SBM Offshore awarded OTC award for VHP Fluid Swivel

As a leading pioneer in floating production and mooring systems, SBM Offshore continually pushes the limits of technology to deliver higher performing, more cost-effective and safer solutions for the oil and gas industry. Recently awarded Spotlight on new Technology award at the 2014 OTC conference, the Very High Pressure Fluid Swivel (VHP Fluid Swivel) delivers a solution that will allow operators to utilise FPSOs for the development of ultra high pressure reservoirs, which to date has not been possible where a weather-vaning system was needed in conjunction with fluid re-injection into the reservoir.

Increasing operating pressure

Currently, fluid swivels are proven up to 520 bar. SBM’s fully qualified VHP Fluid Swivel now increases this limit by almost 60% to reach operating pressures of up to 830 bar; a level sufficient for most applications foreseen today.  Moreover, additional qualification testing is planned to take place during 2014 to further increase this capability to an operating pressure of 1000 bar.

Meeting high pressure/high temperature challenges

With the industry focused on the potential reserves of the Lower Tertiary fields in the US Gulf of Mexico, this patented SBM swivel technology is applicable to the ultra High pressure/high temperature challenges inherent in this region. Drawing on 37 years of FPSO swivel expertise, the VHP Fluid Swivel will enable gas or water re-injection into Lower Teriary fields from a turret moored FPSO, thereby helping operators to boost recovery factors. This capability opens up the option to the industry to use FPSOs for Lower Tertiary applications beyond the current Early Production Systems, enabling their use for full field developments where re-injection will be needed.

This new VHP fluid swivel technology complements SBM’s portfolio of products for deep water and harsh environments, including the Lower Tertiary.  These include disconnectable FPSOs suitable for steel risers, such as the FPSO Turritella for the Stones project and the MoorSpar™ system.

Spotlight on New Technology award

Andrew Newport, Proposal & Technology Development Director, who was responsible for the Monaco-based team, which developed and qualified the VHP Fluid Swivel, accepted the award on behalf of SBM Offshore.

Michael Wyllie, SBM Offshore’s Group Technology Director commented “We are delighted to receive another Spotlight on New Technology award, our fourth in four years, and we thank OTC for recognising SBM. This series of prestigious accolades endorses our position as a technology leader in the offshore industry and demonstrates that our continued innovation is successfully bridging the technology gaps identified with our clients.”

Previous Spotlight awards in recent years have included:

OTC 2013: Drilling Riser TripSaver™ – an innovative apparatus and method for drilling multiple subsea wells consecutively.

OTC 2012: COOL™ LNG Marine Transfer Hose System – the first fully qualified cryogenic floating hose for transfer of LNG.

OTC 2011: HV-AC Electric Swivel using novel technology to increase capacity up to 150 MW.

Adapted from press release by Cecilia Rehn

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/15052014/sbm_offshore_awarded_otc_spotlight_on_new_technology_award/