Abstract
Concept Select (Pre-FEED) is one of the critical and distinct phases in Upstream development projects. Concept Select phase comes before the finalisation of Field Development Plan (FDP). Objectives in this phase includes refreshing the value drivers and opportunity statement, refocus from identifying options to selecting concepts, identifying risks, maturing different operational philosophies in each technical area and for the integrated project, agree criteria on which decisions are to be made and develop tools to help the team focus on decisions (e.g., strategy table). All the objectives above are to narrow down the most possible concepts to be taken into considerations to produce oil and gas.
For a new offshore field development, key disciplines which was involved in the Concept Select phase are Subsurface, Wells, Front-End Engineering and Flowline/Pipelines Engineering. These disciplines will work together in order to deliver the best design which can yield the most optimized options which emphasise the safest and cost efficent with the target of fastest first oil/gas date for maximizing production.
Figure 1 shows a typical upstream project lifecycle. The first phase is after exploration discovery (or field acquisition), major issues are identified in an opportunity framing workshop. All the scenarios and issues are being brought in for evaluations. When downsizing concepts as portrayed in Gate 1, detail to few concepts are being made available. Hazard assessment are being performed and captured in a register which overlying major accidents and events in risk management. These two-phase shown in red box below are the Concept Select phase. The chosen concepts for the project are then being technically and economically evaluated in the Feasibility phase where the risks are being managed qualitatively. After that, comes the detail design and operations of the projects.