This Statoil-developed technology will make the Barents Sea profitable – Tu.no

The group has developed an entirely new concept for subsea developments, Cap-X, which can reduce costs up to 30 percent in some areas – regardless of the overall cost reduction in the industry.

– This is technology that far heading is born out of our experience from previous drilling campaign in the Barents Sea. This gives us confidence that we have found an important key to improving profitability in here, says spokesman Morten Eek to TU.

Cap-X technology that the company says will take them one step further towards a plug and play solution to the seabed.

Thin reservoirs

the reservoirs in the Barents Sea have some common characteristics that make them particularly challenging to work with, they are very shallow, they have low pressure and more are also quite thin.

Therefore, it will require many wells to produce oil from any findings, which can be a challenge for profitability.

Technology that can reduce well costs in case of an annex in the Barents Sea was thus the starting point for redevelopment.

The solution makes it possible to drill the horizontal portion of the well previously, which also makes it possible to drill horizontally longer and thus have fewer wells.

– It provides a more optimal well. Cap-X was first developed for solving challenge of shallow reservoir, which is typical of those found in the Barents Sea. We see now, however, that it has further potential elsewhere on the Norwegian shelf, explains Eek.

Statoil has previously stated that this is a different approach to subsea solutions, based on simplification and standardization, which will reduce costs considerably and make the Barents Sea competitive.

– This is also technology as we assumed when we submitted our application to the 23. licensing round, because we believe it can help to commercialize discoveries in the Barents Sea southeast, points Eek.

solution suction anchors in steel foundation, with skirts and cover in fiberglass, which will provide a solid, simple and inexpensive structure on the seabed. Photo: Statoil

Suction Anchor Technology

Subsea concept is based on the suction anchor technology assembly of installation on the seabed, such as Statoil, Shell and the Norwegian geotechnical Institute have been pioneers in.

the solution suction anchors in steel foundation, with skirts and cover in fiberglass, which will provide a solid, simple and cheap structure on the seabed. This construction according to Statoil simplify both installation and maintenance of equipment.

– Cap-X is a revolutionary new concept that includes both familiar and new elements put together in a new way. We think this will be the standard for the next generation subsea solution, which both increases efficiency and reduces costs, says Statoil.

The subsea solution is smaller and more flexible than the current standard solutions. It is more compact and can contain a lot of equipment can be installed and used with vessels over rigs and improves the access to areas with shallow reservoirs with thin oil zones.

The company notes that the main structure can be produced by a larger group suppliers, in less time than standard solutions.

Seabed solution is smaller and more flexible than the current standard solutions. More work can also be carried by vessels instead of rigs, which are cost-effective. Photo: Statoil

have patented

Statoil has patented technology, but Eek says that this is not about that other oil companies will not be able to adopt it.

– The decision to take out a patent is the result of a desire that the industry as such finds a standard platform for subsea solutions. So, larger parts of the supply industry have the opportunity to place their technologies on this platform, he explains.

The next step is to take the technology into a pilot somewhere on the Norwegian shelf.