Course content

During exploration and production of oil and gas, the industry requires strict adherence to fundamental requirements for Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) in a life-cycle perspective. How to implement principles for safety thinking and minimizing the use of resources (e.g. materials and energy consumption) for operations and installations while securing a responsible exploitation of the hydrocarbon over the life of the field and during drilling of subsea wells, procedures and challenges to operation performed from floating vessels. Handling and operation of marine drilling riser, riser margin, positioning of vessel and mooring systems. Overview of alternative solutions for field development. Elements of subsea production systems. Templates, wellhead, X-Mas tree configuration, manifold and piping systems, subsea boosting and processing systems, control systems for production and well intervention. Methods for well intervention, handling of equipment from floating vessel, requirements for vessel and systems for heave compensating. Well integrity, safety and reliability considerations. Trends and future technology development for subsea production systems and wells.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The student should have knowledge about:

• Responsible resource management and exploitation
• System and method for drilling and completion of subsea wells
• Various methods for subsea production
• Components and systems in underwater construction
• Anchoring methods
• Well maintenance
• Subsea Injection Systems for CO2 storage

Skills:

The student is able to:

• Evaluate and analyze alternative subsea solutions based on given parameters
• Seek development solutions that minimize the environmental footprint
• Understand the multidisiplinarity of systems for responsible and safe production of hydrocarbons in a life-of-field perspective
• Calculate pressure conditions and loads associated with drilling and completion of subsea wells
• Calculate valve and actuator performance
• Calculate stress in critical components
• Define requirements for well barriers to ensure well integrity throughout the life time of the well
• Evaluate alternative methods for well maintenance
• Perform calculations and simulations on relevant subsea topics using digital computing and programming tools

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory exercises. Exercises also includes the use of programming tools (e.g. MS Excel and Python). Exercises are given as project assignments to be undertaken by smaller teams of 3-4 students.

The course is given in English. Course evaluation is undertaken using reference group or surveys.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge of petroleum engineering.

Course materials

Lecture notes, recommended and required reading.