OTC 4724
North Sea Marginal Fields: The Subsea
Completions Option
by B. Humphrey and S. Cow, Vetco Offshore Ltd.
Copyright 1984 Offshore Technology Conference
This paper was presented at the 16Jh Annual OTC in Houston, Texas, May 7-9, 1984. The material is sUbject to correction by the author. Permission to
copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words.
ABSTRACT
The paper will identify the basic elements of a subsea
completion and review the types of overall systems
available for the development of a North Sea marginal
field. A typical field development is reviewed in
more detail, noting the importance of simple designs
for installation and maintainability and also
recognising the possible need for ROV/Diver
intervention. Recent developments and trends are also
noted, whilst future trends and areas requiring
further work are identified. The conclusions drawn
from the paper are that subsea completions systems
will become even more evident in future marginal and
deepwater offshore oilfield development plans
especially in the North Sea.
INTRODUCTION
The last of the large North Sea fields has now been
developed, and the industry is now turning its atten-
tion to the smaller fields that initially did not
appear viable. To develop these fields, which can
sometimes contain recoverable reserves of only 20 - 50
million barrels of oil, the 'new' technology of subsea
completions with a low cost topside processing
facility (F.P.V., T.L.P. or tanker) will probably
prove to be the only economical system The use of
subsea completion systems to develop a marginal field
is not without precedent, there is a wealth of opera-
tional experience which has been gained over the last
decade in the North Sea.
A worldwide review of active subsea completions shows
that there are currently 209 active of which 52 of
these completions are in the North Sea. The feasibi-
lity, reliability and maintenance costs are areas
where research would show that the industry can supply
a good deal of information.
Before we discuss the overall systems available, let
us firstly identify the key elements of a single sub-
sea completion.
Reference and illustrations at end of paper
131
ELEMENTS OF SINGLE SUBSEA COMPLETION
A subsea completion system is basically an assembly of
eight individual sub-systems which can be unitised in
many forms to suit the development requirements of a
particular field. These sub-systems which include
their own running/testing/handling tools are:-
Support Base
High Pressure Wellhead
Tubing Hanger
Wellhead Connector
Valve Assembly
Tree Cap
Flowline
Controls
Support Base (Figure 1)
The support base is designed to carry the combined
weight of the conductor and casing strings, the subsea
Blow Out Preventer (BOP) equipment during drilling
operations and also provide guidance for the subsea
BOP stack and ultimately the production tree assembly.
Guidance onto the support base is by means of 4 sur-
face tensioned guide wires which are attached to posts
on the support base itself.
It is common to use a standard exploration style
drilling support base (permanent guide base) for wells
which form part of a subsea production system but
which are located singly in remote areas of the field.
A template structure can also be used for field devel-
opment which allows for a more rapid drilling pro-
gramme due to the virtual elimination of rig move
times and the use of batch drilling techniques. There
are two main types of template in use, i.e. modular
and unitised. The modular template is designed to be
assembled on the seabed by installing individual
interlocking bases as they are required. The modular
system lends itself for use on the smaller fields or
to early production systems, for example on both Shell
Fulmar and Phillips Tiffany in the North Sea. The
unitised template system is intended for use on larger
field developments and involves the fabrication of a
structure which can accommodate several wells and
2 NORTH SEA MARGINAL FIELDS - THE SUBSEA COMPLETIONS OPTION
associated production pipework, for example Shell UMC
in the North Sea and Petrobras Bonito offshore Brazil.
High Pressure Wellhead (Figure 1)
The wellhead system design is of primary importance
in the subsea completion system, not only does it
support the casing strings and large subsea BOP stack
but also the tubing hanger and production tree asse-
mbly.
Typically in the North Sea, subsea completions have
used the established two stack system of 21-1/4" x
2,000 MWP and 13-5/8" x 10,000 MWP wellheads mainly
because of rig availability. However, because of the
need for year round operations, the new harsh environ-
ment rigs with their single stack 18-3/4" x 10,000 MWP
systems are now becoming more evident. Due to the
size and weight of these 18-3/4" subsea BOP stacks and
marine riser systems at least one operator has decided
to use the more compact 16-3/4" x 10 ,000 ~1WP system on
the Floating Production Vessel to minimise deck loads
and reduce handling problems.
Tubing Hangers (Figure 2)
The tubing hanger system is designed to be run
inside the subsea BOP stack and to seal and lockdown
inside the high pressure wellhead assembly. Commonly
a single tubing string is suspended from the tubing
hanger in the subsea well with provision in the hanger
for annulus access and the hydraulic control of down-
hole safety valves. Profiles in the tubing hanger
through bores allow wireline plugs to be installed for
the safe removal of the BOP stack before installation
of the production tree assembly.
Two installation methods are currently available to
run and control the tubing hanger system. rhe jnitial
system developed makes use of two different tools to
install the hanger, the first to run, lock and seal
the hanger in the wellhead, the second or tieback
tool, to allow vertical access through the tubing
hanger and into the production tubing string. This
"Mechani ca1" system therefore requi res at 1east two
trips from the rig to the wellhead and therefore
should only be considered for use on the smaller sub-
sea completion systems.
An "Hydraulic" system has been developed over the past
few years which requires only one trip to install the
hanger and tubing string. The running tool is con-
trolled by a six function hydraulic umbilical. To
reduce the installation times to a minimum, a comple-
tion riser system has been developed for use with the
hydraulic set tubing hanger. Each joint of riser is
furnished complete with tubing strings and control
lines which are terminated with stab subs, box up by
pin down. The completion riser can also used to
install and workover the production tree assembly.
Although the basic hydraulic equipment is more expen-
sive than the mechanical system, the rig time saved by
the elimination of additional trips has shown this to
be the more economical method on the larger field
developments.
Wellhead Connector (Figure 3)
The wellhead connector is designed to lock and seal
the production tree assembly on the high pressure
subsea wellhead housing. An integral hydraulic system
132
OTC 4724
allows the connector to function while an AX ring
gasket, carried inside the connector, effects a seal
inside the wellhead.
A series of locking dogs are designed to engage an
external profile on the wellhead housing and to set up
the preload required to energise the ring gasket. The
locking dogs are activated by means of a cam ring
which is connected to the integral hydraulic system.
The top face of the wellhead connector is most
commonly a 13-5/8" x 5,000 psi studded face per API
6BX, onto which the production tree valve assembly is
mounted.
Valve Assembly (Figure 3)
The valve assembly is mounted above the wellhead
connector and is designed to control and direct the
produced hydrocarbons into the flowline system. Seal
subs in the base of the valve block extend into pock-
ets in the tubing hanger to isolate the flow from the
production tubing and well annulus. A series of fail
safe gate valves in each line are built into the mas-
ter block to control the fluid flow and to allow ver-
tical access through the block during installation and
workover operations.
Options to the basic valve assembly include the addi-
ti on of a "Wye" spool to a11 ow the smooth passage of
TFL (Through Flow Line) tool trains for downhole s.er-
vicing.
Tree Cap (Figure 3)
In its basic form the tree cap simply acts as a
protective cover for the re-entry mandrel. It is
designed to be either mechanically or hydraulically
operated and to lock onto the outside profile of the
mandrel mounted above the valve assembly. The tree cap
can be used to provide a back up seal to the upper
(swab) valves on the master valve block. Addition-
ally, the cap may form part of the production tree
control system by housing the necessary control
valves, filters, accumulators, etc. Using the tree
cap to carry the control equipment eliminates the
requirement for a separate control module and so makes
the system more compact, simpler and cheaper. There
are however arguements for a separate control module
mainly because of the possibility of damage to_the
seal areas in the re-entry mandrel during the more
frequent make up and removal sequences.
Flowline
The flowline system can be broken down into two
main areas which are, on the tree itself and between
the tree and the production facility. Flow from the
valve assembly to the flowline is through a side
mounted gate valve known as the wing valve. The con-
nection between the flowline on the tree and the line
to the production facility can take many forms. The
most simple is to use a diver to make up a conven-
tional API flange but more sophisticated systems are
available using for example an hydraulically operated
vertical stabbing connector or even a fully diverless
pull in and remote make up connection.
The flowline to the production facility can be either
a steel or flexible pipe laid from a conventional
barge or more recently a complex bundle containing
several lines including hydraulic and electrical con-
OTC 4724 B. HUMPHREY, S. COW
trol cables. This complex bundle could be fabricated
onshore and then towed out as a finished length to the will be invaluable when the main effort of developing
field before controlled deballasting to the seabed.
Controls
There are three basic types of control system in
use on subsea completion systems at present, i.e.
direct hydraulic, electrohydraulic, multiplexed
electrohydraulic.
The use of a direct hydraulic control system is
limited to the less complex completions because of the
need for individual control lines from the control
station on the production facility to each operator on
the subsea system. The long distances between the
trees and the control station result in extended
response times and slow closing of the tree valves
which can result in excessive wear around the face
sealing areas. The size of the control umbilical and
control panels also limit the use of direct hydraulic
controls because of the restricted space usually
available on offshore facilities.
Electrohydraulic control systems require the use of a
control module on the production tree itself. The
module is designed to contain a series of solenoid
valves which direct hydraulic fluid to the selected
operators on the tree. The response times are greatly
improved using this method because the solenoid valves
allow the fluid in the operator line to dump outside
the module when deactivated. A single hydraulic
supply line and multi-core electrical cable are
required between the tree and the control station.
For the more complex subsea completion systems,
involving template and satellite trees, manifolds,
sensors, etc., then a fully multiplexed
electrohydraulic system must be used. Closing
response times for the various operators are in line
with those of the electrohydraulic system. However,
the shear volume of information which must be handled
at any given time along with the much_ reduced size_of
cables, panels etc. make the multiplexed system the
only feasible solution in most cases.
TYPES OF SUBSEA COMPLETION SYSTEMS
The requirement for a subsea completion can arise for
several reasons, the main ones being:
Early production system.
Coverage of remote areas and extensions of fields.
Development of satellite fields.
Deep water developments.
Single Satellite Wells
And Early Production System (Figure 4)
Single satellite wells can be used as part of a
template system to deplete the extremities of a reser-
voir or alternatively to inject and increase produc-
tion from the template wells.
Single satellite wells can also be used for early
production. A single well in a development can pro-
duce to either an adjacent platform or a floating
production vessel. This can take place whilst the
permanent platform or installation is under construc-
tion. This type of system can have a dual advantage
in that the field will be producing earlier and there-
fore give a quicker return on investment, also famil-
3
iarisation with equipment and operating procedures
the field is undertaken at a later date.
An ideal example of this type of arrangement is found
Shell/Esso's UMC development where a satellite tree
(PI) was installed in summer 1980 and production com-
menced in January 1981, approximately 16 months prior
to the installation of the UMC, this enabled early
production of some 7,000 bid via dual 75mm flowlines
to the South Cormorant 'A' Platform. This single
satellite incorporated some of the elements of the
overall system, and its performance which gave 95%
reliability gave a good indicator for the remainder of
the project.
The surface processing facility which is used in a
production system can take several forms, a semi-
submersible being used as a F.P.V. is quite common.
On smaller developments the F.P.V. is normally a con-
verted semi-submersible drilling vessel as opposed to
a 'custom built' production vessel. A ship shaped
vessel or converted tanker can also be used depending
on the particular environmental conditions antici-
pated.
A single subsea completed well can stand alone as a
viable subsea production system, in this case a single
anchor leg system may be installed with a permanently
stationed tanker, (this type of system was used on the
Castellon and Tazerka fields). A custom built vessel
with moonpool, riser system and dynamic positioning
capability is also proposed by B.P. in their Single
Well Oil Production System (S.W.O.P.S.) for the
exploitation of marginal fields in the U.K. sector of
the North Sea. A conventional F.P.V. may also be
justified where larger fields and higher production
rates are involved.
Template System
To develop satellite fields or cover extensions of
existing fields, a template system can be used. The
template would have slots for drilling the subsea
wells and also serves to house wellhead assemblies and
template production trees. Provision for manifolds,
production riser and porches for connection of sate-
llite production flowlines can also be provided. A
detailed description of a typical template system is
provided later in the text.
The template is normally a 'unitised' construction of
tubular members, but development and appraisal wells
can be used as the basis for a template system by
utilising a 'modular guidebase ' approach during the
drilling phase, as previously described.
The production from a template system can be handled
by a conventional platform or a floating production
vessel for surface processing with an export line to
either an offloading buoy or existing pipeline.
As previously stated satellite trees can also be used
in conjunction with the template system.
'Cluster' Wells
A variation on the use of a single large template
and several satellite completions is the use of small
satellite templates containing two or more subsea
production trees. These are likely to become a common
system in fields where a large reservoir area exists
133
4 NORTH SEA MARGINAL FIELDS - THE SUBSEA COMPLETIONS OPTION
with the oil or gas at a shallow depth below the sea-
bed, which restricts the use of deviated drilling
techniques. This type of system will become increas-
ingly popular in the North Sea, particularly the Nor-
wegian Sector, and is a possible development method
for the Troll (31/2), Sleipner and Oseberg fields.
DESCRIPTION OF ATYPICAL FIELD DEVELOPMENT (Figure 5)
The system discussed here represents a typical layout
of the subsea completion equipment required to develop
a marginal field in the North Sea. A series of sate-
llite production/injection wells are tied back to a
large unitised template by individual flowline bundles
tihichhave been pulled in and connected by remote
diverless techniques to the manifold pipework on the
template.
The majority of the production trees in the field are
located on the large template itself. This system has
several advantages over the single tree approach to
field development. Drilling, installation and
#orkover operations can be performed much more quickly
by minimizing rig movements between wells. Performing
the same operation repeatedly on adjacent wells also
reduces setting up and tear down times dramatically.
The subsea template allows the use of fixed pipework
to connectthe many trees, including satellites to a
riser or manifold system and so simplifies the pattern
of flowlines and control umbilicals on the seabed.
lue to the number of wells required in the field, 3
subsea manifolds have been included on the template to
reduce the number of lines in the riser system. On
the system shown there are 16 trees, 8 on the template
~nd 8 satellites which could include production, water
injection and gas lift designs. Approximately 32
riser lines from the template would have to be handled
On the production facility without the use of the
subsea manifolds, not to mention sales risers or
Hydraulics and electrical cables for control func-
tions. Clearly a reduction in the number of risers
tiouldbe an advantage not only for handling but safety
reasons too. The template can also accommodate up to
3 additional wells which could be drilled later by a
standard semi-submersible drilling vessel or even the
production facility itself depending on the water
depth, production and sales riser designs and the size
of vessel in question.
The template is designed to handle a total of 24 wells
including 8 satellites with pull in flowline bundles,
3 levelling piles, 3 subsea manifolds, 3 multiplexed
electrohydraulic control modules, 2 sales lines and
work platforms for ADS (Atmospheric Diving Systems) or
diver intervention. To reduce the overall size of the
template, a system has been developed which allows the
levelling pile bays to be drilled through later and
accorunodatea production tree. Using a hydraulic
levelling system has proved successful on several
large templates, for example Amoco North West Hutton
in the North Sea and Petrobras Bonito offshore Brazil.
Final inclinations of less than 1/2 have been
achieved on these structures. The well slots on the
template are shown complete with 4 posts for guidance
of the subsea BOP stack and production trees. These
posts can be replaced if damaged, by diver or remote
operation.
The production trees on the template are less complex
than the satellites in that they use a series of pro-
duction and control connectors which stab automati-
134
OTC 4724
cally over pins mounted vertically on the template
structure as the tree connector lands on the high
pressure wellhead housing. These vertical stabs allow
connection of the template piping and controls to the
tree. A horizontal diverless flowline pull in and
connection can be used to connect both ends of the
flowline bundle between the satellite trees and the
template. It would be possible to tie in one or two
of the satellite wells to the template and allow for
some Early Production while the remainder of the tem-
plate and satellite wells were being drilled. This
Early Production could be handled by the semi-
submersible being used to drill the template wells
while a second rig drilled the satellites.
Once the additional wells have been drilled and the
completion equipment installed, production, injection
and sales manifolds can be installed on the template
to control the flow of fluids between the wells and
the production facility. The manifolds can also be
used to control the flow of injection water or gas to
the desired wells in the field using a series of gate
valves and chokes. Additionally, by-pass and cross-
over lines in the manifold plumbing should also be
included. This would give a more flexible system
which could allow, for example gas lifting on several
wells later in the life of the field without major
subsea work on the template pipework. The pipework
itself should be designed with a suitable corrosion
and erosion factor built in to give an extended ser-
vice life and so reduce the production downtime neces-
sary during maintenance work.
The control system required by a multiwell subsea
template and its manifolds is one of the most complex
required by the industry at present. This is due to
the large number of control functions and long separ-
ation distances between the template and its satellite
wells. A multiplexed electrohydraulic system would
appear to be the optimum solution but should be
designed in such a manner as to minimise the effect of
each control function failure on the overall field
production performance. The control system should
also be designed with the following features in mind:-
Maximise retrievability of subsea components
Maximise redundancy of critical functions
Maximise operational flexibility
Minimise subsea hydraulic and electrical connec-
tions
Protection for subsea umbilicals during install-
ation and service
Protection for riser umbilicals.
WORKOVER REQUIREMENTS
During the life of the field it will inevitably be
necessary to perform some degree of maintenance work
on the subsea equipment and even in the wells them-
selves at some point to maximise the field depletion
progrannne.
Downhole work may be required for several reasons
including removal of paraffin wax build up in the
tubing, replacement of SCSSV (Surface Controlled Sub-
surface Safety Valve) due to wear on the sealing ele-
ments and even setting plugs downhole and in the tub-
ing hanger to allow safe removal of the production/
injection tree itself. Recovery of the tree may be
required to allow replacement of the completion tubing
string because of wear, leakage or even to convert the
well from a production to an injection mode. During
OTC 4724 B. HUMPHREY, S. COW
the installation of the tubing and production tree,
vertical access must be provided through the assembly
for conventional wireline equipment. However, for
maintenance of the downhole equipment during service
it may be possible to use a second technique known as
TFL (Through Flow Line) to carry out many of the nece-
ssary tasks more economically than by conventional
wireline.
Basically a TFL system uses an assembly of tools known
as a tool train, which can be pumped through a
flowline between the processing facility and the pro-
duction tree. A large radius bend in the flowline on
the tree directs the TFL tool train from the seabed or
template pipeline into the vertical well bore. The
entry point on the tree is known as the Wye spool
and is designed to allow for both TFL and vertical
wireline access. Once the tool train has completed
its downhole task it is then pumped back up out of the
tubing and along the flowline by means of a second
subsea flowline, tubing string and crossover joint or
H member in the well. The major advantage of a TFL
system over conventional wireline is that there is no
Iced for the intervention of a workover vessel which
nay be the subject of considerable downtime due to bad
tieather. To increase the efficiency of the TFL system
it may be possible to use a tool storage and selector
nechanism built into the subsea template which could
~llow work on more than one well at a time. However,
iue to the need for twin tubing strings, Wye spools,
jual flowlines and a pumping/launching station, the
:osts of installing such a system are considerable.
Iireline tools are most connnonlyrun from a semi-
;ubmersible drilling vessel but depending on riser
~esigns and water depth, wireline could also be used
Iy a Floating Production Vessel on its template wells
it least. An additional option for vessel selection
lre the new purpose built workover vessels currently
mder construction in the U.K.
}efore starting wireline operations the tree cap must
je removed from the top of the tree to expose the
e-entry mandrel onto which an hydraulically operated
;OO1 locks and seals. A riser system is run with the
Hydraulically operated tool to give access to the
lertical bores in the tree and into the completion
;ubing. The riser is also required to contain any
)ore pressure fluctuations which may be encountered
luring the workover. The design of the riser can take
Iany forms depending on the completion tubing and
~roduction tree designs and must also take into con-
sideration the anticipated environmental operating
:onditions. Examples of workover risers include
- fully integrated completion style
scaled down marine drilling riser
- steel tubing
- flexible hose.
he riser selected must be kept in tension by the
~orkover vessel to reduce the effe-ctsof the environ-
mental loading conditions and also be outfitted with a
erminal head valve assembly, wireline BOP and lubri-
ator head to allow control of the bore fluids and
ressures in addition to the safe installation and
emoval of the wireline tools and equipment. Work on
he trees, manifolds, etc. can be by saturation diver,
,DS (Atmospheric Diving System) or ROV (Remote Oper-
ted Vehicle) techniques deployed from either the
reduction
facility
itselfor a diving/workover
sup-
~ort vessel. However, the more complex subsea devel-
1
5
o~ment svstems mav .iustifythe use of their own pur-
pose bui~t RMV (R~m;te Maintenance Vehicle) as for
example on the Shell/Esso UMC in the North Sea. Tasks
which can be performed routinely on the subsea equip-
ment include cleaning and inspection, replacement of
damaged or worn equipment such as chokes, gate valve
assemblies or operators, pipe work, control modules
and monitoring equipment.
The layout of the subsea equipment is of great impor-
tance for the subsequent workover operations as indeed
is the identification system used to differentiate
between the various trees and pipework sections. To
increase the overall efficiency of the subsea comple-
tions system as a whole, it is recommended that all
assemblies are jig built to maximise their inter-
changeability and that the minimum number of different
types and sizes of pipe, tubing, gaskets, studs, nuts,
hydraulic fittings, etc. are used subsea to minimise
the variety of spares required to service the equip-
ment. To reduce the time spent subsea by the diverl
ROV on a particular task, a detailed training pro-
gramme which includes onshore hands on exposure to
the equipment, tools and procedures to be used cannot
be over emphasised.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND FUTURE TRENDS
The gap between the ability to drill in deepwater and
the technology t.oproduce in these depths is ever
widening. The present drilling depth record is arounc
6,400 ft whereas production by conventional means
(i.e. platforms) is approximately 1,000 ft. The sub-
sea completion option is standing somewhat less than
900 ft.
It is evident from the above that there exists an
effective driving force and incentive to develop
effective subsea production systems which will have a
spin-off effect when it comes to developing marginal
fields.
The development effort on subsea production equipment
can therefore be broadly divided into two sections:-
(i) The development of existing equipment to suit
higher technological standards or development
based on field experience.
(ii) The preparation of subsea production equipment
for deepwater production.
Before discussing these developments, let us firstly
review how subsea production equipment initially
evolved. The technology used was a compromise betweel
surface production trees and the subsea drilling tech,
nology available at that time. This type of approach
was consistent with the Oil Companies policy of a
step by step approach with project involving subsea
production, where new technology is built upon a
proven technique thus limiting the risk factor. It
is only recently that subsea production equipment has
been radically reviewed, working through the elements
of the system identified earlier we can review these
recent development.
6 NORTH SEA MARGINAL FIELDS - THF SIIRSFA(7(IMPIFTTIIN<
---- -------
Wellhead Connector
The design criteria used for a production tree
:onnector is quite different from that used on a sub-
;ea drilling system, in that the operational life is
nuch longer and the loading conditions are greatly
educed. With this in mind, a new generation of well-
lead connectors is evolving to address the production
tree market.
Mechanical Connector
This type of connector makes use of the conven-
tional dog segments and cam ring design, however, it
is remotely actuated by a series of rods which extend
through the connector upper body and make up to a
?eavy actuator ring. Two heavy duty rods, connected
to the top face of the actuator ring are stroked up
~nd down to unlock/lock the connector mechanism. The
rods are stroked by means of hydraulic cylinders
nounted on the tree running tool (T.R.T.) which
:onnects to the tree re-entry profile on top of the
ialve assembly. This means that all hydraulic fit-
tings, seals, etc. are mounted on the T.R.T. and can
therefore be retrieved to surface making them easily
maintainable and less likely to fail since they are
lot subjected to long term service subsea. In some
cases long term service can be i.nthe region of 20
to 25 years.
Medium Duty Connector (MD-H4)
A further option which addresses the ability to
reduce the load carrying capacity and therefore opti-
nise the design is the medium duty connector (MD-H4)
~hich uses windows in the main body to house the dog
segments.
Although this connector is not suitable for the
fatigue loadings that are involved with the drilling
operation, its design is well suited for Subsea Tree
Operations.
dith this arrangement the hydraulic section of the
connector remains subsea, but the connector has the
facility for manual override in the event of an
hydraulics failure.
Valve Assembly Developments
The seal on the valves for subsea use is now of
necessity a metal to metal seal, this is of particular
importance on high production gas fields.
The master valve block designs have taken on a more
unitised construction with the re-entry mandrel and
wellhead connector upper body becoming integral with
the block. Although this means a longer M.V.B. and a
more complex component, the advantages of a reduction
in leak paths and a reduction in the overall height of
the tree offset the disadvantages.
Tubing Hanger
From the early days of subsea production, one of
the main problem areas has been the orientation of the
tubing hanger. Field experience has now evolved sev-
eral workable solutions.
The problem lies in having the ability to initially
orient the hanger, but also having the capability to
lock the hanger in position when correctly oriented.
One method uses a cam on the tubing hanger running
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tool (T.H.R.T.) and a retractable key or pin located
on the inside diameter of the Blowout Preventer stack
(BOP) to correctly orient the tubing hanger.
An alternative method makes use of a spring loaded key
in the T.H.R.T that locates in a slot in the BOP well-
head connector upper body. With this method the
locating of the key is achieved mainly by the moni-
toring of torque build up when rotating the T.H.R.T.
It is therefore a requirement that a thrust bearing of
some description is used to increase the sensitivity
of the system.
The anti-rotation mechanism is generally a form of
friction grip between the tubing hanger outside
diameter and its landing bowl.
Tubing hangers and tools are under constant review to
optimise running procedure, rig times and efficiency,
and although a non-orienting type of tubing hanger is
available it does not offer the facility of access to
the annulus between the production casing and tubing
that may be a requirement if gas lifting is antici-
pated.
The hydraulic system referred to earlier in the text,
is the system that is currently undergoing further
developments, this system will be required to cover
deepwater subsea production in the near future.
Hydraulic Cleanliness and Equipment Design
As the subsea systems become more complex, so the
choice of a multiplex system is becoming more common.
The solenoid valves used in this type of system
requires that the control fluid is of a high degree of
cleanliness.
Because of this requirement, there is a knock-on
effect relative to the design of the subsea equipment,
consideration must be given to the hydraulic equipment
both for the ease of assembly, and effective flushing
of equipment to reach to cleanliness standard require-
ment. Designs of connections for control lines now
have to include check valve arrangements to prevent
the ingression of seawater which would contaminate the
control system.
Future Trends
Future trends and developments will be dictated
mainlyby the requirements to produce subsea in deep-
water. There will be an increasing reliability on ROV
intervention and increasing consideration given to the
layout and design of systems to allow operations to be
effectively carried out subsea.
Because of the depth of water and tripping time
involved it will not be possible to retrieve the tree
in the event of a valve failure. It will therefore be
a requirement to perhaps change out valve actuators
subsea. This will require the actuators to be of a
unitised construction with a quick release connection
from the M.V.B. whilst still maintaining a metal to
metal seal feature throughout.
At present all subsea production trees are installed
using a conventional guideline system. Obviously for
deepwater applications guidance system akin to present
deepwater BOP stack guidance system will have to be
developed.
OTC 4724 B. HUMPHREY, S. COW
CONCLUSIONS
The subsea completion option will play an increasing
role in the development of marginal fields both in the
North Sea and worldwide. The advancement of design
and operational procedures will be made by the
requirement to produce from deepwater and the need to
produce economically from existing marginal fields.
There already exists a good knowledge of subsea pro-
duction experience that needs to be consolidated and
advanced. The option of early production and thus
early return on investment using the subsea comple-
tions system is an attractive consideration.
Fig. 118Wn. 10,000-psi
---
1s(
REFERENCES
1. Booth D. : Subsea 1983, Resource Publications Inc.,
Houston (1983) 100 - 123
2. Cottrill A. : UMCs Unique Flexibility Stretches
Subsea Technology, Offshore Engineer (December
1981) 37 -45
3. Reimert L.E., Gray D.J., Machado Z.L. : ATen Well
Subsea Production System For The Enchova Field,
Offshore Technology Conference, Paper 3448 (1979)
781 - 786
4. West N.J. : The Potential Role of Subsea Comple-
tion Technology in The Development of Norwegian
Block 31/2, Underwater Technology -.82, Bergen,
Norway, (April 1982) 51 -64
W.P. wellheadsystem.
 I
f

TREE CAP

/- COMPL E TIO14 RISER

-i
TREE MANIFOLD 7

L.=
I 2 AN NLILUS

a
f? I

i!
I
STAB SUB

VALVE BLOCK

- HYORAULIC SET @ -
TuBING HANGER &-

I
RuNNING TOOL

ANODE

----- HYDRAULIC SET

TuBING HANGER
I
m-+
i-

1
- - -Y I I FLOW LINE
I
2
EXTENSION SUB
G
RETAINER

L-
E FRAME
- CASING HAMGERS
/

- WELL HEAD HOUSING HYDRAULIC

3- FLO
STAB PLATE
CONNE

I
I
CONNECTOR

H-4 CONNECTOR

r
r >
l-
?

~ Fig. 2The tubing hanger. Fig. STree unitization.

 WORKOVER RISER WITH c
=___ TREE # TUBING HANGER ~ QUIm DISCONNECT
RW$NING ~ TE= EQUIPMENT

FLEXIBLE FLOWLINE a
COfUTROL UMEULICALS. ~ 3 SATELLITE TREE
ASSEMBLIES.

Fig. 4Typical earlyproductionsystem.

\