GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: WEST AFRICA
M l brings onstpeam second deepwater
i Angola's praiiii blocli U
240,000 b/d of oil year-end target
Jeremy Beckman
Editor, Europe
I
ate last year, oil started flowing from Total's second production
center in Angola's block 17. Dalia, like its forerunner Girassol,
is being developed via one of the world's largest FP^Os linked
lo an extensive network of deepwater subsea wells.
There the similarities end, however. Dalia's shallower sub-
surface location presented greater difficulties in well design, due to
the need for a steeper drilling radius, and the field's extent would
require twice as many wells to develop. Also, its Miocene crude is
much heavier than Girassol's Oligocene oil, and cooler on outflow.
This would necessitate more intensive flow assurance measures, both
to saf('.iiii;ird passage nf fluids to the Fl'SO nt the cnrrt'rt trmpornltirr.
The 984-ft-long Dalia FPSO is equipped to handle 240,000 b/d of oil.
44 O f f s h o r e February 2007 • www.affshore-mag.com
and lo counter hydrates huikkip during shut-downs.
Prior lo its merger with Total, Elf discovered Dalia in September
1997, as part of a prolonged drilling campaign in the previously tin-
drilled deepwater block 17, Tlie field. 2'M) sq km (89 sq mi) in area, is
situated 135 km (84 ini) offshore Angola's Tiorthern coast, in water
depths varying from 1,200 to 1.5U0m (3,93710 4,921 fl). Recoverable
reserves are estimated at close to 1 Bbbl of oil.
Dalia's four main reservoirs were formed over 25 million years
ago following the accumulation of sediments at the mouth of the
Congo River. Over time, periodic subsea avalanches shifted these
sediments out to Ihe deep offshore, where they were deposited in
and along the edges of seabed channels.
Today the turbiditic, unconsolidated and heterogeneous reser-
voir sands, lying at a subsurface depth of 8(K) m (2,625 ft), are sev-
eral kilometers long, with varying thickness. All contain viscous and
acidic crude (21-23° API), witli relatively low outflow temperatures
of4.'"vri(l" C,
 GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: WEST AFRICA
Dalia FPSO on Angola block 17.
According to Dalia's project di-
rector. Daniel Heard, Total started
preliminary an;ilysis of tlie field
antl its geology in 1998. One of the
main preoccupations was resolving
uncertainties over the sediment
composition: Clay deiiosits cause
compai^tmeiitalizadon in Dalia's
reservoir sands, in turn constrain-
ing connectivity and hampering oil
flow.
During the project's ooncei>
tual stages, ABB in Den Haag
l)erformed basic engineering, but
Total's in-house team managed
subsequent engineering studies,
before submitting the final devel-
opment plan to Sonangol in 2002.
From the outset, siiys Picard, in-
sulation of suhsea equipment v/as
the overriding concern for Elf
and its block 17 partners Exxon-
MobU. BR Statoil. and Hydro.
Development options
Angola's government sanctioned a de-
velopment plan in May 2003. The subsea
production system, avi^arded early on to
Kvaerner Oillield Products, v/ould be one of
the world's largest for a deepwater project,
with a base case of 67 wells, comprising 34
producers, 30 water injectors and three gas
injectors (two to be converted later on for
water injection). There would be an option
to expand the total to 71 wells, should the
partners decide to tie in the nearby Miocene
accumulation Ciimellia.
Due to tbe relatively shallow subsurface
depth, ali would be highly deviated - near-
horizontal within the reservoirs - with an
avt-rage drain length of 1,100 m (3.609 ft),
and drill-through horizontal Christmas trees.
These wells would be tied into nine mani-
folds connecting 40-kin (25 mi) of 305 mm
(12-in.) pipelines in four production loops, to
maximize coverage on the seabed. Produced
fluids would head lo the FPSO through eight
flexible production riser bundles; reservoir
drive would be assisted by four 305-mm (12-
in.) water injection lines and associated ris-
ers, and two 305 mm (12-in.) gas injection
flowlines, with 75 km (47 mi) of steel tube,
control/power umbilicals.
Technip secured a contract for the um-
bilicals, risers, and ilowlines. manufacture
being split among the company's flexible
pipe production center in northern France
and its new umbilical plant in Angola. Tech-
46 O f f s h o r e February 2007 • www.offshore-mag.com
nip was also contracted for pre-installation
of the FPSO's mooring system, installation
of the subsea manifolds, and all associated
subsea tie-ins.
Total contracted Samsung Heavy Indus-
tries (SHD for the 50,802-nietric ton (56.fX)0-
ton) FPSO hull, with a turnkey contract for
the 27,216-metric ton (30,000-ton) topsides
awarded to the Dalia Mar Profiindo joint
venture of Technip, Saipem, and Stolt Off-
shore (now Acergy). in partnership with
fabricators SHi and Daewoo (DSME).
The 300 m (9M ft) long, 63 m (207 ft) wide.
32 m (lO.'i ft) high FI^O would he equipped
to handle up to an average of 240,000 b/d of
oil, with two processing trains to heat incom-
ing crude and separate out gas and water. It
would also have total liquids handling capa-
bility of 400,000 b/d, oil storage capacity of 2
MMbbl, and gas compression capacity of up
to 8 MMcm/d.
Subsea network
Total and Scjnangol had sanctioned Kvaern-
er Oilfield Products (KOP) to start pre-engi-
neering for the subsea production system late
in 2002. Tlie full EPC contract the following
April covered the supply of 67 Christmas trees
and associated wellhead systems, along with
nine six-slot subsea manifolds, two workover
systems, and related connection equipment.
The 178 mm (7-in.) and 140 mm (5 1'2-in.)
drill-through, horizontal trees, each measur-
i n g 5 x 5 x 4 m (16x 16x1311) and
weighing around 40 metric tons
(14 tons), are designed to control
and monitor jx'ocluced reservoir
fluids, water, and gas injection. Oil
production will be commingled
al nine manifolds, each with slots
tor up to six wells, before heading
ihrough Dalia's subsea piix'Hiu-
system to the FI^O. Water and
u:as injection trees are being con-
nected on a standalone basis to
Mil i[ ilrdicated injccti(ni lines.
.\11 tiic manifolds have dinien-
•^ions of 14 X 8 X 8 m (46 x 26 x 26
It), weigh around 140 metric tons
(154 Ions), and incoiporate large
:ind small bore piping mid v;ilves
\or hydraulic control and chemical
injection via umbilicals. Due lo the
nature of Dalia's reservoir Iluids,
thermal insulation of the produc-
tion equipment must he safe-
guarded at all times to sustain the
oil temperature above the hydrate
formation ]K)int.
KOi''s fxtensivf fiualillcation
tests for this equipment took over
a year to complete. Following as-
sembly ill Tranby, Norway, the
first production christmas tree
was sent to the company's complex in Ab-
erdeen early in 2004 for controls integration
testing, while the lirsl water injection tree
was shipped directly to the company's mani-
fold fabrication yard in Tarragona, northeast
Spain, for underwater performance tests in
20 m (66 ft)of water.
These shallow water tests - the first ever
conducted at the port of Tarragona - began
at the end of 2004, using a poriside crane to
lower the injection tree onto its wellhead. An
ROV then connected a production tree to a
pre-installed manifold, the tree being linked
to the shore via an umhilical.
Tlie main objectives were to prove that
the primary equipment items could function
individually, connect to each other and oper-
ate in unison, and could accommodate ROV
intervention at a future point. To ensure
compliance with temperature constraints.
hot fluids were placed in some of the subsea
equipment components to verify flow assur-
ance and temperature controls. KOP/Total
also conducted a cool-down test to assess
procedures for the prevention of hydrate
formation. For the ROV operations, special
tools were developed for installation of ca-
bles, turning clamps and valves.
During summer 2(K)4, the Schlumberger-
designed completion strings linking the
trees with the reservoirs underwent two
months of system integration tests in Hous-
ton, prior to final assembly. Total selected
 GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: WEST AFRICA

seven different completion designs for Da-
lia. including two 'smart' confifiuratiotis.
Qtialificalion involved individual compo-
nent and sub-systetn testing to ensure com-
pliance with Dalia's (luids specifications. The
completion was then assembled and run into
a horizontal test well to validate running op-
erations and functionality for workovers and
interventions.
For the initial phase of development drill-
ing. Total contracted two deepwater drill-
ships to work in parallel, the Pride Africa
and the Pride Angola, both of which had also
served on Girassol and the subsequent tie-in
of Rosa/Urio.
The twin imperatives of heat conservation
and hydrate formation prevention meant
that all fluid-bearing flowiines and lisers had
to be heavily insulated, to guarantee that;
1. During normal production periods, oil
exiting the reservoir at 46° C could not arrive
at the FPSO at a temperature below 'M° C.
2. In tlie event of a shutdown, ihe fluids
temperature would no( fall below 2V C be-
fore the line's integrity had been preserved.
'ITie solution for the flowlines was a con-
figuration of four pipe-in-pipe production line
loops resting on the seabed. Total selected
Aerogel, an efficient insulation medium with
an OHTC of around 0.65, to [ill the annulus
intervals with good accuracy."
Technip's initial analytical program for
the Dalia IPBs involved seven tnonths of
material (|ualitication tests, mechanical tests
including 'crushing', bending and pulling,
and subsequent deepwater immersion per-
formance tests at a location offshore Brazil
to validate the IPB's design integrity.
The main puipose of the deepwaler trials
was to provide feedback on the behavioi" of
Ihe tensile armor layers under buckling con-
ditions. Technip submitted the pipe section
to cyclic curvature variation, as might be
induced by the FPSO's motions, while also
subjectitig the pipe to external pressures.

NASA had developed this material (Aerogel)

for space applications, but Dalia represented
the first use in an offshore setting.
Dalia's light architecture well trajecto- between the inner 305 mm (12-in.) and outer After eacb cyclic test, the team released cal-
ries, all designed by Total in-house, were 432 mm (17-in.) carrier pipes. NASA had lipers, which were allowed to slide down Ihe
relatively cotnplex in certain cases. Among developed this material (Aerogel) for space pipe section. Any stoppages en route would
the main challenges would be the need to applications, but Dalia represented the iirst have indicated diameter variations brought
sustain an accurate drain trajectory through tise in an offshore setting. on by buckling.
productive reservoir layers varying from 80 "We are using a silica-based version with Technip then cut U|) ihe test IPB for lur
m (2fi2 ft) thick in the field's main channels an average pore size of around 10 nanome- ther analysis antl validation, also cimducting
to just a few meters on the Hanks. ters and a pore size distribution of typically full-scale vertical thermal tests over a three-
Development drilling started in Febru- 2-50 nanometers." says Picard. "Tlie Aero- tnorith period to confirm thermal charac-
ary 2005. and the 67 wells are expected to gel is combined with reinforcing fibers to teristics and performance. These involved
take 2.500 days, or close to seven rig years. produce sheets that are further processed measuring tbe heat exchange coefficient, the
to complete. Pride Angola is due to work on in 2-m (7-ft) long blankets, comprising four heating jjerformance. and cool-down limes.
Rosa mid-2007, but Pride AJriea will remain layers." 'Hie IPBs were manufactured in two batch-
on station for the duration of the program. Another innovation was the selection of es of f(»ur at Technip's factory in Ix- Trait in
"The drill-lhrough design of the trees Integrated Bundle Production risers (IPBs) northern France; collectively the 10 layers
improves drilling times and productivity." - a Technip concept - to convey produced represented tbe biggest diameter (584 mm
Picard explains, "as it allows us to install tlie
fluids from the flowlines to the FPSO. The [23 in.]) the compjuiy had produced for an
trees earlier in the drilling sequence, and to eight IPB risers, each \.6S0 m (5,413 ft) long offshore project. I^ Trait also supplied the
drill the wells in batches without having to and 800 metric tons (882 tons) in weight, are dedicated flexible risers for each of the four
lift and re-install the BOP each time." Fol- flexible, allowing them to yield in all direc- water injection pipelines and the two gas in-
lowing setting of the first production and in- tions to sea currents. jection lines, and ihe FPSO export line (see
jector trees, tbe multi-purpose construction Within all the bundles, 24 gas-lift tubes below).
vessel Bourbon Jade has taken on this role for (each comprising (iO elements) and six elec- Technip has also engineered the flexible
the time being. "Although tree installation is trical trace heating cables are wound around risers to manage dynamic stresses and cor-
usually performed by therig."Picard says. the 305 mm (12-in.) flexible pipe core, with rosion concerns. "There is a potential prob-
"installation by cable from a multi-puipose 10 layers of insulation provided to ensure lem of hydrogen suKide in Dalia's gas which
vessel is quicker, and the day rate is also fluids heat retention. Tbe 3-m (lO-ft) long could migrate horizontally through the riser
lower." end-fittings each weigh 15 tnetric tons (17 carcass," Picard points out. 'To counter that,
tons). you need a material that is H2S-resistant - i.e.
Flow management A distributed temperature system, based a higher grade stainless steel - but this also
Total discounted both steel catenary ris- on optical fibers, provides tetiiperature mon- makes it difficult to maintain the riser's me-
ers and riser towers, tbe latter first tried on itoring throughout the length of each riser. chanical properties. It was a very complex
Girassol. as being far too heavy for Dalia's "The principle." Picard explains, "is based design process - our solution involved using
FI'SO. To optimize flow of the heavy crude, on the tetnperature along the fiber lengtb 15 different materials for the risers."
and the associated need for gas injection, the being a function of a shift in the light spec-
company opted instead for a network of 305 trum. The distance from the beginning of FPSO construction
tnm (12-in.) risers andflowlines.Tliese were the liber is calculated through "time of flight' First steel sections foi" Ihe Fi^SO's hull were
configured to maximize production while si- measurement- This allows us to obtain a cut in January 2(X)4. Work at SHI's drydock
multaneously controlling multi-phase flows. temperature profile of the fiber at 1-m (3-ft) started tliree months later, with the completed

48 O f f s h o r e February 2007 • mm.otfshore-mag.com

 GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: WEST AFRICA

liull being launched in August that year. In
May 2(H)5, the Dalia Mar Protuudo L-onsortiiim
installed the topsides on the hull at DSMH's
yard in Geoje Island.
According to Picard. the deck is not as
-spacious as Girassol's, where room was left
Ironi the outset to accommodate the later-
|)hasc tie-in ()f Kosa and Lirio. "When we
•^larted on this project six years ago with
lbe low oil price, we had to be careful nol
lo over-dt'sign the lacililies. 'Hiere was some
debate at the time about leaving space for
future modules, but in the end we decided
.(gainst the extra cost of increasing the size
ulthe hull."
TIK' project team opied for a modular ap-
proach, in contrast to Ciirassol's 'pancake'
deck solution. '"'Iliat gave us more flexibility
lor the construction. At the time, we weren't
sure that all the modules could be built in
one place. The Korean yards had a huge
workload at the time, so It was not easy to
liiul slols for this project. However, SHI had
a slot available lo assemble tbe hull and also
-;(inir module construction capacity, so In
(he end. we split tbe 12 modules between
Ihem and DSMI'^, 'lliis turned out to be a
good choice, as the project was not delayed.
"In our case, some of Ihe modules ended
lip wfijj:hiiig over 3,,500 metric tons (3.858
tons), and we had to bring in a crane from
Japan for tbe assembly at DSME. We ended
up relatively steady at the basic engineering
figure for the topsides of 30,000 metric tons
(33,0(59 tons), but it took some ingenuity
to stay within this weight. For instance, we
used more sophisticated and expensive ma-
terials or steel grades for the pipes than had
been allowed for in the original plan."
(")ne of the major issues affecting the top-
sides process design was the composition oi
Dalia's crude, whicb brings the risk of naplv
thenate formation during production. Under
certain conditions (temperature, pressure,
and acidity), the napbthetiic acids normally
dissolved in Dalia's crude are liable to pre-
cipitation, leading to formation of deposits in
pipework and pressure vessels.
Total had conducted various studies (»f
this phenomenon, at times wilh the part-
ners' assistance. Statoil. for instance, had
experience countering naphthenate forma-
tion offshore Norway. The solution for Dalia
combined anti-naphthenate injection at the
riser base, via the gas-lilt tubes, with a novel
technique involving lirst-stage oil. water, and
gas separation under pressure.
'Tests have shown that some crude oils
form naphthenates al higher acidic values,"
Picard explains. "During the treatment of
acidic oils, the pH increases throughout the
entire process when Ihe pressure decreases.
A pressurized system maintains acidity at a
level lower than pH 6.2, where equilibrium
exists between the pH and the carbon diox-
ide partial pressure, inhibiting Ihe prwipila-
tion reaction."
GF Oil & Gas supplied the FPSO's power
generation and compression equipment,
which comprises three 24MW P(iT+25
gas turbine generators: twci high pressure
lurboconipressors (two PGT+25 turbines
driving four compressors); and two sets of
low pressure and export/injection electric
motor-driven compressors operating at 50
Mpa (.500 bars). "We are using a very fancy
coupling for the gas injection compressor,"
says Picard. Sulzcr provided tbe three injec-
tion pumps, two driven by Solar Taurus gas
ttnbines, the other powered by a 5.25MW
electric motor.
The seven-deck. 2.500-metric ton (2,756-
lon) living quarters module, also built by
SHI. is located above five levels of machin-
ery space in the hull, and can accommodate
up to 190 personnel during shutdowns in 70
cabins. Hie quarters module also houses
the control room, normally manned by just
four staff, whose duties include monitoring
the subsea control system, lliis is one of the

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 GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: WEST AFRICA
world's largest, managing 17.000 underwa-
ter control points. It was configured from the
outset to eventually supervise 100 live wells,
taking into account production from possible
future infill wells and satellite fields.
Dalia's oil is exported via two 610-mm
(24-in.}, 2-km (1.2-nii) flexible pipelines to
an offloading buoy, accommodating tanker
berthing. The offloading process normally
lasting around 36 hours. At Girassol. the
SBM-designed buoy's mooring chains be-
gan to fail not long after start-up. Although
the problem was eventually resolved. Total
opted for APL's turret-moored buoy solution
for Dalia. foflowing a design competition.
This 30 X 19 X 7.5 m (98 x 62 x 25 ft) struc-
ture weighs 650 metric tons (717 tons),
Following onshore testing and commis-
sioning, the FPSO sailed out of South Korea
on March 8, 2006. arriving in block 17 early
in September following a brief stopover in
Cape Town. Fairmount. under sub-contract
lo Technip, provided the ocean-going tugs
for the entire voyage.
The FPSO was moored at ils offshore lo-
cation by the Normand Installer. According
to Picard, the anchor pattern was designed
io take into account the effects of long swells
in this region.
Earlier, Technip's Deep Blue had insUilted all
PennEnergy can meet your drilling rig needs. Call us
FOR INFO OR PRICING, CONTACT RANDY HALL Email: rhall@pennenergy.com Phone: 713-499-6330 Fax: 713-963*276
the IPBs, pipe-in-pipes and injection lines, the
Sonils Base underwent extensions which in-
company's Construetor managing installation cluded a new workshop to house completion
of the umbilicals, subsea manifolds, the mooi'-
and workover control systems activities.
ing foundations, and the production spools. Picard expects a final capex figure for the
Around 20 other vessels. Including tugs and Dalia development of S4 billion. It is a slighl
barges, assisted in these various operations. increase due to external specific markel
conditions (price of steel, fuel, drilling ser-
Local manufacturing vices). Dalia came on stream on December
As with all recenl deepwater Angolan de- 13 at 20.000 b/d of oil. "Our priority in the
velopments. Dalia has invigorated the local early stages is to gain production experi-
manufacturing and offshore support sector. ence." However, the development plan calls
The existing Sonamet yard in Lobito, for for a plateau output of 240,000 b/d of oil to
instance, built the hull and suction anchors be reached by the end of this yean "Ques-
for the offloading buoy, and seven of the tions are being asked about how we can
foundation bottom structures for tlie nine achieve this. Tlie answer is. we will know by
manifolds. It also completed assembly of the this summer But once lliere. we should stay
manifolds. at that level for at leasl four years."
Nearby in I^jbito. Technip's new umbilical All the associated gas is being used ini-
plant, Angoflex, manufactured most of the tially for power generation and injection.
static and dynamic injection and production Some gas will be exported under Angola's
umbilicals, and this base was also used for proposed multi-block LNd gas-gathering
integration of the subsea distribution units scheme in the future.
and umbilical termination heads. Water and gas injection should come into
In Dande. 50 km (31 mi) north of Luanda. service by the end of February or early in
Technip found a location for a puniose-buill March. In time. Total may employ a viscosi-
spool base for the pipe-iji-pipe. injection ficalion technique in its water injection wells
pipelines and offloading lines assembly, also to further boost recovery, llie company is
erecting a 600-m (1,968-ft) long jetty to ac- also contemplating acquiring a 4D seismic
commodate spooling onto the two pipe reels survey over the reservoirs to monitor pro-
onboard the Deep Blue. In Luanda itself, the duction performaiict'. O
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