INNOVATIONS IN SUBSEA DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION

Abstract

Esso Australia Ltd on behalf of the Esso/BHP joint venture, recently completed Australia's first deep- water oil and gas development, Blackback, in 395 m water depth in eastern Bass Strait. Esso used a phased development approach and an innovative development concept to mitigate the effect of reserves uncertainty. The development consists of three wells in daisy-chain formation tied back to the existing Mackerel platform, 23 km distant. The development also used innovative approaches for installation of flexible flowline and umbilical jumpers from the drilling rig, management of hydrates in the production flowline and control system integration.

In the same time frame, Esso repaired the failed electro-hydraulic control systems of two 10-year-old subsea wells. The repair program used an innovative approach to fault diagnosis and field work.