Offshore Engineering and Production - Third Edition

This guide to offshore exploration and production looks specifically at equipment, procedures, specifications and regulations.

It covers topics such as:

• Offshore structures and support vessels
• safety systems (including emergency shutdown systems (ESDs))
• oil and gas production
• underwater engineering
• drilling.

Preface

Offshore engineering encompasses a considerable number of very specialised and often completely unrelated disciplines. They can be categorised into three core activities: construction, production and reservoir engineering. This book has been written not as a definitive manual, but to provide the reader with a basic explanation of them.

It is hoped that the material contained within this publication will provide the new recruit to the industry with a basic appreciation of what is a relatively complex subject, while at the same time providing the more experienced individual with a fuller appreciation of activities outside of their own particular speciality. The decision on what topics should be included and the depth to which they should be discussed are based largely on my personal experience.

While frequent references are made to the oil and gas industries of the North Sea, the bulk of the text is of a more general nature and so is applicable to offshore engineering on a worldwide basis. Units of measurement are quoted in both imperial and metric, with preference being given to the unit most frequently associated with a particular discipline.

Foreword
The Author
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Glossary
Standards, Guidance Notes and Codes of Practice

1. Introduction and Background

2. Offshore Structures and Support Vessels

3. Safety Systems

4. Piping Systems and Process Pressure Vessels

5. Oil and Gas Production

6. Underwater Engineering

7. Drilling

8. Component Parts

9. Well Maintenance

Appendices

Appendix I – Structural Steel
Appendix II – Welding
Appendix III – Non-Destructive Examination
Appendix IV – Units of Measurements
Appendix V – Table of Line Pipe Dimensions
Appendix VI – UK Legislation

Index

Angus Mather

Angus Mather began his career with the Ministry of Defence at Her Majesty’s Dockyard, Devonport, in 1970 as a Technician Apprentice. This was followed by 10 years’ service as an Engineer Officer in the British Merchant Navy, prior to entering the oil and gas industry. The next 25 years were spent employed both in the contracting industry as Engineering Manager of Kvaerner Oil and Gas Services and as a Classification Society surveyor, involved with oil and gas related products, both on and offshore, in the UK, the Middle East, the Gulf of Mexico and West Africa.

WPGL

WPGL titles are developed using scripts developed by technical experts that are peer reviewed within work groups. Typically, they seek to improve understanding of the regulations, recommendations and guidelines issued by Industry.

WPGL staff have significant expertise in the fields of navigation and hazardous cargoes as well as in the presentation of complex subjects in a graphic and easy to understand manner.