Mapping Factors Influencing the Selection of Subsea Petroleum Production Systems

The development, design and selection of subsea petroleum production equipment and facilities are critical activities, as the decisions made will impact the success and profitability of the project. Technical, economic and government regulations are some of the factors that need to be evaluated in order to contract subsea services and procurement activities. Pre-studies need to be conducted to design the best subsea concept and to assess the development costs in order to succeed in the project execution and to keep the production rate and profits as expected. There are many factors that should be addressed before selecting the concept. By identifying and studying these aspects, the project management will be able to develop an optimum production system and select the best equipment to cover the functions needed, as well as identify health, safety, environmental and quality requirements and spare parts’ availability for maintenance interventions. This will help to achieve the integrity of the installation and to reduce risks. In this paper we identify various aspects, factors and design criteria that need to be addressed in the design phase.