Page 72: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Apr/May 2013)

71 73

“This allows the development of helico-axial multiphase pumps, these felds because we provide hybrid pumps and single-phase cen- the infrastructure that is already in trifugal pumps. place to connect to other systems Along with new boosting and that provide access to the markets,” compression capabilities, FMC is

Eyebrow he says. looking to bring more effcient and

Subsea Tiebacks smaller footprint power and pro-

Pumping and compression cessing to subsea operations, says

To support LLOG and its other Skeels. “One difference between

Umbilical distribution manifold clients in their subsea-development pumping liquids and gas is sig- atLLOG’s Who Dat development is tied efforts, FMC Technologies nifcant increase in power require- back to its own foating production continues to invest in research and ments. If it takes 1 MW of power to system, the only privately owned development projects for deepwater operate a liquid pump, it takes 10 foating production system in the world.

and harsh environments. “The focus MW to operate a gas compressor.” of many of FMC’s current projects Another challenge is to reduce is to revitalize old felds or help for the future. Gas is a harder nut to communication lag time between new felds achieve better fow and crack than liquids,” he says. the subsea control and sensor production rates and manage longer To enhance subsea liquids pro- equipment and operators, which offsets,” says FMC Technologies’ duction, the company has been col- could be several minutes. “Given emerging technologies director, laborating with Sulzer Pumps Ltd. some extremely long offsets, like

Brian Skeels. to fully qualify a new multiphase going under the ice in places such “We continue to incrementally 3.2-MW, 5,000-psi helico-axial as offshore Norway and Russia, add more to our kit for subsea pro- pump system for subsea high-boost operators will need to rely more on cessing and pressure boosting. We applications. The technology autonomous and feedback controls are working to stair-step our pump- marries Sulzer Pumps’ pump at the subsea feld to instantly react ing technology with liquids and hydraulics with FMC’s high-speed to changing process conditions, aug- multi-phase fow so we can learn permanent-magnetic motor technol- menting the command-and control how to do gas decompression better ogy. The new equipment includes station far away on a spar or plat-

Trending the latest oil & gas news worldwide.

SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WEEKLY!

@ www.oedigital.com/fft

OE | April 2013 oedigital.comoedigital.com 7474 oe_flowlines.indd 74 4/1/13 1:08 PM