Temporary Replacement of Production Facilities by a Dynamically Positioned FPSO

摘要

This paper outlines the successful modification, mobilization and operation of the FPSO Munin on the West River field, offshore China. This was necessary to continue production while the Field's permanent FPSO was in dry dock for essential maintenance. The project is unique in that the FPSO Munin relies solely on its Dynamic Positioning (DP) system for station keeping during oil production and while offloading to conventional non-DP offtake tankers. The paper describes the background to the project and goes into detail about the challenges overcome in order to make it a success. By using the original riser system and by utilizing the FPSO Munin's DP capability, a fast and cost efficient mobilization was achieved that made the project worthwhile for all parties involved. The qualification of the DP system for the operation on West River field is described in detail. Feedback from the field and lessons learned during the operation will be discussed. Other applications for DP production, for example in deepwater, are addressed in order to demonstrate the potential of such operations.