Page 33: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (May/Jun 2019)

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TIEBACKS

An artist’s impression of Equinor’s Troll

Phase 3 development

Source: Equinor ? elds, low-cost solutions are needed to make ? elds viable. For the projects that go through to sanction, and only the very best other ? elds, where near? eld exploration could tip the balance are getting through still,” Evans adds.

toward new infrastructure, access to a still buoyant market in redeployable ? oating production, storage and of? oading LONGER OIL TIEBACKS (FPSO) vessels, excess capacity in the yards and vessels com- There would be even more opportunities if you could ex- ing off contract makes a standalone project an attractive op- tend the distance that oil ? elds can be economically tied back, tion. This has been shown at Eni’s Kalimba oil ? eld discovery Saipem’s Giorgio Arcangeletti told the Offshore Mediterra- in Angola. Initially earmarked as a long subsea tieback to the nean Conference (OMC) earlier this year. Traditionally, oil

East Hub facilities, Eni is now considering a standalone devel- tiebacks are within a 10- to 30-kilometer range. Increasing opment, thanks to near? eld exploration success, Evans says. that to 50 kilometers or more would enable more ? elds to be “Operators had to pick their projects carefully going through tied into existing infrastructure. The biggest challenges to do- the downturn, and now they are even more thoughtful about ing this would be ? ow assurance related. In conventional and

MaY/JUNE 2019 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 33