All Electric Fail Safe technology for safety critical valves on subsea XT

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

A subsea field's infrastructure comprises flowlines and control umbilicals, end terminations and local distribution to the subsea production system. Subsea system valve operation traditionally utilizes hydraulic power, emerging over the years from direct hydraulic to multiplexed electrohydraulic. The first subsea control systems featured direct hydraulics, with one hydraulic line from topside to each subsea valve. Direct hydraulic technology yields slow response time, demands many lines and is not scalable. During the 1980s, electrics and electronics and directional control valves that eliminated the shortfalls of the direct hydraulic generation were introduced in subsea production systems. The next natural step in technology development is to eliminate hydraulics. This general industry trend is very visible today, exemplified by electrically powered cars and ferries, and by electric control of airplanes and process plants. Electric solutions will play an increasingly important role in subsea systems in the future, as driven by performance needs, water depth increases and environmental constraints (zero discharge regulations). There has also been an increase in subsea sophistication; chemical dosing, pumping, separation, gas compression, deepwater light well intervention, etc. TechnipFMC has more than 15 years of experience in subsea electric actuation for non- safety critical applications, and the core technology to step up to fully electrified systems. It has been a great success and more than 10 million hours of operation has been accumulated without significant issues. So far, only non-safety critical valve actuators and systems have been supplied. The scope of work in the described program comprises system and component development to close the gaps for a subsea all electric xmas tree. Component level gaps comprise certified failsafe 7", 5" 2" and small bore valves plus associated system solution - interconnections, power and control electronics.