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FPSO

Breaking how to safely shut down operations and get people out of harm’s way. This was one factor that led Shell to choose a disconnectable FPSO for the project. Another factor, Lohr said, was the ? exibility to disconnect and leave in the event of extreme weather, but to also not have to use an oil export new frontiers pipeline.

“The advantage of using a FPSO for this frontier project is the ? exibility that it gives Shell –to learn more about this

Shell’s Stones development will be home to the Gulf of Mexico’s second reservoir and grow accordingly,” Lohr says. “Stones is a re-

FPSO, but while it may be No. 2, the FPSO may hold a few ? rsts itself. ally exciting prospect for Shell. It could turn out that it is an extremely large ? nd, but we won’t know until we start

Audrey Leon found out more.

producing.”

According to SBM Offshore’s Turritella factsheet, released hell’s Stones project is special in a lot of ways. The project was BP (59%) along with Shell (26%) and Marathon this May, the disconnectable capability allows the FPSO to supermajor boasts that the ? oating production, (15%). The prospect was drilled in 9576ft of water and reached not only quickly and safely sail away in the event of a hurri-

S storage and of? oading (FPSO) unit engaged on the 28,560ft true vertical depth in March 2005. cane, but also quickly resume production once the hurricane project, Turritella, will be the deepest production facility in the Three years later, the Stones-3 well would reach 29,400ft has passed the location, which Shell highlighted as an impor- world at 9500ft (2900m) water depth. and con? rm the discovery of multiple oil-bearing sands. The tant factor for productivity at the ? eld.

The Turritella FPSO – owned and operated by a joint ven- ? eld consists of nine Outer Continental Shelf blocks. Many Additionally, SBM Offshore said another highlight of the ture owned by af? liates of SBM Offshore (55%), Mitsubishi considerations were taken into account during the concept Turritella FPSO is its ability to readjust each mooring line’s (30%) and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (15%) – nudged selection phase. For Shell, Stones is interesting because the tension without the need to install any device on the FPSO. out the previous record holder, the BW Pioneer (the Gulf of reservoir is not particularly well known, says Curtis Lohr – “It pioneers the use of an in-line mooring connector (ILMC),

Mexico’s ? rst FPSO), which is installed at Petrobras’ Cascade/ Stones project manager, Shell International E&P. which gives direct access to the mooring line for re-tension

Chinook development, also close by the Stones project within “We don’t have a lot of production history in this part of the purposes. This feature allows more ? exibility when the need

Walker R idge, in approximately 8900ft of water. But, while it Gulf of Mexico – that’s why it’s considered a frontier,” he says. arises to adjust the tension of mooring lines, even during the is the second FPSO unit in the Gulf of Mexico, the project has “If you look at where the FPSO is located, the drill center is early phase of the system installation,” according to the com- enjoyed many ? rsts (See chart). in 9500ft of water, but also in this area there is a plateau that’s pany’s factsheet.

in 7500ft of water. The sea ? oor is very rugged, which created

The ? eld The development some challenges in terms of routing pipelines.”

Stones was discovered in 2005 in Walker Ridge Block 508, Other potentials challenges, native to the Gulf, would be Shell reached ? nal investment decision on the project in May some 200mi off Louisiana. Back then, the operator on the extreme weather events such as hurricanes, and in particular, 2013. Stones will be a phased development, with the ? rst

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