Abstract
The aim of this abstract is to demonstrate an innovative methodology used to maximize tools adaptability reducing risk exposure and cost with an attractive lead time. Furthermore, it will highlight the past project successes and lessons learned. A key challenge within life of field operations is securing tooling sets across different well types from various original equipment manufacturer (OEM), a timely and costly process. Recognizing that despite different OEMs, there are common mating features for tooling to interface with, the "Swiss Army Knife" of agnostic tools targets an operator’s total requirement with the minimum number of tools needed. This innovative approach to tooling uses a modular design, whereby tooling can be adapted to multiple well types and the functionality targeted to specific operational requirements.
The methodology presented reduces the quantity of tools required, improves capability, and lowers CO2 emissions. By design, the agnostic tools are not limited by the original OEM specifications as they can be simplified and modularized resulting in an efficient and economically beneficial process. For example, one area of simplification is to use a standardized guiding and landing of the intervention tooling on the subsea equipment.
In addition, given the operational challenges when planning offshore campaigns on multiple wells, working with just one supplier of the intervention tooling package, allows for more flexibility in case re-prioritizations or re-scheduling shall be required. One key area of success for this approach is in support of decommissioning offshore oil and gas infrastructure which will hit an average of US$15 billion a year to peak in 2035 and is the subject of increasing regulation to comply with end-of-life plug-and-abandonment. A recent case study for a multi-OEM well P&A campaign in Brazil benefited greatly from this approach; the modular design reducing the total number of tools from 62 to 23 within a 12-month lead-time.
The novelty in agnostic tooling is the modular approach to tooling from different OEMs subsea equipment, reducing the total number of tools needed via tooling standardization and therefore the overall campaign cost with a single point of contact.
