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Johnce E. Hall, BP Amoco; Robert P. Herrmann, Consultant; Charles A. Holt and William J. Straub, BP Amoco; Rickey G.
Weber, R & D Technical
Abstract
The startup of the dual-activity drilling vessel Discoverer
Enterprise in early 1999 heralds a new age for deepwater
development. For the first time a drilling vessel exists that
can perform many of the aspects of deepwater field
development cost effectively, including a variety of subsea
production equipment installations and flowline/pipeline
laying. This capability minimizes the barges and equipment
required for field development and yields schedule flexibility
for the installation tasks.
Aspects of the dual-activity drillship related to non-drilling
activities are described in the paper. The second rig on the
drillship is only required part of the time to support drilling
operations. The remainder of the time can be used for other
field development activities.
The subsea tree is run with the auxiliary rig while drilling
with the BOP and riser with the primary rig. In addition,
subsea manifolds, umbilical pods, flowline jumpers and
supporting piles can be placed and secured with the auxiliary
rig while drilling progresses with the primary rig. Concepts
for subsea equipment that can be installed with the dualactivity drill rig are presented.
Some flowline installation work can also be performed while
drilling is in progress. The flowline installation technique,
designated discrete lay and/or reverse lay, results in
sectional flowline placements using an anchor handling vessel
and an ROV boat (for inspection and monitoring). This
J.E. HALL, R.P. HERRMANN, C.A. HOLT, W.J. STRAUB, R.G. WEBER
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and stood back with one rig while drilling hole with the other.
The dual activity also permits the auxiliary rig to drill and case
the top hole while running the BOP/Riser with the main rig. The
derrick is designed to transit with two full drillpipe setbacks.
The drillship is outfitted with two mud systems, quarters for
up to 200 men, and storage for 20,000 ft of riser. There is space
for staging and running subsea trees, and for the normal
shorebase storage and office facilities. The vessel's sleek lines
and high power enable economical moves between operating
areas, and the ship can carry variables for up to five wells.
There is 100,000 bbl crude storage potential for well testing or
completion.
The motion response characteristics of the drillship are
extremely good and are in fact better than those for a semisubmersible for waves in the 9-14 second head seas.
The design is especially suitable for field development work.
The stationkeeping particulars, the high hoisting capacity and the
ability to work subsea in parallel with the drilling operation
lends the opportunity to economically carry out work that would
normally be done with a dedicated construction vessel.
Dual-Activity Drilling Operations
For single exploratory wells there are three main areas where
dual activity can be carried out: running the BOP stack and
top-hole operations; make up and testing of bottom hole
assemblies and downhole tools; and make up and running of
casing. Up to the time the BOP stack is landed both rigs are
100% engaged, thus halving the time required to drill that
section. One rig runs the BOP and riser while the other drills
the top hole and runs casing down to 20 in. One rig does all
tophole operations, pilot hole, drilling, tripping, running pipe
etc. while the other is running the BOP and riser. Once the
wellhead running tool is released the rig moves 20 ft and the
stack is landed.
At the end of the well the auxiliary rig can be used to
remove the wellhead or to run abandonment gear while
simultaneously pulling the BOP stack.
After the stack is landed the auxiliary rig is devoted to
preparing bottom hole assemblies and down hole tools for the
main rig. In addition to the time saved simply from moving
these activities out of the critical path there is the benefit of
reduction of downtime from testing faulty tools. This can be
done with the auxiliary rig and allows time to troubleshoot
problems that would have normally been charged against the
spread costs. This is especially important in deepwater or in
applications requiring special tools. It is possible to build
stands outside the main rotary table with a special mouse hole
but it is difficult to test running tools in this area while the drill
string is rotating or while tripping pipe.
In addition to servicing downhole tools the auxiliary rig
makes up the casing string in 125 ft stands and racks back for
running. Time is saved in making up the shoe joints and float
collars, and half of the casing joints are made-up out of the
critical path. Tubing strings, gravel pack and other special
strings are made up by the auxiliary rig as well as drill pipe for
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J.E. HALL, R.P. HERRMANN, C.A. HOLT, W.J. STRAUB, R.G. WEBER
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position.
Conclusion
Dual-activity drillships are unique in that they are capable of
performing multiple functions in association with field
development. In the past, some of these functions have
required mobilization and demobilization of one or more
additional large construction vessels for completion.
Implementation of the same vessel that performs well drilling
and completion operations for other activities such as subsea
equipment installation, central production facilities
installation, and flowline/pipeline construction results in
overall project cost savings. Further, potential downtime and
resultant cost occurring when one vessel waits for the other to
complete their activities is negated. Finally, unexpected delays
occurring from one field development operation do not result
in downtime and associated cost since the dual-activity
drillship can perform tasks as assigned.
The drillship Discoverer Enterprise has been featured in this
paper because of its first of a kind status. Future launchings
of additional dual-activity drillships will allow the practice of
single vessel usage for multiple field development tasks to
become more prevalent. This capability is especially timely in
light of reduced oil prices from recent years, making vessel
utilization and cost reduction prime factors in the ability to
develop new fields economically.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Transocean Offshore
Inc. for their consideration and assistance in developing dualactivity drilling rig information, Mr. Andrew Macfarlane of
H.O. Mohr & Associates, Inc. for his assistance in developing
graphics associated with dual-activity drillship utilization
concepts and Ms. Peggy Reyna of Aker Engineering, Inc. for
cleanup and handling of this manuscript.
References
1. Albaugh, E. Kurt: Offshore Pipeline Installation and Burial
Contractors and Vessels, Offshore (June 1998).
J.E. HALL, R.P. HERRMANN, C.A. HOLT, W.J. STRAUB, R.G. WEBER
Table 1
Comparison of Enterprise Capabilities with Typical Pipe J-Lay Barge
Characteristic
Design Load for J-Lay (kips)
Capacity for Heave Compensation
Design Load for Pipe Abandonment/Recovery (kips)
Ability to Allow Pipe-in-Pipe Installation
Vessel Total Thruster Capacity (kips)
Number of Vertical Pipe Handlers
Capacity of Quarters (# of persons)
Maximum Number of Pipes that Can Be Laid at a Time
J-Lay Barge
775-2,000 (1)
No
775-1,210 (1)
Yes
Less than 800 (1)
1
200+
1
NOTES:
1. Maximum capacity currently anticipated after upgrade or construction.
2. Heave-compensated design load is 1,000 kips.
3. Vessel has continuous 52,000 horsepower capacity.
Fi g u r e No 1
En t e r p r i s e Du a l Ac t i vi t y Fl o o r La yo u t
Enterprise
2,000 x 2
Yes (2)
2,000
Yes
1,200 (3)
2
200
2
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Fi g u r e No 2
Ve s s e l Si ze Co m p a r i s o n
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4 5 Ve s s e l H e a d i n g
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Du a l Ac t i vi t y Ri g Pi p e l a y Ad va n t a g e s
La y Tw o Li n e s Si m u l t a n e o u s l y
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Use of Dual-Activitv Drillship as a Field Development Tool
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J.E. HALL, R.P. HERRMANN, C.A. HOLT, W.J. STRAUB, R.G. WEBER
Fi g u r e No 8
Du a l Ac t i vi t y Ri g La y M e t h od s
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Du a l Ac t i vi t y Ri g La y M e t h o d s
La y-Aw a y & B o t t o m To w
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