MODULAR SYSTEM TOOK ONLY 18 MONTHS FROM DESIGN TO INSTALLATION
Aquaterra Energy, a global offshore engineering solutions provider, has designed, fabricated, and installed a new Sea Swift platform for PICO Petroleum Integrated Services, the lead contractor for Amal Petroleum Company's (AMAPETCO) Amal field in the Gulf of Suez, offshore Egypt. The companies say they expect to continue to cooperate on other large projects in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East.
The Sea Swift is a Conductor Supported Platform (CSP) and is installed in 23 metres (75 feet) water depth. It included a 385 tonne topside featuring a helideck and emergency accommodation with provision for six wells. The new topsides facility for the Amal-C platform involved designing process, piping, electrical, instrumentation, control system, and technical safety scopes of work, the project also included the design of the new subsea production pipelines to the Amal-A platform. The project, which took 18 months from design to installation, involved building a bridge link to the neighboring Amal-B platform and reconfiguring the topside pipework to create a new and improved production profile.
George Morrison, managing director of Aquaterra Energy said: "The Sea Swift platform is an ideal solution for shallow water field developments as it can be delivered from concept to completion quickly. This project will bring AMAPETCO significant cost and efficiency savings. Aquaterra also designed the new subsea production pipelines to the Amal-A platform. We are extremely proud to be working closely with PICO Petroleum Integrated Services, the independent Egyptian integrated services provider, to deliver this flagship project from design to delivery."
The Sea Swift platform is a modular system that unites the advantages of a platform with the rig-run benefits of a subsea development. Several Sea Swifts are currently in operation globally in shallow water locations in Asia Pacific and West Africa. The technology helps customers achieve reduced platform costs, lower installation and intervention costs, and simplified project management, says Aquaterra. It can also rapidly increase production from platforms constrained by existing slots enabling wells to be drilled, completed with dry trees, and installed before the arrival of the main processing platform.
"The deployment of CSPs is increasing due to growing demand for modularized wellhead platforms which can be built and installed in smaller, discreet packages across a number of fabrication yards," added Morrison. "The bespoke design also negates the need for diver or ROV involvement and any hot work which mitigates inherent risk and scheduling barriers, while cutting incremental costs. In addition, it can also potentially increase local content if this is an economic or political driver for the project."
Active for nearly 40 years in the Egyptian petroleum industry, PICO Petroleum Integrated Services (a member of the independent Egyptian PICO Energy Services Group) is an integrated services provider in Egypt, North America, and Mexico. The PICO Energy Services Group delivers integrated technical solutions across the offshore and onshore oil and gas supply chain.
The Amal field is operated by AMAPETCO for its shareholders The Egyptian General Petroleum Company and Cheiron Amal Petroleum Corporation in Egypt's Gulf of Suez.
