A GoM operator witnessed a leaking 6” pipeline. Upon repairing the visual leak and attempting to perform a successful hydrostatic pressure test a second non-visual leak occurred, ultimately resulting in extended production loss.

In order to perform a second assessment and bring production back online, the pipeline assessment required a 100% fluidpacked volume of seawater to ensure an oxygen-free environment.

GATE was involved early in the seawater treating design basis to influence / impart operability and commissioning efforts. From the design phase, GATE became responsible for dynamic commissioning and start-up during the offshore phase.

GATE provided seawater treating equipment process, materials, corrosion, chemical, and commissioning / start-up expertise. The scope included shaping the design of the seawater treating equipment and providing commissioning leadership and start-up expertise. The equipment included a Minox and Sulfate Removal Units.

GATE was responsible for developing the overall Aseng Water Injection System Basis of Design.

GATE provided process / commissioning expertise in the pre-commissioning and dynamic commissioning of the Tahiti II deaeration system (100,000 BWPD Minox).

Scope included planning for the offshore portion of the commissioning and offshore execution with the pre-commissioning contractor including confirmation of design, heat and mass balancing, and performance testing.

GATE was requested to determine the potential risks involved in waterflood for the Neptune and Shenzi fields as a means to determine whether waterflood was a viable option for enhanced oil recovery. Based on this, GATE developed a waterflood philosophy document that details the problems and possible mitigation procedures for BHP’s use in determining whether or not to waterflood.

GATE provided overall seawater treating and chemical engineering expertise during the design and offshore commissioning phases of the Bonga Project including both topsides seawater treating as well as subsea injection / start-up.

GATE provided in-house production chemistry support for the Horn Mountain, Atlantis and Thunder Horse assets.

GATE undertook a chemical vendor qualification process on behalf of Noble to procure the best suited chemical and chemical support for both the Aseng and Alen assets based on their fluids, and system along with their specific operational needs.

GATE leverages each chemical vendors based on performance of chemical, lab, ability to meet supply demands and upsets, price, experience and key criteria important to contractor and operator.

GATE undertook a rigorous qualification process on behalf of the client to BHP to procure the best suited chemicals and chemical support for both the Neptune and Shenzi assets based on their fluids, and system along with their specific operational needs.

BP Pipeline oversees the operation of 9 total oil and gas export systems from more than 20 different platforms in the GoM. The pipeline systems transport almost half-million barrels of oil and hundreds of MMSCF of gas daily from the producing platforms to onshore processing facilities.

The FAMP has been developed for BP Pipeline assets to ensure proper working of the high volume systems by organizing and delegating between operators, facilities, laboratories and onshore offices. By facilitating the review of system performance and operation, this information provides the basis of a continuous improvement approach.

As part of the scope of work, GATE was commissioned to develop two comprehensive, user-friendly screening tools to guide subsea flowline materials selection decisions for wet gas and waterflood during concept selection and design using field specific data.

GATE undertook an investigation into recovered, decommissioned equipment to determine both the cause of failure and investigate integrity of components that may not have failed. This information has proven invaluable to operators who can base the performance of other equipment of a similar type and construction in a similar environment. This was significant as the recovered materials ranged from the mud-line, to sea surface and topsides.

GATE provides Shell with cathodic protection design support for all their subsea projects. This includes coating selection (anti-corrosion and flow assurance) and qualification, which also involves interfacing with the coating yard. An important aspect of this operation is carrying out comprehensive quality audits of anode foundries and coating plants around the world.

GATE determined the risks and mitigation of risk associated with wet parking and flooding of a gas export pipeline with unfiltered seawater. The key concerns are corrosion due to microbes, oxygen corrosion, and drying to prevent hydrate formation when the pipe goes into service.

GATE undertook erosion and corrosion modeling in the flowline to develop sand production allowance and an erosion corrosion risk assessment. From this, a maximum rate of gas production that will allow the asset to maintain it design life was determined. This enabled the operator to safely increase production by 25% to without additional risk to the asset thereby increasing the Net Present Value of the asset.

GATE was responsible for formulating a detailed flow assurance strategy for the successful operation of Juniper production system. The project involved extensive cross-functional interaction, detailed study of the lessons learnt from similar fields in the region (offshore Trinidad), simulating a wide variety of what-if scenarios (both steady state and transient) to draft the flow assurance strategy and operability logic for optimized production.

GATE was involved in formulating the strategy for hot oil circulation and pigging operations for Chissonga. The hot oil circulation study involved optimization of the hot oil injection pressures and temperatures required to displace the cold dead leg in the pigging loop following an extended shutdown. The pigging study involved optimizing the pigging frequency, topsides injection pressures and pig velocities taking into account the production function for the entire life of the field.

The project involved detailed steady state and transient modeling and analysis of gas and oil production systems. Strategies were developed for pigging based on the liquid dropout pattern and fluid velocities.

Phase envelopes of the individual gas streams and gas-mixtures were studies in detail using the software PVTSIM and optimum operating pressures and temperatures were suggested to minimize the liquid drop out.