machines and come up with a geological model of the oil field. The digital transformation of the company is taken very seriously by the board, so we invested heavily in it, “he said.
Check out some of the technologies under development highlighted by the manager of Cenpes:
Intelligent electrical completion: project in partnership with Shell and Total aims to change the type of valve actuation, from hydraulic to electric;
Autonomous intervention unit in wells: prototype of autonomous robot in substitution of probes in the accomplishment of the service;
CO2 separation in dense phase (Hi-sep): technology allows to produce more oil for longer with the same processing plant. First unit will be installed in Libra;
Automated painting robot: automated system for painting large flat and vertical surfaces on the high seas;
Carbon mol sieve (CMS): molecular sieve of carbon that allows to separate the CO2 molecules from the gas. Test plant is being set up in Aracaju (SE);
Nanotechnology applied to the improvement of materials performance: reduction of weight and structural support in platforms; increase of mechanical properties and possibility of structural self-monitoring; increase of electrical conductivity, among other applications;
Digital twin: model of virtual reproduction of reservoirs, wells, submarine systems and topside allowing to minimize physical interventions in the assets;
Supervisory system of SMS: system based on computer vision and artificial intelligence to follow tasks in the field, with focus on SMS.
Source: Brazil Energy
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