Overview of Subsea Production Systems

G. Moricca
Senior Petroleum Engineer
giuseppemoricca@hotmail.com
Main Sources: API 17 TR 13 Jan 2015, GE, DNV GL, Aker Solutions
Subsea Production and Injection System
A subsea production or injection system can include one or more of
the following main elements:
 Wellhead
 Subsea tree (Vertical, Horizontal, or Drill-thru)
 Structural foundation / Template / Manifold /Jumpers
 Subsea processing equipment
 Chemical injection system
 Umbilical with electrical power and signal cables
 Risers
 Production Control and Monitoring System

April 2017 G. Moricca 2

All Segments of a Subsea Production System
The subsea production system associated
with the overall process and all the Field development
equipment involved in drilling, field
development and field operation, is shown.

Drilling

April 2017 Subsea

G. Moricca distribution systems in operation 3
Typical subsea production system

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Sources: Statoil
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Sources: GE Oil and Gas
Subsea Wellhead
 A wellhead with associated casing strings to provide a
basic foundation structure and pressure-containment
system for the well
Subsea
wellhead

Subsea
wellhead

Subsea
wellhead

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Subsea Xmas Tree
 A subsea Xmas tree (Vertical, Horizontal, or Drill-thru)
incorporating flow and pressure-control valves

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Christmas Tree Systems
Onshore Tree Offshore Tree Subsea Tree

DNV GLApril
© 2013
2017 G. Moricca 8
Xmas Tree Overview
Xmas Tree features:
 Control, monitor and condition either produced or injected
media. (Designs for either 5000, 10000 or 15,000 psi wp)

 Provides normal and failsafe methods of shutting the well at the

mudline

 Provides a interface to re-enter the well at any time during the

life of the field

 Provides a platform/interface from which to monitor down hole

pressure temperature or ‘smart well’ systems & applications

 Provides a platform/interface from which to inject chemicals

either down hole or at the Xmas Tree
April 2017 G. Moricca 9
Xmas Tree Overview
 There are two basic types of subsea trees:
- vertical trees (VXT)
- horizontal trees (HXT).
The defining differences between the two basic tree types are as follows:
 in a VXT, the master valve is located directly above the tubing hanger in the vertical run of the flowpath,
while in an HXT the master valve is in the horizontal run adjacent to the wing valve, i.e. there are no tree
valves in the vertical portion of the flowpath, unless a ball valve is incorporated into the internal tree
cap;

 in a VXT configuration, the tubing hanger and downhole tubing are run prior to installing the tree, while
in an HXT the tubing hanger is typically landed in the tree, and hence the tubing hanger and downhole
tubing can be retrieved and replaced without requiring removal of the tree. By the same token, removal
of an HXT normally requires prior removal of the tubing hanger and completion string;

 VXT systems are run on a dual-bore completion riser (or a monobore riser with bore selector located
above LRP and a means to circulate the annulus; usually via a flex hose from surface). TH of HXT are
typically run on casing tubular joints, thereby saving the cost of a dual-bore completion riser, however
a complex landing string is required to run the TH. The landing string is equipped with isolation ball
valves and a disconnect package made specially to suit the ram and annular BOP elevations of a
particular BOP. Subsequent rig change requires certain components of the landing string to be changed
out to suit the new BOP ram and annular BOP elevations.
April 2017 G. Moricca 10
Vertical Tree (VXT) Systems
 In VXT systems, the tubing hanger is typically installed inside the
wellhead and the tree is then installed on top of the wellhead.
 The tubing hanger forms the connection between the
production/injection tubing and the tree via extension subs which seal
between the base of the tree and the matching seal bores in the top of
the tubing hanger.
 The tree consists of a valve block with bores and valves configured in such
a manner that fluid flow and pressure from the well can be controlled
for both safety and operational purposes.
 The tree includes a connector for attachment to the wellhead (or tubing
hanger spool if used).
 The connector forms a pressure-sealing connection to the wellhead, while
bore extension subs from the tree to the tubing hanger form pressure-
sealing conduits from the main bore and annulus of the well to the tree.

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Example of a typical vertical tree

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Horizontal Subsea Tree (HXT) Systems
 The HXT consists of a valve block with bores and valves configured in such
a manner that fluid flow and pressure from the well can be controlled
for both safety and operational purposes. The tree includes a connector
for attachment to the wellhead.
 The connector forms a pressure-sealing connection to the wellhead,
while annular seals on the tubing hanger (TH) seal between the main
bore and annulus of the well to the tree.

 A completion stab seal extending from the bottom of the XT penetrates

and seals into the upper casing hanger. The completion stab seal features
a helix to passively orientate the TH during landing.

 External piping provides fluid paths between the bores of the tree and the
flowline connection points. The flowline(s) may be connected either
directly to the tree, or via piping on a production guidebase.

 A plug is usually installed inside the top of the TH to seal the vertical
bore through the TH, and then an internal tree cap is installed inside the
top of the tree to provide a second pressure-retaining barrier.
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Example of a typical horizontal tree

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Horizontal Subsea Tree (HXT) Systems
 Use of HXT was initially aimed at ESP applications where frequent full
bore workovers were expected, but has now gained acceptance for use
even in natural drive wells. They were also of interest due to the ability to
run the TH on standard tubing joints rather than a dual-bore completion
riser, but similar systems are now available for VXT systems.

 The fact that the TH can be retrieved without disturbing the XT makes this
type of tree of considerable interest for installations using downhole
equipment deemed to require frequent retrieval (i.e. submersible
pumps, intelligent completions, etc.).
 The use of VXTs with ESP in a deepwater marginal development, for
instance, can prove to be uneconomical purely on account of the
frequent costly workover operations.

 HXT designs are also of interest for use on high production-rate wells or
water injection wells, particularly in template or clustered configurations.
In these cases, only one HXT might be needed, instead of perhaps two
VXT types.

April 2017 G. Moricca 15

 Key
Vertical Xmas Tree (VXT)
1 SCSSV control line API 17 TR 13
2 tubing hanger (TH)
3 conductor housing Xmas Tree
4 casing hangers and seal assemblies
5 guideposts (optional)
6 XT cap
Components
7 Xmas tree (XT)
8 DHPTT monitoring line
9 flowline connector
10 XT connector
11 guidebase
12 flowline/tie-in spool connector
13 wellhead
14 drilling guidebase or template slot

Horizontal Xmas Tree (HXT) Key

1 horizontal stroking 11 internal tree cap (ITC)
couplers/connectors 12 ITC plug
2 SCSSV and DHPTT lines 13 tubing hanger (TH)
3 wellhead 14 TH plug
4 XT connector 15 Xmas tree (XT)
5 TH orientation helix 16 flowline connector
6 completion stab sleeve 17 guidebase
7 conductor housing 18 flowline/tie-in spool
8 casing hangers and seal connector
assemblies 19 wellhead
9 XT cap 20 drilling guidebase or
10 guideposts (optional) template slot
April 2017 G. Moricca 16
Xmas Tree Overview Vertical Shallow Water Dual-Bore Subsea
Tree Systems
Dual Bore Tree Diverless

Mono Bore Tree Deepwater

Horizontal Tree Deepwater

Dual Bore Tree Deepwater

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Horizontal vs Conventional Tree
Gate Valve

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Horizontal vs Conventional Tree
Horizontal tree
Production master valve (PMV) in
horizontal bore
Single, concentric bore
Production bore up to 7”
Must pull the production tubing to
retrieve the tree
Workover riser on tree
Both barriers fail if the tree is
accidentally removed
Designed to take the load from a
BOP (increased weight)
Must run the BOP twice during
completion
April 2017
G. Moricca
Vertical tree
Production master valve (PMV) in
vertical bore
Dual bore (production + annulus)
Production bore up to 5”
Must pull the tree to retrieve the
production tubing
Requires landing string to secure
well before workover
Primary barrier is maintained if the
tree is accidentally removed
Not designed to take the load from
a BOP
Only needs one BOP run during
completion
19 2015
DNV
Selection Criteria Horizontal vs Conventional Tree
 The cost of an HXT is much higher than that of a VXT; typically the purchase
price of an HXT is five to seven times more.

 A VXT is larger and heavier, which should be considered if the installation

area of the rig is limited.

 Completion of the well is another factor in selecting an HXT or VXT. If the well
is completed but the tree has not yet been prepared, a VXT is needed. Or if an
HXT is desired, then the well must be completed after installation of the tree.

 An HXT is applied in complex reservoirs or those needing frequent

workovers that require tubing retrieval, whereas a VXT is often chosen for
simple reservoirs or when the frequency of tubing retrieval workovers is low.

 An HXT is not recommended for use in a gas field because interventions are
rarely needed.

April 2017 G. Moricca 20 2015

DNV
Structural Foundation/Template
 A template is a seabed-founded structure that consists of a structural
framework and a foundation (driven/suction piles or gravity-based), arranged
so as to provide support for various subsea equipment such as:
- subsea wellheads and trees,
- piping manifolds (for production, injection, well testing and/or chemical distribution
systems),
- control system components, e.g. SCMs, hydraulic piping, electrical cabling,
- drilling and completion equipment,
- pipeline pull-in and connection equipment,
- production risers.
Mini Suction Piles Template

Hinged Manifold / Template

Aker Solutions
Aker Solutions
April 2017 G. Moricca 21
Structural Foundation/Template photo gallery (1)

Pre-drill template in place - Statoil Seabed Wellheads Template - Statoil

April 2017
15 slot Claxton subsea drilling template-StatoilG. Moricca Subsea Gas Compression - Statoil22
Structural Foundation/Template photo gallery (2)
Work in progress

April 2017 G. Moricca 23

Manifold Module
 A manifold is a system of headers, branched piping and valves used to gather
produced fluids or to distribute injected fluids. The manifold should provide
sufficient piping, valves and flow controls to safely gather produced fluids or
distribute injected fluids such as gas, water or chemicals.
- The Manifold Module provides the interface between the production
pipeline, flowline and well.
- Pipelines or flexibles normally interconnect the manifold.

- Collecting produced fluids from individual subsea wells.

- Distributing production fluids, inject gas, inject chemicals and control fluids.
- Distribute the electrical and hydraulic system.
- Several XT can be connected to the manifold.
- Satellite modules (if required) will be connected to the manifold via a flow
line.
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Manifold Module
 A manifold module for controlled gathering/distributing of various fluid streams

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Jumpers
 In subsea oil/gas production systems, a subsea jumper is a short pipe connector
that is used to connect manifold systems to wells, sleds to wells and/or
manifolds to sleds.
 Another word the subsea jumper is used to transport production fluid between
two subsea components, for example, a tree and a manifold, a manifold and
another manifold, or a manifold and an export sled.
 Commonly, subsea jumper is classified into two categories which are flexible and
rigid jumpers. The flexible jumper systems provide versatility, unlike rigid jumper
systems, which limit space and handling capability.

April 2017 G. Moricca

Subsea Rigid Jumper [Aker Solution]. 26
Subsea Processing equipment
 Subsea processing equipment, including fluid separation devices and/or
pumps/compressors and associated electrical power distribution
equipment

Subsea
Processing
System

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Chemical injection system – Umbilical - Flowlines
 A chemical injection system;
 An umbilical with electrical
power and signal cables, as
well as conduits for hydraulic
control fluid and various
chemicals to be injected
subsea into the produced
fluid streams;
 One or more flowlines to
convey produced and/or
injected fluids between the
subsea completions and the
seabed location of the host
facility;
April 2017 G. Moricca 28
Umbilical systems for offshore application
The primary function is to provide :
 chemical injection for flow assurance,
 electrical signals for valve control and monitoring,
 hydraulic pressure for valve actuation,
 electrical power for subsea pumping,
 fibre optics for data acquisition and monitoring

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Riser
A riser is a pipe that
connects an offshore
Floating Production
Structure or a Drilling Rig
to a sub-sea system
either for production
purposes such as drilling,
production, injection and
export, or for drilling, Flexible Riser
completion and workover
purposes.

Production Risers
April 2017 G. Moricca 30
Production Risers
 The portion of a pipeline extending from the seafloor to the surface is termed a riser.
 The function of a riser is to provide conduit(s) for the conveying of produced fluids
and/or injection fluids between the seafloor equipment and the production host. Such
risers are generally known as production risers in order to distinguish them from other
types of risers such as marine drilling risers and completion/workover risers.
 Production risers can be grouped according
to the type of production host facility to
which the subsea production system is tied
back, i.e. either a fixed, bottom-founded
structure (e.g. a steel-piled jacket or a
concrete gravity structure) or a floating
structure, i.e. either a tension-leg platform or
a floating production system (e.g. a ship,
semisubmersible or spar).
 Production risers tied back to floating
structures are inherently more complex than
those tied back to fixed structures, since they
need to be able to accommodate the motion
of the floating structure. For this reason such
risers are commonly referred to as dynamic
risers. Production
Risers
April 2017 G. Moricca 31
Completion/workover Riser Systems
 Completion/workover riser systems are used for the initial installation of the
subsea completion equipment and during major well workovers.
 These systems typically require the use of a mobile offshore drilling vessel
equipped with full-wellbore-diameter pressure control equipment.
 A completion riser is a riser that is designed to be run through the drilling
marine riser and subsea BOP stack, and is used for the installation and
recovery of the downhole tubing and tubing hanger in a subsea well.
 Since the completion riser is run inside a
drilling marine riser, it is not exposed to drilling marine riser
environmental forces such as wind, waves
and current.
 A drilling marine riser has a large
diameter, low pressure main tube with
external auxiliary lines that include
high pressure choke and kill lines for
circulating fluids to the subsea BOP,
and usually power and control lines for
the BOP.
April 2017 G. Moricca 32
Completion/workover Riser Systems
 Completion/workover riser systems are used for the initial installation of
the subsea completion equipment and during major well workovers.
These systems typically require the use of a mobile offshore drilling
vessel equipped with full-wellbore-diameter pressure control
equipment.
 It is essential that, at the conceptual design phase of any subsea field
development, the intervention philosophy, both for installation and
through the life-cycle, is established.
 Intervention should be accomplished in a reliable manner that minimizes
potential damage to the intervention/operating personnel, the
environment, the subsea equipment and the intervention tooling.

 A secondary requirement is that the equipment be designed to perform

the intended purpose effectively and efficiently, given the environmental
operating conditions in which it is to work.
April 2017 G. Moricca 33
Production Control and Monitoring System
 The Production Control and Monitoring System provides the means to
control and monitor the operation of a subsea production or injection
facility from a remote location.

 The Production Control and Monitoring System consists of both surface

and subsea equipment

 Depending on system design and field-specific requirements, the design

of the surface equipment can range from simple hydraulic power-packs
with integrated control panels, through to more advanced systems
including signal multiplexing, with the operator interface integral with
the control system for the surface-processing equipment.

 The control system may interface with the actuated subsea equipment
directly or via a subsea control module. The subsea control module(s)
may be configured to operate/monitor functions on each or several
subsea XTs, downhole functions and/or manifold functions.
April 2017 G. Moricca 34
Production Control and Monitoring System
Surface equipment
 Typical surface components can include:
- Topside Umbilical Termination Unit (TUTU)
- Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)
- Electrical Power Unit (EPU)
- Subsea Control Unit (SCU)
- -Master Control Station (MCS)
April 2017
Subsurface equipment
 Typical systems components can include:
- Umbilical Termination Assembly (UTA)
- Subsea Distribution Assembly (SDA)
- Subsea Distribution Unit (SDU)
- Communications Interface Unit (CIU)
- Subsea Electrical Junction Box
- Subsea Control Module (SCM)
- Subsea Electronics Module (SEM)
G. Moricca 35
Characteristics of Different Types of Control Systems
 According to API 17 TR 13 recommendations, because of the large number of
variables and the high degree of operator preference in choosing control systems,
only relative comparisons of systems are possible. The following is proposed.
API 17 TR 13 - Characteristics of Different Types of Control Systems

April 2017 G. Moricca 36

Control Systems: Choice of system
 According to DNV GL, the following system selection matrix, could be adopted.

April 2017 G. Moricca 37

 Thank You
for Your
Attention

G. Moricca
April 2017
Senior Petroleum
G. Moricca
Engineer 38
giuseppemoricca@hotmail.com