Africa’s largest subsea oil and gas network relies on Fugro’s deepwater precision

Challenge

The Kaombo offshore project involved one of the world’s largest subsea oil and gas networks, which links six oil fields in Block 32 to two giant floating, production, storage and offloading units (FPSOs). Our client, TechnipFMC, contracted Fugro to provide positioning and as-built surveys for subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) installations, plus subsea metrology services for spool and jumper fabrications. This demanding scope of work included:

• Completion of 76 metrologies within a year

• Installation of one of the largest ever long baseline (LBL) arrays, with more than 300 Compatt transponders

• As-built surveys for 285 km of rigid flowlines, 125 km of umbilicals, 270 structures, and a gas export line

Solution

We resolved the significant logistical and technical demands of this large-scale, ultra-deep project through a highly adaptable approach to project management, using tailored procedures and software to overcome key challenges. A large element of project support was drawn from our local resources and multiskilled team in Angola, a key factor in the contract award.

Innovative adaptation of IT tools enabled efficient turnaround of acoustic metrologies for ‘right first time’ spool and jumper fabrications, and on-time delivery of as-built surveys of consistently high accuracy.

Centralised control of global expertise

Our progressive approach to data and resource management enabled seamless integration of global expertise and a flexible, efficient working dynamic with the client, TechnipFMC. At the start of the project, we defined most of the project procedures in TechnipFMC’s office in Paris, allowing fast progress and tailoring them to the client’s needs.

Multiple Fugro offices provided resources and services, channelled through a central project management team in Leidschendam in the Netherlands. This provided TechnipFMC with a single point of contact for Fugro’s operations, with weekly conference calls and regular office visits to keep the client up to date on the project’s progress. Project reporting was coordinated from Leidschendam in the Netherlands rather than offshore, which was essential for overseeing the delivery of a highly complex programme of operations and reporting data to strict deadlines.

Before mobilisation, more than 300 Compatts transponders were shipped to Angola and prepared in our local workshop, which provided support throughout the programme. Vessels were mobilised within set timeframes and involved local Fugro staff wherever possible.

Final reporting was delivered via a customised offline website to simplify the searching and browsing of reports, charts and video data. We adapted this Fugro-developed tool to meet the specific needs of TechnipFMC and their client to assist wider project management.

Innovative highlight

We developed a new metrology software called uMet, which provides real-time quality control and faster, more accurate reporting, to facilitate on-time precision manufacturing of spools and jumpers. As well as being fully integrated into Fugro’s navigation and acquisition tool, Starfix.NG, uMet is universally compatible with other acoustic metrology applications.

We also devised an innovative approach to the subsea dimensional control surveys to verify the integrity of various installed assets; we then showcased that approach at an industry tradeshow in conjunction with the project’s ultimate client.

We also developed a dedicated Excel tool for Control Panel functions to track reporting and assets, and final reporting was entirely digital and delivered through a version of our own offline website solution, specifically adapted for this project.

Impact

Drawing on our project experience and resources in Angola, we completed more than 200 crew changes without any delays. The appointment of a dedicated crew coordinator, who cooperated closely with TechnipFMC’s logistics team, ensured seamless crew changes.

All spools and jumpers fabricated using Fugro’s metrology reports fitted first time, validating the effectiveness of our innovative metrology software, uMet. Average metrology operations lasted less than 16 hours, a useful gain in productivity compared to typical cycle times of more than 20 hours, equivalent to 13 vessel days.

We reported zero lost time injuries (LTIs) throughout the 30-month contract, which is a commendable achievement for an ultra-deep operation of this scale and complexity.

Our tailored and highly effective project management facilitated the immense adaptability required by the dynamic schedule, while still meeting deadlines and data quality needs. Meanwhile, our local office and workshop proved indispensable in providing logistical and technical support to the offshore teams.