Local development in Angola

Subsea 7, one of the world’s leading subsea engineering and construction companies, continuously demonstrates its engineering and project management expertise, operational capability, assets and infrastructure, by delivering major deepwater projects in Africa and other global locations.

 

In 2005, Subsea 7. a leading subsea engineering and construction company servicing the oil and gas industry, became the first subsea contractor to establish and operate a pipeline fabrication spoolbase in Angola. The construction of the Luanda Spoolbase included land reclamation in Luanda port and the development and operation of a state-of-the-art welding firing line with fully automatic welding machines. This brand new spoolbase was constructed to support Chevron's Lobito Tomboco development which was the first contract awarded to Subsea 7 in Angola. During the course of the project, the Company was able to create and operate a new pipeline yard while achieving a high degree of high-tech local content in a limited time frame.

 

Following the success on the Lobito Tomboco project which was completed in 2006, the year ended with two major awards for Subsea 7 in Angola. The Saxi Batuque (Kizomba C) Project was awarded by Esso Exploration and the Tombua Landana Project by Chevron.

 

The Saxi Batuque project was one of the most complex flowline installation projects undertaken by Subsea 7 in recent years with multiple short flowline lengths and soft soils in deepwater. All flowlines were fabricated at Subsea 7's Luanda spoolbase by local Angolans, who undertook rigorous training as part of the project. As a direct result of the project, the company carried out a major upgrade of its Spoolbase at Sonils.

 

The Tombua Landana project in Block 14, offshore Angola encompassed design, procurement, engineering and installation of a complete 'drill centre to platform tie-in' system comprising five (5) pipelines, a steel tube umbilical, all applicable connectors and flexible jumpers.

 

Although Tombua Landana was technically similar to the Lobito Tomboco workscope, a key point of difference was the increased level of local content over that achieved on the Lobito Tomboco project. This resulted in the manufacture of the steel tube umbilical, the coating of 45km of multiple pipe sizes and fabrication of all pipelines and Pipe Line End Terminations being executed in Angola.

 

The successful conclusion of the Tombua Landana Project was highlighted when the Subsea 7 project team was recognised for its commitment to safety when it received an award in May 2009 from Chevron to mark the milestone of 500,000 hours worked without lost time incident on the subsea facilities phase of the project.

 

In August 2007, Subsea 7 was awarded a long term project management and work-class ROV Life-of-Field (LoF) services contract for BP. The Block 18 project was the first deepwater LOF services to be awarded in the region and builds on the experience and relationship Subsea 7 had developed with BP in the North Sea. The work scope was for a variety of subsea services from inspection, repair and maintenance, through to light construction

and intervention. In addition to metrology and IRM works, 17 rigid production and water injection spools have been deployed and connected during the first 18 months of the project.

 

A year after the Block 18 award, Subsea 7 was awarded a frame work agreement with BP in support of the Block 31 development project. A contract for the first project, valued on award at an estimated $460m, was also confirmed.

 

The first development, the four oil fields: Plutao, Saturno, Venus and Marte (PSVM) in water depths from 1800m to 2100m, will be developed with manifolded subsea production wells producing to the FPSO through production flowlines and a service line. The connection between seabed and FPSO is by means of 9 hybrid risers, each consisting of approximately 1.8km rigid pipe sections between top and bottom assemblies and about 600m flexible tails from top assembly to FPSO turret. All of the subsurface power and control systems will be routed back to FPSO by a variety of different types of umbilicals.

 

The Subsea 7 workscope is to install Client provided items on the seabed, execute the assorted subsea tie-ins, tiebacks to riser base, hook up from riser top to FPSO and installation of assorted power and controls umbilicals and flying leads. Current mobilisation in Angola is planned for the last quarter of 2010 and will be executed by the Seven Seas, Pipelay & Construction Vessel . Please refer to the photo of our new build vessel, Seven Seas.

 

In support of the Block 31 PSVM Project, several Angolan content schemes have been implemented. The Students' Sponsorship Scheme has about 20 engineering undergraduates being sponsored at Agostino Neto University. A graduate training programme is in place where the graduates gaining valuable work experience within the Subsea 7 spool base located at Sonils base. These graduates have frequent feedback sessions to improve and develop their skills ready for arrival in Subsea 7's London office during 2010. Marine cadets are also being trained in order to work on the various size vessels within the Subsea 7 fleet.

 

A further BP award was for the Block 18 Gas Export Line Project, which consists of engineering, construction and installation of a 74 km, 12" gas pipeline spur from the Greater Plutonio Development in Block 18 to a gas delivery pipeline in Block 3. In addition, Subsea 7 will perform the tie-in of the pipelines, including installing three client supplied subsea manifold systems and 1000m umbilical before carrying out the final commissioning of the completed gas export pipeline.

Luanda Spoolbase with Skandi Navica

The engineering work commenced in London after award in June 2009, the fabrication of the rigid pipeline will be done at Subsea 7's Luanda spoolbase during 2010. The offshore phase will commence during the fourth quarter of 2010 and is expected to have been completed in the first quarter of 2011, using Subsea 7's pipelay and construction vessels. Please refer to the photo of our new build vessel, Seven Oceans.

Fabrication work has been ongoing as Subsea 7 completed its first contract to carry out fabrication activities in Angola. The contract to fabricate deck stools for Modec built upon the Company's capabilities offered in the region. A new fabrication facility was set up in January 2009 at the Luanda Spoolbase where a number of mobilisation activities were considered and a high focus placed on HSE compliance. Further training of local welders commenced in the same month in order to have a qualified team in place for the work execution. The project was completed ahead of schedule and the local workforce performed well above expectations.

Seven Seas and Seven Oceans

Another recent success in the region has been the completion of the Girassol Pipeline Repair Project, which was an entirely diverless pipeline repair in 1350 metres water depth, based on a technical design competition issued by Total, Operator for the Block 17 Consortium, as Contractor of Sonangol Concessionnaire, which resulted in Subsea 7 being awarded the contract for the design, manufacture, testing and operation of the new deepwater pipeline repair system (PRS). The system was successfully used on the repair of a damaged 12-inch water injection pipeline in the Girassol field, offshore north-west Angola. The PRS is the latest addition to Subsea 7's extensive pipeline repair capabilities which include both grouted and hyperbaric welded solutions.

To date, Subsea 7 has made significant in-country investment in Angola including both capital expenditure and hiring of more than 150 nationals. The infrastructure includes office facilities, a 65-room guest house, on-site offices at the spoolbase and an extensive transportation fleet.

We are now eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to put all of the gained experience into practice and take the required strides towards fulfilling Subsea 7's mission to further develop its local capabilities and become the subsea partner of choice in the region.

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