ORA 2 2012 COVER_cover.qxd 12/04/2012 12:54 Page 1 ■ Geology - p36 ■ Gas - p38 ■ Exploration - p46 ■ Technology - p56 Volume 7 Issue Two 2012 www.oilreviewafrica.com AfricaAfrica Covering Oil, Gas and Hydrocarbon Processing Europe m10, Ghana CD18000, Kenya Ksh200, Nigeria N330, South Africa R25, UK £7, USA $12 Oil Review Africa Oil Review GNPC gears up for Ghana O&G sector Determining the - Issue Two 2012 Issue Two maritime boundaries Angola’s clean alternative to flaring Technology driving Africa’s LNG Changing the face of real-time remote pressure management Africa’s subsea market hots up Meeting the deepwater challenge Vsats - how much should one pay? www.oilreviewafrica.com Angola...old challenges Joe Udofia, MD-CEO of Vandrezzer Energy Services Limited, Nigeria See page 6. remain REGULAR FEATURES: ■ News ■ Contracts ■ Events Calendar ■ IT update ■ Company profiles ■ Products & Innovations S13 ORA 2 2012 Technology_Layout 1 12/04/2012 15:19 Page 66 Driven by the need to develop fields in deeper waters, more challenging locations and in reservoirs of increasing geological complexity, the subsea installation market is expected to grow at a significant pace over the next few years, with deepwater developments likely to be a major element of many of the world’s IOC and NOC portfolios.* The African subsea market continues Technology to hot up HE LATEST WORLD Deepwater Market Report from analysts Douglas Westwood forecasts a 90 per cent growth in TT deepwater expenditure between 2012 and 2016 as compared to the previous five-year period, with a total of US$232bn predicted to be spent subsea. In addition, Emerson expects the number of new Christmas Trees coming on stream each year to increase from about 280 in 2011 to around 720 by 2016. As part of the so-called deepwater ‘golden triangle’ alongside North and South America, Africa is likely to secure a significant portion of this spend with the same Douglas Westwood report estimating that 72 per cent of forecast deepwater spend will be in Africa and the Americas. Another report from Quest Offshore Resources (Subsea Acceleration: Fathoming New Technologies) forecasts 3,200 new subsea tree orders between 2011 and 2015 with 60 per cent of Emerson's subsea network answers many of operators’ questions relating to subsea operations. these being in offshore Brazil and Africa. Along with Brazil and Australia, West Africa remains a key includes a wider range of process conditions with market for Emerson and we are currently pursuing The last few years have seen more liquid and water present in the flow as well as 80 subsea projects over the next two years. a raft of new subsea deeper wells with higher process pressures and So in what specific areas is this growth in temperatures; and the growing remoteness of many subsea installations being seen? challenges subsea fields where costs for subsea interventions The increasing demand for subsea trees and and periodic fluid sampling (PVT) are high. associated hardware, such as control modules, concession offshore Egypt, where 49 Roxar Wetgas In addition, there has also been an increase in manifolds and umbilicals, is helping drive the need meters have been installed to help the operator the number of subsea tie-backs with for many broader solutions – solutions that can Burullus monitor water production profiles in real- EICDataStream, the global projects database of the provide operators with more information and time; the deepwater Akpo field, offshore Nigeria UK trade association, the Energy Industries Council greater control over their subsea operations. where Roxar subsea Multiphase meters have been noting that there are 27 current and future subsea This covers everything from reliable reservoir deployed; and the Kizomba B development, offshore tie-back projects in Africa. Examples of fields where and well monitoring in order that production keeps Angola, where Roxar subsea Multiphase meters and subsea tie-backs are in place include the Diega & flowing, through to the avoidance of costly shut- subsea sensors have been installed for the operator, Carmen oil fields in Equatorial Guinea; the Foxtrot, downs resulting from sand, hydrates or an increased Exxon. Through the continuous measurement of the Mahi & Manta gas fields off the Côte D’Ivoire; the amount of water in the flow lines. amount of oil, condensate, gas and water at the Erha North and Erha South fields, offshore Nigeria; wellheads on the sea bed, Exxon will be able to and the Kizomba development offshore Angola Continued growth of multiphase meters determine the optimal production capacity of each where Emerson’s Roxar meters are in place. Take the issue of measuring flow rates in the well well (thereby avoiding the risk of overproducing the The risks of longer horizontal production streams and the role of multiphase and wet gas well), increase flow assurance from the fields and pipelines and tie-backs is that it takes more time to meters subsea. optimise the production process. detect a water breakthrough in the well, increasing Today, there is a definite need for multiphase In the WDDM example in Egypt, over just a four the need for real-time monitoring to prevent flow meters to be installed from field start-up to month period, the Wetgas meters were utilised to obstacles to flow assurance, such as hydrates and efficiently manage the reservoir throughout its avoid several water breakthroughs, identify zones water encroachment. production life, ensure optimal recovery and for water production, and optimise gas production It is therefore vital that today’s subsea multiphase maximise output. As of 2010, according to Gioia within acceptable and controlled water rates. By and wet gas meters come with an extended operating Falcone of Texas A&M University and Bob Harrison providing early warnings of the water produced, the range, added resilience, and generate ever more from Soluzioni Idrocarburi Srl, there were 3,314 meters have helped Burullus and its partners save accurate and sensitive measurements of flow rates multiphase and wet gas meters installed worldwide several wells from water breakthrough leading to a and water production profiles. – a number that is likely to double over the next sustainable production strategy moving forward. Emerson’s latest subsea wet gas meter, for ten years. For all the benefits of multiphase meters, example, is being designed to include new Current Emerson multiphase installations in however, the last few years have seen a raft of new microwave electronics to provide even more stable Africa include the West Delta Deep Marine (WDDM) subsea challenges that they have to face. This and accurate measurements. The meter will be 66 Oil Review Africa Issue Two 2012 S13 ORA 2 2012 Technology_Layout 1 12/04/2012 15:19 Page 68 Hydrate build-up, where crystals formed in high pressure and low temperature gas flows can block pipelines and interfere with production, are also a particular risk in deepwater fields today. The situation can be made even worse, however, if the wrong amount of hydrate inhibitors, such as MEG (Monoethylene Glycol), is Technology injected. We have seen cases, for example, where up to 20 per cent of the pipeline capacity is occupied with MEG, due to overdosing. In response to this need to establish greater control over the measuring and injection of hydrate inhibitors, Emerson has developed a compact and robust subsea retrievable injection valve solution, which provides operators with precise control over chemical dosage rates. The injection valve can also be integrated with other measurement solutions, such as the subsea wet gas meter, to increase subsea The new Roxar downhole flow sensor system generates multiphase flow measurements from downhole production performance. In this case, the wet gas in the well and deep in the reservoir. meter measures the early onset of formation- water production and then the subsea chemical pressure and water cut, but also gas fraction, sand injection valve ensures that the necessary rate and flow velocity. Downhole reservoir preventative is action. monitoring and hydrate Deployed in production, injection, or observation wells, the Roxar Permanent Downhole Transparency & integration Monitoring System (PDMS), for example, management are also It is this integration of instrumentation which is continuously transmits accurate pressure, crucial to African subsea central to the increased need for transparency and temperature and flow rate data from the reservoir in better handling of information in Africa’s subsea operations today. real time to local or remote well control facilities. field operations. Some of its gauges have been in operation for This is being enhanced through a specialised decades, requiring minimal maintenance. particularly applicable for new gas finds, such as off Windows-based field monitoring system which In addition, Emerson has recently launched a the East African coast where Anadarko and ENI, for enables E&P operators to observe their fields from new solution that can generate information from example, are engaging in significant exploration remote facilities. the B annulus within the casing of an oil well – activities offshore Mozambique. Known as Roxar Fieldwatch, the system previously a ‘no go’ area. The new tool is expected With the new meter, transmission and incorporates a wide range of Emerson’s reservoir to have a significant impact on both production and resonance measurement significantly extend the monitoring instrumentation within one single offshore safety, provide early warnings of high operating range. The meter also includes a salinity control system framework, covering everything pressures, protecting casing integrity, and measurement system which can inform the from sand monitors and erosion probes through to preventing pressure build-up and, in the worst case reservoir engineer where formation water is downhole pressure and temperature gauges; and scenarios, shallow gas blow outs. entering the flow as well as also helping the the tracking of well test jobs. process engineer when adjusting injection rates of The latest version also comes with new scale and corrosion inhibitors.