The Seadrill West Mira rig operation has been boosted by two tailormade deliveries from Future Production.
Seadrill has enhanced their West Mira rig operation with the instalments of a Riser Running Sleeve and Riser Stacking System from Future Production.
The Riser Running Sleeve is a 700 kg tailormade solution constructed out of fire resistant composite materials specifically designed to protect the risers on their journey through the rig rotary table, while the Riser Stacking System is a tailormade solution designed to facilitate riser storage onboard West Mira.
– Both deliveries are designed to enhance and improve the West Mira rig operation as a whole, particularly focused on creating increased efficiency, safety and improved HSEQ, Future Production Technical Manager Edvin Andersen says.
– The Riser Running Sleeve is an easily handled pipe designed to fit through the rig rotary table, which connects with the diverter hose, and adapts to the actual diameter of the rotary table. It effectively eliminates the chance of risers and flanges getting stuck whilst travelling to the seabed. As an effect, risers can run faster through the rotary hole, Andersen explains.
Has eliminated need for Supply Vessel
The Riser Stacking System has now enabled West Mira to store risers onboard the rig. Previously, risers had to be stored onto a nearby supply vessel while not in use.
– No area onboard the rig was considered safe and able to be used as a riser storage. As an effect West Mira transported the risers to and from the rig supply vessel before and after use. Now our Stacking system facilitates safe riser storage onboard the rig, which has effectively eliminated the whole supply vessel transport operation.
– Now the rig efficiency is significantly improved, and the risk of personnel related accidents is lowered.
Battles wellhead fatigue
Seadrill Well Planner Mads Hegelstad has been closely involved in the Future Production deliveries. He praises the now-delivered Future Production solutions.
– The Riser Stacking System gives us an excellent operational improvement, as we have eliminated several 17 ton riser transports to and from the supply vessel storage when running the BOP. Now our rig supply vessel can be utilised more efficiently in other operations, and the rig safety has been significantly increased, Hegelstad says.
The Riser Running Sleeve, as opposed to the Riser Stacking System, has not yet been operationally tested onboard the rig.
– We have not managed to put the sleeve into operation just yet, as we still need to run a few more tests. But we are very confident of the effect it will have on our riser operations; when the risk of riser accidents in the moonpool and rotary table areas are eliminated we can speed up operations and further increase operational efficiency, Hegelstad says.
Technical Manager Edvin Andersen also points out how the Future Production Riser Running Sleeve battles wellhead fatigue.
– Slick risers affect wellhead fatigue less than buoyancy risers. If the slick riser operations can run faster, it will be used more often and hence wellhead fatigue is reduced, he says.
Attracted interest
The two Seadrill deliveries have already attracted interest from other rig companies.
– Hopefully we can deliver similar solutions to others. The effect on the rig operation as a whole is easily quantifiable, Andersen states.
West Mira is currently operating in the northern part of the North Sea, 120 kilometers northwest of Bergen.
