Overview of Oil & Gas Sector

The following slides are not a tutorial but merely an

overview of the various phases involved in an oil & gas
development. The major phases are:
Exploration (Survey)

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

Drilling (Exploration Development)
Construction (EPIC)
Production (Onshore Refinery)
*De-commissioning

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*Note: This presentation discusses decommissioning of offshore facilities only.
EXPLORATION SEISMIC SURVEY
THE PHASES PRODUCTION/PROCESSING/ EXPORTING
PHASE

CONSTRUCTION PHASE -
Subsea Pipeline to Onshore Refinery
EXPLORATION DRILLING /
APPRAISAL DRILLING

WHEN THE RESERVOIR IS DEPLETED, THE

FACILITIES MUST BE DECOMMISSIONED.

CONCEPT - FEED Decommissioning of offshore Facility:

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

Basic steps include:
- Engineering and Planning;
- Permits and Regulatory Compliance;
- Platform Preparation;
- Well Plugging and Abandonment;
- Conductor Removal;
- Mobilization of Decommissiong Vessel;
- Topsides Removal;
CONSTRUCTION PHASE - - Jacket Removal;
Detailed Design, Procurement, Fabrication - Pipeline and Umbilicals Decommissioning;
- Materials Disposal;
- Site Clearance and Restoration.

CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Transportation, Installation, Hook-up and
Commissioning.
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 EXPLORATION SEISMIC SURVEYS
The Purpose of Seismic Surveys: Seismic surveys are conducted
for a variety of reasons. One of the most common uses of seismic
data is in connection with the exploration, development, and
production of oil & gas reserves to map potential and known
hydrocarbon-bearing formations and the geologic structures that

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

surround them. Oil & gas exploration and production is
conducted in many places on the earths surface, in both the
onshore (land) and offshore (marine) domains.
In most marine work, the sensor is a hydrophone that detects the
pressure fluctuations in the water caused by the reflected sound
waves. The cable containing the hydrophones, called a streamer,
is towed or streamed behind a moving vessel.
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Source: International Association of Geophysical Contractors
 DRILLING
Exploration wells are drilled:
To find oil or gas;
To find a new reservoir in a known field;
To extend the limit of a known oil or gas reservoir.
Appraisal wells:

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

Appraisal wells* are drilled after the discovery of oil or gas to
establish the limits of the reservoir, the productivity of wells in it
and the properties of the oil or gas. If promising amounts of oil or
gas are confirmed during the exploration phase, field appraisal is
used to establish the size and characteristics of the discovery and
to provide technical information to determine the optimum
method for recovery of the oil and gas.
*Also known as development wells. 4
 DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
Development Planning
If appraisal wells show the reservoir to be technically and
commercially viable, the Oil Company will produce a
development plan which will be submitted to the relevant
authorities. This development plan will include an assessment of

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

potential risks and long term environmental impacts. The plan
should also detail projected benefits to local communities (e.g.
employment and trade opportunities), as well as proposing how
other potential impacts will be managed (e.g. transportation of
heavy materials and equipment and an incursion of workers
from outside the local community).

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 FEED
FEED (Front End Engineering Design) is engineering which may be conducted
during Appraisal Drilling and after a Client Feasibility Study, this includes:
Basic Engineering Package (BEP)
Major design philosophy
Codes / standards
PID development
Equipment spec/layout
Front End Loading (FEL)

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

Optimum technology
Value engineering
HAZOP (Safety)
Design to purpose
Constructability
Maintainability
Process simplification and reliability (Quality)
Cost Estimating
Cost / Risk methodology
Vendor information
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Source: INTECSEA (UK) Ltd

Fabrication of an offshore Jacket and Deck (animation).

https://youtu.be/zwlvRA0zfLI
Subject: 3D-Technical Animation for fabricating an Offshore Oil Process Platform 5.08 mins

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

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DECOMMISIONING AN OFFSHORE TOPSIDES
(One concept, other methods to be discussed).

https://youtu.be/hsj-qWCUU4s
Subject: Film and animation 3 mins 15 secs

Oil & Gas Sector Overview

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