Trans Asia Pipeline Services Completes Major Deepwater Subsea Pipeline Precommissioning Operation in East Coast India

Trans Asia Pipeline Services through their sister concern in India M/s Narmada Offshore recently completed a major Deepwatersubsea pipeline precommissioning operation for Subsea 7 in East Coast of India on the GS-1 GS-15 Deepwater Project, one of the first deepwater developments in India ever undertaken. The G1 field and GS15 field, both of which are located in the Krishna Godavari basin. Anticipated peak production from the integrated development is 9400 barrels of oil per day and 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

The G1 project design required two subsea pipelines to be tied back to the onshore processing facility at Odalrevu. The pipelines will carry production from five wells at the G1 field, located in water depths ranging from 881 feet to 990 feet. The GS15 project, located closer to shore in 26 feet of water, required the design of modifications to an existing platform to accept new production, and the design of of a new platform.

A new pipeline has also been designed to tie-in GS15 production to one of the new G1 pipelines that will carry production from both fields to shore. INTECSEA also designed an upgrade of the onshore facilities at Odalarevu to handle 1500 cubic meters per day of crude oil and 2.7 million standard cubic meters per day of natural gas.

The project was significant for more than one reason. Firstly, G1 was the first deepwater field to be developed by ONGC. Secondly, the project envisaged intensive use of new age oil production technology, requiring limited human intervention.

Most importantly, the field was slated to produce the first non-APM (administered pricing mechanism) gas for ONGC.

The project involves the transportation and installation of flexible flowlines and umbilicals to the G1 field which is located in the Krishna-Godavari Basin Bay 20km off the Amalapuram coast in water depths ranging from 205m to 440m.

The pre commissioning scope of work for the project comprises project management and engineering, diving services for subsea valve operation, precommissioning vessel supply ,hydrotesting, base line survey, bulk dewatering, Glycol swabbing and Nitrogen Purging and Packing .

Work was carried out from the onshore plant and offshoreby Narmada Offshore personnel with equipment from the company’s base in Kakinada

According to D Anjaiah, Managing Director of Narmada Offshore”We welcome the opportunities and challenges that India’s first Ultra DeepwaterProject presents to Trans Asia / Narmada Offshore. The pipeline project was exceptional, not only in view of the water depths and that it was the first time that we were undertaking a deepwater pipeline pre commissioning project , but because our client was under a considerable amount of pressure to complete the already delayed project as quickly as possible, We were acutely aware of the urgency of the situation, so we pulled out all the stops to complete the project safely and efficiently. I’m happy to report that with the use of our inhouse equipment spreads, operations were completed well within the pre-agreed period of completion,” he added.

Trans Asia Pipeline Services is a leading provider of pipeline and process pre commissioning services to the petroleum industry. The company operates through their bases in UAE, India and Singapore.