OTC 15369 Otter: The Worlds Longest Subsea Tie-Back With Dual ESP

Mark Horn TotalFinaElf Exploration UK plc, Frederic Coudeville TotalFinaElf Exploration UK plc, Eugene Bespalov Baker Hughes Centrilift, Howard Butcher Baker Hughes Centrilift
Copyright 2003, Offshore Technology Conference This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2003 Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, U.S.A., 58 May 2003. This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the Offshore Technology Conference or officers. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper was presented.

Abstract The Otter field in the Northern North Sea has been developed using three subsea production wells each equipped with dual electric submersible pumps (ESP). Dual ESP were selected as they will maximise well availability and minimise operating costs associated with workovers. The field is located 21 kilometres from the host platform, making this development the longest subsea tie-back with ESP completed to date. The equipment selected for the ESP system is described, including downhole, subsea and the topsides equipment. A rigorous testing programme was performed to prove that over such a distance from the variable frequency drives ESP could be successfully operated, controlled and data received. The experience gained during the development will serve as a guide to future long step-out or deep-water subsea developments by identifying critical components and the operational philosophy developed for the Otter field. Factors limiting the development of fields at greater step-out are discussed. Conclusions can be drawn on the steps required to implement a successful development and some of the pit falls to be avoided. Introduction The Otter field lies in the Northern area of the Northern North Sea on the edge of the Viking Graben area (see Figure 1). The field is operated by TotalFinaElf exploration UK plc on behalf of the joint venture partners Dana Petroleum (E & P) Ltd, Esso Exploration and Production UK Ltd and Shell UK Ltd. The field was discovered in 1978 by Phillips Petroleum, however the field remained undeveloped until 2002 due to the limited size of the discovery and technical challenges. Operatorship of the field was acquired by Fina Exploration in 1997 and at this time interest in developing the field was renewed. To prove reserves and well deliverability a delineation well, 210/15a-5, was drilled and tested in 1998.

The results of this well were encouraging and a development screening study was launched. A further delineation well was drilled in 2000 to confirm a field extension to the North prior to the launch of the development project. The hydrocarbon reserves in the Otter field are found in faulted compartments of the Middle Jurassic Brent sequence, with the top reservoir at around 2000m below sea-level. The reservoir has good porosity and excellent permeability, with horizontal wells able to produce in the range 15-20,000 bbl/d. The reservoir fluid was under saturated at initial conditions with a gas/oil ratio of 450 scf/bbl, and contains low levels (<0.3%mol) of carbon dioxide and traces of hydrogen sulphide. The reservoir was initially normally pressured, approximately 62 bar above the bubble point. Wells flow during initial stage of production, but require artificial lift once water cut increases or the pressure depletion occurs. Development Strategy The development consists of three production wells each equipped with dual ESP and two water injection wells to provide pressure support. A full description of the Otter development can be found in Ref 1. The subsea equipment comprises of a combined four slot drilling template with integral production manifold, which were installed prior to the start of drilling operations. Water depth on the template location is 184 m. A satellite well, the delineation well 210/15a-5 located 35m from the main installation, is tied in to the template for use as a water injector. Both template and satellite well have independent protection structures to avoid damage of the installations by dropped objects or fishing activity. The manifold is tied back to the Eider platform, operated by Shell UK, at a distance of 21km. The Eider platform receives Otter production via a 10 line and supplies injection water to the manifold through a 10 line. The flowlines are linked at the manifold to allow round trip pigging. Eider also provides control and monitoring of manifold and well functions via a single multi-core umbilical and provides power for the ESP via three subsea cables. The design of the manifold and Xmas trees is such that all tie-ins of the completed wells can be carried out from the drilling rig using the onboard ROV. A schematic representation of the development is shown in Figure 2. Development Schedule The Otter development project was sanctioned in December 1999, and major contracts placed in the following months. The combined template, manifold and protection structures were installed in October 2000. Pipelines

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and were laid in September 2001. Pipeline tie-ins, cable and umbilical installation and hook up were completed during the winter of 2001/2002. Drilling operations commenced in June 2002 with the semi-submersible rig Transocean John Shaw. Production from the first well started in October 2002, with drilling and completion operations continuing on the subsequent wells whist producing from the template. It is anticipated that drilling operations of the wells will be completed in April 2003. Artificial Lift Options Considered It was identified at an early stage that the selection of the artificial lift method for Otter would be critical to the economic success of the development. Several host platforms were considered, one of which had the possibility of supplying lift gas, the option of using an FPSO to limit the investment in subsea infrastructure was also considered. Gas Lift At the initial stage gas-lift was the preferred option as it was believed to be the most reliable and therefore offer the lowest operating costs. However, detailed studies into multi-phase flow of the produced hydrocarbon and lift gas in the export line indicated that slugging could be a significant problem, which could give rise to severe difficulties during production. Operability studies also indicated that the difficulties controlling a multi-well gas-lift system at a long distance from the host platform could cause additional flow instability. Hydraulic Submersible Pumps This technology is gaining popularity (Ref. 2) and was believed to offer potential advantages for a remote subsea development. However, the open loop systems most commonly used increased the volume of produced fluids to be treated on the host installation and would have limited the plateau oil production rate. Closed loop systems were considered but this was seen as unproven technology, particularly for a subsea application. Electric Submersible Pumps ESP were considered, but despite increasing reliability of these systems, it was believed that the number of workovers required to replace failed pumps would reduce production efficiency and increase the operating costs of the field to an unacceptable level. Previous North Sea developments using subsea wells and ESP (Ref 3) have included gas-lift back-up in case of ESP failure, however, as explained above this was not feasible on Otter. To mitigate the effects of pump failure a dual ESP system was considered and ultimately selected for the development. Dual ESP A dual ESP system uses two pumps working in service and standby mode respectively. The pumps systems are completely independent with duplication of all components from the motors to the Xmas tree. The dual configuration had been developed for use on surface wellhead systems to reduce the frequency of workover and have been used in areas where workover costs are high or pump lives are short (Ref 4,5). Prior to the Otter installation dual systems had never been deployed in a subsea application. Statistical analysis of pump failures have indicated that use of dual ESP can bring significant advantages to well availability (Ref 6).

The main challenges to the implementation of a dual pump system on a subsea well were the passage of two power cables through the Xmas tree and the switching of the power from primary pump to secondary pump. It was evaluated that existing technology could be readily modified to overcome the technical challenges and the dual ESP system was selected as the preferred option. Xmas Trees The subsea xmas trees selected were of a horizontal design. To ensure sufficient independent pressure barriers between the wellstream fluids and the environment an external tree cap was used replacing the upper crown plug. The tubing hanger was designed with an eccentric production bore to allow passage of the dual wet-mateable electrical connectors which carried electrical power from the tree cap to the downhole cables. Changeover Switch The electrical switch, specifically developed for this project, was integrated into the tree cap assembly. The selection of upper or lower pump by means of the Xmas tree electro-hydraulic control system. This switch used standard wet-mateable electric connector technology requiring that the line be isolated and discharged before activation to the alternative position. Workover Philosophy To optimize the workover costs and uptime, a workover philosophy was developed, this supported selection of the dual ESP system. Due to the exposed location of the Otter field, on the margin of the North Atlantic, it was identified that workover costs, and risks of failure, would be significantly higher in the winter season compared to summer operations. Also, to mobilize a drilling rig to carryout the well interventions would take of the order of three months. Therefore waiting for failure of ESP systems prior to working over wells would lead to deferment of production during rig mobilization and potentially high risk and high cost winter operations. A workover philosophy was developed whereby wells would be worked over in the first summer following failure of the primary pump system. By default, the back-up system, although functioning, would be pulled prior to failure, thus eliminating both production deferment and performing workover operations in the optimum season. The workover philosophy reinforced the selection of the dual pump system as it was shown that there were tangible benefits of being able to delay workovers to optimize costs without impacting well availability. Contracting Strategy The most significant variable in operating cost over the life of the Otter field relates to the cost of working over wells. Optimization of workover operations was addressed by the selection of a dual pump system, however, the absolute system life remained the principal driver behind the frequency of workovers. Pump run-life is a function of a number of factors including produced fluids, well conditions and operator experience, however all of these can be mitigated by assuring the quality of engineering and equipment supplied. EPIC Contract It was agreed that a single contractor should be responsible for the supply of the entire artificial lift system

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using an EPIC (Engineer, Procure, Install and Commission) contract. The scope of contract included: all platform equipment (excluding power generation); specification of the subsea cable; subsea wet-mateable connectors; subsea switch and Xmas tree penetrators; and downhole completion equipment. The effective management of subcontractors was noted as one of the critical factors on similar previous projects (Ref 7). At an early stage it was recognized that an ESP supplier would be best suited to act as EPIC contractor having comparable expertise in both downhole equipment and electrical engineering. This breadth of experience was essential to successfully co-ordinate the diverse range of sub-suppliers necessary to execute such a project. The EPIC contract required that the lead contractor should manage all subcontractors to ensure that the engineering and execution of all work was within the standards laid down by the company. An EPIC contract ensured that the interfaces between various subsystems were efficiently managed and that efficient communications were ensured. The progress of the EPIC contract and interfaces with topsides modifications project were managed by regular meetings between company and EPIC contractor. The EPIC contractor ultimately used eight major sub-contractors to supply the required equipment and services. Remuneration The remuneration to the EPIC contractor was based on direct payment for permanent equipment and installation services, and a performance based contract for the supply of all downhole equipment that required drilling rig intervention for replacement. The aim of the performance contract was to align the interests of the company and the EPIC contractor by fixing the payment for equipment in direct proportion to pump system life. Practically this meant the EPIC contractor free-issuing the equipment to the company for installation and the company paying a daily charge once the pump system was commissioned. Such performance contracts are commonly used, however some modifications were required for the case of dual pumps. This was addressed by the payment of a standby rate for commissioned but non-operational ESP, a method also used during periods of natural flow at the start of field life. When preparing the performance contract the major aim was to allow for flexibility of operations over the field life including modification of the workover philosophy, re-design of the completions and re-use of equipment pulled from wells. During the installation phase the EPIC contracting methodology delivered high quality equipment from the various sub-suppliers. Quality was assured by a rigorous inspection and testing of all components and extended testing programmes on all finished components. The performance contract delivered equipment designed and manufactured to the highest standards with a significant testing programme carried out to prove the operability of the system. Challenges Of a 21km Subsea Tieback Subsea Deployment Of Dual ESPs Use of a semisubmersible rig for deployment of a complicated completion such as those used on Otter presents certain challenges.

Considerations such as delays due to bad weather and downhole system protection against heave require total system engineering and use of special components to ensure successful operation. The possibility of short notice of degrading weather, result in upfront considerations regarding methods of suspending the completion operation to allow the rig to safely unlatch from the sub-sea facilities. Such conditions may negatively affect the total economics of the project. The use of standard horizontal Xmas tree required redesign of the tubing hanger and tree cap interface to accommodate a substantial number of wet-mateable electrical power connectors and a sub-sea switch located on a tree cap (see Figure 3 for illustration). All operations with electrical connectors and tree cap are performed by ROV, to accommodate the various electrical connections an additional ROV interface plate was used on the tree cap. Space limitations in the body of the tubing hanger required downhole monitoring system with signal transfer through the ESP power cable. Simultaneous drilling, completion and production operations require further considerations in respect to the planning and execution of such activities. The safe execution of such simultaneous operations can only be achieved by careful planning and with proper co-ordination between the rig and the host platform. A remote emergency platform shutdown system was installed on the rig to allow rapid shut-down of production should an incident occur on the template. 23km Step-out Without Voltage Transformation The cable length required for the Otter wells has a major effect on the system design. This is the longest subsea step-out for an ESP system to date, and the controllability of the ESP at this distance had not been proved prior to the first system deployment. Power system studies predicted a voltage drop of approximately 1000 V in the subsea/downhole cable and also predicted that harmonic voltage distortion at the variable speed drive (VSD) output would be amplified by the cable. In order to minimize the harmonic voltage distortion a sinusoidal waveform is required. As a result, a multi-level pulse width modulation (PWM) VSD with a near sinusoidal output was selected. Use of a single subsea power cable was considered, but eliminated at an early stage, due to the requirement for power distribution and VSD subsea. Development of the necessary equipment was not considered feasible given the short project duration, therefore the simpler, and more robust, three-cable option was selected. Platform System Harmonics A power system harmonic survey was undertaken on the Eider platform to ascertain the existing levels of disturbance. This survey and subsequent study showed that the increase in power system harmonics due to the VSD is not expected to exceed acceptable limits. The survey will be repeated when all ESP are operating to confirm the level of distortions.

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Data Transmission The capability of the downhole monitoring system to transmit data successfully over the 25 km (including subsurface cable) of power cable was unknown. This was due to the uncertainty of effects of distance on the VSD output waveform. Consequently, the signal quality which would be received at the host platform needed to be verified, this was addressed during the electrical system test described below. Production Well Design The production wells were all drilled from the combined template manifold with a horizontal drain in the reservoir section. Production Casing A 10-3/4 production casing was selected in order to provide sufficient space for the combined pump and Y-tool bypass assemblies. The 10-3/4 casing was run in a 13-1/2 hole drilled and underreamed simultaneously using a rotary steerable system and underreamer. Directional control in this phase was critical as a dogleg free, slant section, of at least 150m in length was required for installation of the motor and pump assemblies to minimize stress on these rotating components. Inclination in the slant section was limited to 55 degrees to ensure that isolation plugs could be run and pulled with slickline as necessary. The production casing was set in the top of the Brent reservoir to avoid shale stability problems when drilling the horizontal drain in the reservoir with a low weight drill-in fluid. Inclination at the 10-3/4 shoe was of the order of 85 degrees to minimize directional work required in the reservoir. Production Interval The reservoir section was drilled in 81/2 hole and completed with 5-1/2 wire wrapped screens. The screens were designed to be used in either standalone or gravel packed configuration, the selection of sand control method being made once the drain had been drilled and the lithology encountered clearly identified. Due to correct placement of the drains no gravel pack was required on any of the three production wells drilled. Completion Design A schematic representation of the production well completion design is shown in Figure 4. The completion was split into two sections the lower and upper. The function of the lower completion is to allow isolation of the upper wellbore from the open-hole reservoir section, avoiding the need to kill the horizontal section in case of workover. It also added a barrier above the open reservoir while running the upper completion. The upper completion contains the packer and dual ESP assemblies. Lower Completion Consists of a packer with tailpipe containing a nipple profile to allow the setting or pulling of a wireline plug through the upper completion. This nipple was located at the bottom of the slant section of the well with a maximum inclination of 55 degrees. The tailpipe is stabbed into the top of the gravel pack assembly to give mechanical continuity for coiled tubing interventions. The assembly was run in filtered brine, using a drillpipe setting tool, with the wireline plug installed in the nipple. Once the upper

completion was run and the tubing hanger landed the plug was recovered with slickline through the by-pass tubing. Upper Completion The upper completion included the dual ESP systems, the production packer, downhole safety valve and the tubing hanger. The upper assembly was stabbed into the lower completion to ensure mechanical access between the two strings. The elements of the upper completion string are as follows: Upper and Lower Pump Assemblies The design of these assemblies is detailed below, they include automatic Y-tools to allow production using the upper or lower system. Each system was fully independent with a full suite of instrumentation to monitor both well and motor conditions, including flow. Transmission of data to surface is via the main power cables using a comms-on-power system. Production Packer The packer was specifically designed for the Otter project and used a hydraulic setting and unsetting mechanism. This was necessary due to the loads imposed on the packer during scale inhibitor squeeze operations, which would have unset the more usual tensile release systems. The packer mandrel is a solid bar containing an eccentric production bore, two conduits for chemical injection and two penetrations for the electrical power cables. A prototype packer was subjected to a full testing programme including ISO13410-2 v3 qualification with the anticipated loads, and release system function. Sliding sleeve This allows production annulus to tubing communication to ensure full pressure equalization across the retrievable packer elements prior to activating the packer releasing mechanism. Deployed in closed position, the device is only activated prior to releasing the retrievable packer. Downhole Safety Valve A tubing-retrievable flapper valve is set 100m below the seabed. The valve is non self-equalizing to maximize reliability and is of a fail-safe design. Operation is hydraulic through a control line linked to the Xmas tree control system. The design accommodates for the installation of a back-up insert wireline-retrievable safety valve. Adjustment Sub Due to the limited space available in the horizontal tubing hanger it is not possible to terminate the electrical connectors and penetrators directly onto the downhole cables and to feed through the assemblies from the bottom of the tubing hanger. Instead, the electrical penetrators and connectors are supplied already terminated to a short section of electric cable (called pig tails) and the assemblies are fed through from the top of the tubing hanger. The pig tails must then be spliced to the downhole electric cables on the rig floor. The adjustment sub has been specifically designed to allow horizontal splicing of the cable enabling any slack in the downhole electric cables to be taken up once the tubing hanger has been made up to the completion string. The system features a double stroking arrangement with left-hand thread on top and right-hand thread on bottom. Annulus-tubing pressure integrity is achieved via two sets of chevron packing stacks (primary barrier) and two metal-to-metal crush rings (secondary barrier). Once stroked into final position, the crush rings are energized and two torque keys lock the assembly in rotation to prevent any damage to the sealing arrangements during completion landing operation.

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Cable Clamps and Cable Protection Cross-coupling cable clamps are used which have been specifically designed for subsea operations. Strengthened hinges and locking assembly reduce the risks of damage due to rig motion. No mid-joint clamps or metal bands were used. All components in the completion were designed with integral eccentric protectors to prevent damage to the electric cables and control lines during deployment. Chemical injection lines Dual 3/8 chemical injection lines are used to allow continuous injection of scale inhibitor. These are terminated with dual chemical injection valves and burst disk assemblies below the lower ESP motor. Tubing 5-1/2 OD, 20 lb/ft, 13Cr, 80ksi was selected above the packer. Below the packer a combination of 4-1/2 OD was used with 3-1/2 OD, 9.2 lb/ft, 13% Cr, 80ksi for pump by-pass tubing. All tubing connection were premium type, with metal-to-metal seals. Dual ESP Assembly Design Design Parameters The design of the ESP system was based on a number of base criteria, these are listed below: Single ESP System Design The aim was to design a pumping system with sufficient flexibility of operation to allow a single equipment type to be used for all three production wells. This was to simplify the initial procurement of equipment and to give operational and reduce stock holding for subsequent workovers. Flowrate The system was required to allow production rates between 6,200 and 22,000 stbpd, with 18,000 stbpd at 90% water cut. Pressure ESP system should be capable of developing a wellhead pressure of at least 76 bar to ensure fluids delivery to the Shell Eider Platform Production facilities. Pump Intake Pressure To be maintained above 145 bar to avoid free gas breakout at the pump and to avoid build-up of barium sulphate scaling below the ESP. Operational Flexibility The system selected should have sufficient operational range to accommodate the predicted well PIs and watercuts over the 10-year field life. ESP System The selected ESP assembly allows producing between 4,500 and 22,000 stb/d for the range of watercuts and PIs and is designed to operate at variable frequency between 40 and 70 Hz. Use of different frequencies and choke settings introduces two variables allowing more flexibility to set the production flowrates. The following dual ESP system configuration was selected for each of the production wells (see Figure 5 for the general arrangement): Lower ESP The lower ESP is designed to be operated first with the aim of minimizing the risk of solids settling in the lower Y-tool area. Higher fluid velocities in the upper Y-tool should minimize any solid accumulation during production with the lower ESP. Pump Design The selected submersible pump was a 20,000 bpd, 5.62-inch O.D., floater type, capable of delivering up to 22,000 stb/d at 0% watercut. It has a tandem construction incorporating 55 stages in total. Pump Stage Design Due to concerns about the production of fine solids additional thrust and erosion protection capabilities were added. Tungsten carbide bearings were used

with tungsten carbide coating added to small tolerance and flow surfaces. Motor To power the pumps a 684 hp @60 Hz, 5.62-inch O.D. tandem electrical motor was selected. Seal Section A four-bag tandem seal section with high-load thrust bearings for additional motor protection was used. Metallurgy Materials were selected to maximize corrosion resistance for this application to be consistent with the rest of the downhole equipment. Produced fluid data does not suggest presence of, or potential for, sweet or sour corrosion agents. Upper ESP The upper system is similar to the lower system however the pump section was modified to have 68 stages in two separate housings. The increased number of stages is to accommodate the likelihood of higher head requirement as watercut increases later in field life whilst maintaining required levels of fluid production. By Pass Assembly Both upper and lower ESP assemblies are equipped with an automatic Y-tool by-pass system. This configuration allows for free-flow period with minimum flow passing through the pumps plus automatic sealing of the bypass tubing once ESP is put into operation. This arrangement avoids the need for slickline operations in order to switch over pumps, which is not economic in sub-sea applications. Since maximization of the by-pass tubing diameter was a key issue, a 3 9.2 lbs/ft, 13Cr, 80ksi by-pass tubing was selected. Both by-pass systems have seating nipple profiles located in the telescopic rotational subs below the Y-blocks for workover purposes. Cable Space-Out As with any offshore completion, there are strict well barrier requirements, thus the need for the production packer mentioned above. Correct motor lead extension (MLE) space-out is of critical importance for dual ESP system installations to avoid the need for a cable splice below the production packer. The Otter dual completion design has an additional adjustable rotational device below the packer to remove slack in the MLE in that area. In addition, both packer penetration systems are equipped with adjustment subs located on top of the production packer allowing independent adjustment of the MLE cables. Downhole Cabling System The cable selected was as follows: Motor Lead Extension Uses #4 AWG lead-sheathed hitemperature MLE. Main ESP Power Cable Uses #1 AWG EPDM-based barrier-type electrical cable. This was selected based on its extensive offshore track record in the North Sea applications. Packer Penetration System The upper and lower ESP systems include a fully leaded packer penetration systems. This gives additional protection against downhole fluid ingression. Downhole Monitoring System Due to the proven value of real-time ESP monitoring both upper and lower pumps are fitted with a system allowing acquisition and transmission of several key parameters. These parameters are: downhole flowrate; pump discharge pressure; pump intake pressure and temperature; vibration; motor winding temperature; and

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current leakage. Critical parameters include a full redundancy of sensors on each ESP system. Transmission of data is through the main ESP power cable mitigating the need for an additional cable and penetrations through the tubing hanger. A serial connection links the topside communication package in the VSD to the platform DCS. The DCS is in turn linked to Shells RTMS (Real Time Monitoring System), which provides data onshore to both operators offices, and to the Contractors office via a high-speed connection. General Topside System Description Three standalone modules were installed on the Eider platform pipe deck each containing one VSD and ancillary systems, including HVAC, lighting, power distribution topside communication module for the downhole monitoring system etc. These modules were fully manufactured and precommissioned onshore before shipment to the platform. Each Module and VSD controls one ESP with power from the HV switchboard supplied directly to each VSD. Cable System Linking the VSD to the platform subsea cable splice is 75 m x 70 mm2 of standard offshore cable. Subsea Cable The subsea cable is 21.6 km x 150 mm2 with a 50 m x 50 mm2 tail to facilitate handling by divers. This cable is dual armored and the three cables are installed in a single trench to prevent damage. The subsea cable is terminated to an 8 kV wet-mateable connector. Wellhead Cabling At the wellhead oil-filled cables with wetmate subsea connectors were selected for ease of manipulation with ROV. The cable linking the subsea cable to the Xmas tree was preinstalled on the template prior to installation, and the 8kV connection established by divers. All other subsea connectors were of a 5kV design that could be manipulated and made-up by ROV after installation of the Xmas tree. ESP selection is by means of a two-way electrical change-over switch mounted on the xmas tree cap. In the tree cap a pair of 5kV mateable connectors make the connection to the tubing hanger penetrators, which are spliced onto approximately 1750m of downhole cable. ESP System Control The system is remotely controlled through the platform DCS system, or manual/local control from the VSD keypad. All control functions are directly connected. Data is transmitted over a serial link to the platform DCS system. Equipment Testing Programmes In addition to individual components factory acceptance test (FAT) programme, a number of integration tests were put in place to ensure compatibility of the components and overall system functionality: Electrical System Test As Otter was the longest step-out ESP development to date, there were concerns as to the operability and stability of the electrical system. At an early stage it was therefore decided to perform a full-scale test of the electrical system using one of the VSD, a simulated cable and a pumpset.

The test programme was designed to check operating conditions of the system, such as: normal running at a range of frequencies up to maximum; normal starting conditions and locked rotor; operation with failed filter elements. To simulate the subsea cable, #1 AWG downhole cable was used. The length was adjusted to provide the correct resistance. The impedance was matched with lumped inductance and capacitance at 5000 to 6000 foot intervals. The first pump-set built for Otter was earmarked for the purposes of integration testing. It was installed in a test well and controlled by one of the Otter VSD. An hydraulic load was generated by pumping water round a closed circuit. Pressure and flow were adjusted to provide load variation. (See Figure 6 for illustration). Simulations by the VSD vendor enabled baseline data to be input for various software parameters. This provided a starting point, allowing the ESP to function, but was changed significantly during the tests. The carrier frequency of the VSD was selected to avoid the calculated ESP system resonance of 600 Hz. Voltage and current waveforms were monitored at the VSD output and motor terminals. As predicted, a voltage drop of 1000 V was observed between the VSD and the motor, and amplification of the voltage harmonics was noted. The cable length had most impact on the operation of the VSD. A significant problem was encountered regarding failure to start under locked rotor conditions. Minor problems were also encountered with operation at the higher speeds. Software modifications were performed to provide the correct response of the VSD monitoring and control loops. Subsequent tests showed improved performance of the system. The tests proved that the downhole monitoring system (DHM) could successfully transmit data over the cable lengths required. The data was not affected by the VSD output waveform harmonics. Problems were encountered when starting the ESP, whereby the low frequency and high voltage at start caused fuses to blow in the surface choke. This was resolved by switching the DHM system out of circuit during starts. Installation Integration (Stack-up) Test An interface test that included use of the fully integrated topside power module and operation of both upper and lower ESP systems was performed in a test well in Aberdeen. The ESP assembly was made up and run into the well and the pumps started up and operated with the power module. The aim of the test was to ensure correct space-out of the completion below the production packer and physical compliance of the various completion components. It also gave an opportunity to test ESP and VSD operation at different frequencies, surface choke settings, and expected flowrates for both ESP systems. The tests permitted optimization of the completion running and pulling procedures in a low operational cost environment. The trial run provided an opportunity to familiarize field service personnel and operators offshore personnel with the equipment to be run downhole and installed on the surface. Elastomer Chemical Compatibility Tests were carried out on all elastomers used in downhole assemblies using a specialist testing facility. Samples of elastomers were tested

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against actual and simulated fluids, including completion and treatment compounds, to which the downhole components may be exposed during the field life. Communication Compatibility A control logic and communication compatibility test was carried out which integrated platform control system, sub-sea facilities, topside power modules and downhole ESP and instrumentation. The test incorporated both control and monitoring interfaces over the entire Otter System and ensured the system was fully integrated prior to offshore commissioning. Inter-EPIC Integration tests A series of wellhead electrical penetration system alignment and stack-up tests were carried out during development and testing process of sub-sea facilities. These tests ensured that components from the various suppliers were compatible and served to identify potential problems prior to offshore installation Execution Of Completion Operations The main steps of the completion programme are as follows: Run and set horizontal drain completion string on drill pipe (and perform gravel pack operation, if necessary) Run and set lower completion string on drill pipe with wireline plug already in place in the tail pipe Run and land upper completion string and lock the tubing hanger into the Xmas tree Displace tubing with base oil, set wireline plug, set the packer and recover wireline plug Inflow test DHSV and set tubing hanger wireline plugs Disconnect and pull landing string, BOP and marine riser to surface Run and set Xmas tree external tree cap on drill pipe Connect sub-sea power cable to Xmas tree external tree cap via ROV Clean up and test the well in natural flow to the Eider platform

due to excessive rig motion. Thus the packer failed to seal after performing the setting sequence. The packer was unset using the hydraulic release mechanism and the completion pulled out. No equipment was lost in the well during this operation. The well was suspended and is due to be completed in the Spring of 2003 when weather conditions are more favourable. Despite this set-back some useful information has been acquired. The functionality of the packer release mechanism has been proven and the design of cable clamps demonstrated to be robust enough to avoid loss of equipment in the well. Commissioning And Start-Up Of Wells The EPIC contractor responsibilities included generating of offshore commissioning procedures for all topside and downhole supplied equipment. This activity is normally attributed to the operators commissioning teams and presented a certain challenge for the EPIC contractor to meet the standards of both field and platform operators in developing and executing commissioning programme offshore. Procedures were developed for both the post installation pre-commissioning of the VSD modules and the commissioning of the complete ESP system once the wells were completed. Downhole system commissioning, once the ESP were run, included both ESP shut-in (aka deadhead) test and operational run of upper and lower ESP systems for 5-7 days each prior to handing the well over from drilling to production operations. The data recorded during the commissioning test of the first pump system is presented in Figure 7. The main goal is to ensure ESP functionality prior to the semisubmersible drilling rig leaving location. During the initial free-flow period the well maintenance procedure assumes operating each ESP for a short period every 3 months (Ref 4). This assures that both pump systems are maintained in an operable condition ready for start-up when required. Commissioning, production start-ups and operation are closely monitored from both offshore and the Contractors office onshore using proprietary real-time monitoring and computer simulation ESP sizing software to evaluate system performance. After installation and connection to the Otter system, the only necessary adjustments to the VSD parameters was due to a minor instability visible on the recorded plot. This showed a very low frequency oscillation of the motor current and was easily corrected. Conclusions The Otter project has proved that the use of an ESP on a multiwell subsea project is technically feasible at a 22km step out from the host platform. By applying proven technology and performing a rigorous testing programme to prove the suitability of equipment, the project has demonstrated that even in marginal development ESP are a cost effective artificial lift system. The use of a dual pump system helped to improve field economics and should pay dividends in increased well availability and lower workover costs, thus increasing economic reserves by extending field life.

From this stage it is possible to flow the completed well. It is planned as part of the commissioning program to power up all pump assemblies while the rig is still working on the field. Completion Of The First Well The first well was completed in September 2002. The operations benefited from the installation integration tests and was executed without major problems. Techniques to optimise the operations were identified for the subsequent wells and these were integrated into the completion programme. Completion Of The Second Well In November 2002 operation commenced to complete the second well This operation appeared to be proceeding without problems. However, during make-up of the tubing hanger the weather deteriorated significantly and damage occurred to the main power cable at the wellhead level. The completion was pulled back and the damaged cable replaced. At some point during the subsequent operations the packer element was damaged

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The project demonstrated that a template development is ideally suited to an ESP development allowing rapid tie-ins of wells and start-up of production prior to the departure of the drilling rig. This allows any early life problems to be resolved without re-mobilization of the vessel. The EPIC contractual organization has allowed the operator to maintain a small team dedicated to the project whilst using the expertise of the ESP contractor. This has allowed a rapid degree of reactivity to the inevitable challenges that occur on a high technology project executed on a short time scale. The testing work carried out for the Otter project indicated that with existing technology the step-out limit for ESP systems has not yet been reached. The future for subsea ESP developments is bright. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the Otter field partners for their permission to publish this paper. A special mention is due to Jean-Claude Gay of TotalFinaElf who had the vision to propose a dual ESP system for this development. Thanks are also due to Neil Griffiths and John Blanksby of Shell U.K. Exploration and Production who have given their advice and assistance to the drilling and completion team throughout the duration of the Otter project. References
1.Beckman J, Dual Electric Submersible Pumps To Drive Otter Inert Oil, Offshore International, Volume 62, Number 10, pp 66,68, Oct 2002 2.Harden W G, Downie A, Novel Multiphase Hydraulic Submersible Pump For Captain, Offshore International, Volume 61, Number 10, pp 72,74,159, Oct 2001 3.MacFarlane J S, Gannet E: The Worlds Longest Subsea ESP TieBack, SPE paper 38534 4.Dyer S, Main C, Dual ESP Systems Case histories from offshore Nova Scotia, presented at SPE 6th European ESP Round Table, 15-16 February 2000. 5.Huskins L, Main C, Thomson N, Technology Developments in Pancanadians Cohasset Project, presented at 16th Annual SPE Gulf Coast Section ESP workshop in Houston, Proc Session No 1, 1998 6.Sawaryn S J The Dynamics of Electric Submersible Pump populations and The Implication for Dual ESP System, SPE paper 63043 7.Harrall S J, Nevelsteen D, Gannet E Subsea ESP: The Application of Technology in Practice, SPE paper 50596

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Fig. 1. The Otter Field Location

Existing 12 Pipeline Eider Platform

North Cormorant Platform

Water Injection Pipeline

Production Pipeline

Controls SDU

E/H Control & Chemical Umbilical

Template Manifold

ESP Electrical Power Cables

Water Injection Jumper

Fig. 2. The Otter Subsea Equipment Layout

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Fig. 3. Xmas Tree and Tree Cap with Electrical Connectors

Fig. 4. Otter Production Well Completion

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11

ESP Packer

4 x 4 Tubing

Adjustable Spacer sub w/ eccentric cable protectors

Upper Y-tool

Lower Y-tool

Lower Flowmeter Upper Flowmeter Discharge Pressure Assembly Upper ESP Tandem Pump Section Tandem Seal Section Tandem Motor Section Tandem Motor Section Downhole Monitoring System Upper ESP Support Downhole Monitoring System Lower ESP Support 4 perforated Sub Lower ESP Tandem Pump Section Tandem Seal Section Discharge Pressure Assembly

Fig. 5. General Arrangement of the ESP assembly

Downhole cable reels (6) VSD

Choke V A P L-C cells (5) V A Test well Re-circulating tank

ESP

Torque meter

DHM

Fig. 6. Equipment Arrangement for the Electrical System Test

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OTTER T1 ESP PERFORMANCE

350.0 Pressures, Motor Current and Choke p

25000.0 300.0

ESP Flow, bb

20000.0

Flow Discharge Pressure

250.0

200.0 15000.0

Intake Pressure

150.0 10000.0

Current Choke Pressure

5000.0

100.0

ESP Flow, bbl/d Pump Discharge Pressure, bar

Frequency
50.0

Pump Intake Pressure, bar Motor Current, A Choke Inbound Pressure, bar Motor Frequency, Hz

0.0 6/12/02

7/12/02 Date/Time

8/12/02

0.0 9/12/02

Fig. 7. Data From the First Pump System Commissioning Tests