Petrobras semisubmersible P-19, one of the many floating production units in Brazil's deepwater Campos basin.
New technology is allowing operators to install steel catenary risers (SCR) on floating production systems (FPS).
According to Oil States Industries Inc., its FlexJoint technology will accommodate FPS motion. SCRs have previously been installed only on tension-legged platforms (TLPs) where platform motions do not include heave.
Oil States says SCRs are an economical alternative to flexible pipe and are the next evolutionary step in deepwater production tie-ins.
Oil States completed its first SCR installation for Petrobras on Sept. 15, 1998. The 10-in. riser is part of a 4-km gas flow line connecting the P-26 and P-18 semisubmersible production units. Water depth is 910 m in this area of the Campos basin offshore Brazil.
Petrobras initially contracted Oil States to design the installation in 1995 and awarded the contract for the installation to Oil States in 1997.
The SCR contains extensive instrumentation at the mudline, wave zone, and flex joint to monitor riser stresses, angles, and vortex-induced vibration. Oil States will use the collected data to help verify and calibrate analytical models for future riser design.
In the future, Petrobras is considering installing SCRs also on floating, production, storage, and offloading vessels (FPSOs).
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![The world's first steel-catenary riser on a floating production system was installed on the Petrobras semisubmersible P-18. [39,019 bytes]](http://images.pennwellnet.com/ogj/images/ogj2/9648jafac.jpg){kind=link}