About this project
Commissioned by Bluewater Energy Services Vicoma participated in the conversion of an FPSO: a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading installation. The conversion was done on the Aoka Mizu, a ship that will bring oil to the surface in the Lancaster Field in the North Sea for oil and gas company Hurricane Energy. The complete turret and various topsides skids are being adapted to the production characteristics, conditions and regulations that a new offshore location will entail.
An FPSO basically functions as a complete oil production facility, but then at sea. Vicoma was asked to take care of the piping from the buoy to the topsides. A buoy is pulled in into which the production risers coming from the well are pulled. These are connected to the production headers which then connect the turret to the topsides via the swivel (the connection between static and dynamic). This buoy is statically anchored to the bottom.
Small available space
A complicating factor is that a great deal of piping with large diameters and 3D radius bends has to be placed in a relatively small available space. In addition, aspects such as accessibility, safety and maintenance must be taken into account. The Aoka Mizu is currently being refitted at Dubai Drydocks. Next year, oil production will start from the oil field west of the Shetland Islands.
