Operation of an articulated oil loading column at the Beryl Field in the North Sea
- Mobil North Sea Ltd.
The Beryl Field, too small (80,000 bbl/day) to justify a 100 mi pipeline to the mainland, has a Condeep concrete gravity base platform with storage capacity for approx. 900,000 bbl. An articulated oil loading platform (SPM) was installed one mile from the platform in 400 ft of water for unmanned loading of two dedicated 80,000 dwt tankers, later reduced to 60,000 dwt capacity to provide clean ballast capacity. The 120 ft, 16 in. hose string is stored hanging vertically from the boom tip, with the lower end submerged in the sea; this avoids severe loadings experienced in the catenary configuration originally used. There are no underwater hoses. Consideration is being given to running a subsea power cable from the Beryl platform to the SPM to reduce maintenance manhours and to eliminate some equipment (diesel engine generators, hydraulic pumps, air compressors, fuel and hydraulic storage systems, telemetry system components, and some fire protection requirements). The 900,000 bbl storage capability of the platform in conjunction with SPM reliability has permitted continuing production despite bad weather conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 6321908
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-790444-
- Journal Information:
- Proc., Annu. Offshore Technol. Conf.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc., Annu. Offshore Technol. Conf.; (United States) Vol. 3; ISSN OSTCB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
First year's operation experience of the deepest SPM (Single Point Mooring) in the world
Refurbishment of the ballast-water system of the gravity-based structure Beryl Alpha