Page 28: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Sep/Oct 2014)

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FPSO

Why should a new round FPSO for ultra-deepwater Gulf of time in the yard and more steel replaced before they’re ready

Mexico be any different, and not disconnectable? Regulators at for a life as FPSO. Many conversion are done on relatively new the 2012 and 2013 Emerging FPSO Forums in Galveston spelled vessels, just to reduce the time to ? rst oil.

out their needs on this. Knowledgeable Gulf of Mexico industry

Peter Lovie: people know about it. The disconnectability issue is a serious This is now a normal part of the design pro- fundamental to resolve–no excuse for ducking it if an operator cess. It’s not unlike the circumstances in the last two decades is to take this work seriously. where semisubmersible MODUs have been modi? ed for deeper In my experience the RPSEA business model was well water and deeper drilling and their hull lives extended much intended, but mulling it over, a year after serving as principal longer than the original 25 year target. The offshore industry investigator on one of their projects, I believe allowing the free has become much more skilled in dealing with hull fatigue life. market to sift out the worthwhile new technologies is better There are much better analytical tools and amazing practical than a government assistance plan. The centuries old process gauging methods are now available that were unthinkable a of survival of the ? t in the marketplace of real needs is sensible, decade or two ago, plus contractors’ ingenuity in devising prac- but it can get forgotten with passing years. What I have seen tical remedial measures.

happen is that some operator’s technology guy says this new

OE :Last year, several speakers brought up factors system is going to be great, without ever having to face the real negatively a