KAZAKHSTAN UPSTREAM OIL AND GAS technology and R&d ...

2.2 Operating in the ice and during cold weather
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Solutions commentary
The solutions in this area cover the study,
design, construction and operation of ice cold
weather drilling and production infrastructure.
Being able to understand and predict the
weather and the ice dynamics is the key to
effective facility design and construction, as
well as year-round operations. The most up-todate
modelling packages need to be adapted
– by R&D institutes in Kazakhstan – to deliver
the required advanced capabilities. Historical
weather databases should provide the initial
calibration for the modeling; however, more
extensive advanced sensing will be required.
A range of sensors will be needed from fiber
optic distributed strain sensors on facilities
through to differential global position system
(DGPS) networks. Significant computing
power will be required to support the
integration of diverse measurements made at
different scales.
Understanding the forces related to ice and
weather is important in designing all kinds
of structures and equipment. Currently, heavy
pipe needs to be extensively armoured and/
or deeply buried to avoid damage due to
ice scouring. Huge time and cost savings
could be realized if the current requirements
were to be relaxed based on improved
understanding or alternative avoidance
mechanisms. Ice-induced movement of jack-up
rigs can cause well casing shear and loss of
containment. R&D is required to improve the
cost effectiveness and operating envelope
for drilling and well interventions in Caspian
winter operations.
Presently, offshore steel/concrete structures
are designed to protect the production
facilities from ice encroachment. Alternatively,
sacrificial zones are created where ice simply
piles before reaching critical equipment.
Global best practices in this area should
be quickly adopted in Kazakhstan. Longer
term, R&D is required to provide more cost
effective, movable (modular) ice protection
capabilities. Modular design is considered
a major component in addressing year
round operations, maximising facility uptime
and minimising workforce exposure. The
solutions range from small-scale plug-and-play
components (such as instrument packages that
can be quickly replaced when they fail)
to large-scale fabricated items (such as a
compressor modules). Kazakh companies and
academia will need to further develop such
technologies.
A Caspian manufacturing and logistics
location needs to be selected and developed
to realize the ultimate objective of delivering
cost effective ice/cold climate equipment
and supporting year round operations. The
associated workforce needs to be grown
to the required numbers and skill levels by
2020.
Kazakhstan Upstream oil & gas technology and R&D roadmap