Aker BP successfully carries out North Sea decommissioning using cutting edge technology
HOUSTON -- Aker BP selected Optime Subsea as a provider of well access system and -services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). Optime Subsea’s system, Subsea Controls and Intervention Light System (SCILS), have now successfully completed a two well Plug & Abandonment campaign on Jette field, saving rig time, personnel and equipment.
Aker BP is continously improving operations and lowering costs. After signing the new semi-submersible drilling rig Deepsea Nordkapp, a large, stable rig built specifically for the Norwegian climate, Aker BP announced the long-term lease of Optime’s new subsea hydraulic pump Intervention Workover & Controls (IWOC) system.
Traditionally, the IWOC systems typically have consisted of large 20-ft topside containers with equilly large umbilical and reels, carrying all hydraulics and electrical power. These systems may have a total weight of up to 50T.
Optime Subsea’s SCILS moves the hydraulic control from topside to subsea, resulting in no need for topside container and a dramatic reduction in size of the umbilical and reel. The SCILS have a total weight of 3-7T, depending on the reservoir size and configuration.
To illustrate how the SCILS differs from traditional IWOC systems and operations, Aker BP chose to demobilize the SCILS after its two well P&A campaign on Jette field on the Nowegian Continental Shelf in the North Sea. In preparation for its new completions work on Skogul field, Aker BP will perform the complete interface testing towards the Xmas tree at Optime Subsea’s workshop in Notodden, Norway. This simplifies interface challenges, which normally would be discovered on rig and thereby further saving the Norwegian based operator rig cost and time. This can only be carried out because of the small sized SCILS. It mobilizes or demobilizes in a day, compared to traditional systems requiring 5-7 days each.
