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Building Australia’s CapabilityWA Research in Subsea Engineering
Professor Brian Evans, Director O&G research initiatives, Curtin University
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
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WA ORGANIC & ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY CENTRE
Temp
Bridges:
Chemistry
Geology
Earth Systems
Environmental Science
Modern /
ancient
analogues
Past and
Climate
present
environments
Mass
& life
Extinctions
Redox
Toxic
sediments
Weathering
World class
exceptionally wellequipped analytical
facility
Biomarkers
& isotopes
Modern &
ancient
Spills
Oil, gas
and
minerals
Provenance
Contact: Prof Kliti Grice
k.grice@curtin.edu.au
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
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Pollution
Biogeochemistry
Food
webs
Nutrients
Degradation
Geomicrobiology
WA ORGANIC & ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY CENTRE
Establish discrimination among fluids and new insights
into the petroleum systems in the Dampier sub-Basin
• Source rock characterisation
• Fluid characterisation
• Jurassic vs Triassic
• Upper-Jurassic vs Middle-Jurassic
• Oil–oil and oil–source rock correlations
• Applications of novel techniques and
ancillary analyses: comprehensive gas
chromatography coupled to time-of-flight
mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS),
compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA),
analysis of diamondoids.
Northern Carnarvon Basin
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Centre for Marine Science & Technology
Modelling of underwater noise emission from offshore pile driving
(Chevron)
• Develop comprehensive physical/numerical model of sound emission and
propagation from offshore pile driving to accurately predict underwater noise
levels and assess potential impacts of piling noise on marine fauna.
• Models available until recent times are not capable of sufficiently accurate
predictions.
Press Enter to play movie
Sound pressure in water and particle displacement in ground after
hammer impact over three different seabed types
water
pile
ram
ground
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Centre for Marine Science & Technology
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of humpback whales on NW Shelf
Chevron
Acoustically detect and localize humpback
whales to prevent potential harm, including ship
collision, in offshore operational areas on NW
shelf.
Humpback cow with calf and escort
Spectrograms with bearing data from 4 sensors
Three whales
detected
3
6
1
2
4
array of 4 acoustic sensors
detected and localized whales
95% localization confidence
Northing (km)
1
2
2
0
2
-2
3
4
-4
-6
6-6
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-4
-2
0
2
Easting (km)
4
6
Centre for Marine Science & Technology
Ship hydrodynamics (Chevron)
• Ship under-keel clearance for ports- developing guidelines for LNG Terminal, Barrow Is
• Wave-induced motions and mooring analysis for side-by-side vessels in waves.
Measuring vertical
motions of a tanker
t.gourlay@curtin.ed
u.au
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Centre for Marine Science & Technology
Sound Scape in the Fremantle Inner Harbour (Fremantle Port Auth.)
Three whales
detected
3
1
Daily machinery, train (nearby bridge)
& vessel traffic2 noise
Dolphin whistles
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Vibratory & Impact pile
driving noise
Centre for Marine Science & Technology
Dolphin transits when pile driving
Dolphins transited the area within
the vicinity of pile driving less
frequently when piling than when
no pile driving occurred (based on
modelling using Generalized
Estimating Equations)
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Clean Gas Technology Centre
Gas Hydrate Research
PVT Sapphire cell used for hydrate formation/dissociation testing,
operated to -100Deg C under 500 bar pressure:
Effect of MEG degradation on hydrate formation inhibition performance along gas systems:
1. Analysis of the best MEG inhibitor performance from different MEG suppliers.
2. Study of the various temperature degradation effects for different durations.
3. Hydrate formation temperatures using different MEG concentrations.
Effect of thermal exposure on MEG with Film Forming Corrosion Inhibitor (FFCI) and MDEA and its
Influence on inhibition of hydrate formation.
Effects of inert gases on hydrate formation/dissociation of natural gas
Thermodynamic modelling that establishes the prediction correlations of hydrate formation in
presence of thermal degraded MEG Contact a.barifcani@curtin.edu.au
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Clean Gas Technology Centre
PVT Unit (Sapphire cell)
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
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Curtin Corrosion Centre
Weld qualification and field testing
• Reduction in corrosion resistance of weld metal and mechanical properties
during welding. Accepted sigma phase content: < 1 %
•
Need for portable test device to determine the corrosion resistance of these
welds (an alternative to G-48 test).
Chemical Etching- Sigma phase identified with
orange-yellow colour.
50
µm
Redox couple/Chemical potentiostat
Pitting confirmed by
appearance of Prussian
blue colour
Polarization
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0% sigma
3.1% sigma
phase
phase
test Contact r.gubner@curtin.edu.au
5.1% sigma phase
Curtin Corrosion Centre
Sea water ingress in 316 cladded pipelines
Test feasibility of internally protecting subsea flowlines from sea-water corrosion
Natural Sea-water
100 mm
6 m PVC
TSA
coating
316L SS
• Corrosion potential remained well below Epit value for 316L
• No pitting observed even after 2 months immersion period.
Contact r.gubner@curtin.edu.au
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Curtin Corrosion Centre
Corrosion under insulation (CUI- Santos)
• Modification to the ASTM G189-07
• Electrochemical measurement to
monitor the insulation dry-out period.
• Investigation of wet/dry cycles
• 3D surface analysis for localized
corrosion
• Correlate corrosion rate with different
climatic and operating conditions.
• Improve level of confidence in using
carbon steel in benign conditions.
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CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Curtin Corrosion Centre
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC)
Woodside Chevron
CAPABILITIES:
Microbial Diversity Profiling
Electrochemical methods to study MIC
Evaluation of microbial adhesion and biofilm formation: SEM,
AFM, Fluorescence Microscopy.
Identification and quantification of MIC microorganisms.
Gene expression studies
Metabolic activity levels
Biocide Qualification
Microbial adhesion and biofilm formation
Materials susceptibility to MIC
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Curtin Corrosion Centre
Microbial research & testing for oil and gas industry
Laboratory cultures of sulphatereducing bacteria (SRB)
Laboratory cultures of Acidproducing bacteria (APB)
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Scanning electron microscope image showing
biofilms grown on CRAs.
DGGE profiles of bacterial populations in
biofilms grown on different CRA materials.
Curtin Corrosion Centre
Corrosion Inhibitor – JIP
contact b.kinsella@curtin.edu.au
Bare carbon steel
Corrosion under-deposits and its inhibition.
Corrosion inhibitor (organic
surfactant) in CO2-saturated
brine showing cylindrical
aggregates formed at the
surface
Inhibition of localized corrosion at magnetite-deposited steels.
Limits for corrosion inhibition at elevated temperature/pressure and flow rate.
Synergistic effects of chemical compounds used in commercial inhibitor
formulations.
Corrosion inhibition in oil/wet systems affected by the presence of
hydrocarbons.
Corrosion and condensation rates in the presence of monoethylene glycol.
Performance of corrosion inhibitors at welds.
Corrosion inhibition of 13Cr stainless steels treated under extreme conditions.
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Curtin Petroleum Engineering
Embedded sensors in drill rods and subsea plates
Future long term equipment conditional monitoring using
embedded sensors Contact b.evans@curtin.edu.au
Signal Processing of Subsea Communications
Underwater Communications with ROVs
Future sensors for MWD using carbon fibre rods
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
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Curtin Petroleum Engineering
Flowline sand detection (Chevron)
Sand production causes erosion, inefficient separation, flow-line plugging
Studies of non-intrusive acoustic sensors versus intrusive erosion sensors
Characterising sand types and combining both to give high confidence alarm
systems in the future
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Built Information Modelling (Woodside)
System Integration Modelling
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
BIM Technology (Woodside)
As-planned Model
Deviation Analysis
As-built Model
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
Tolerably mobile foundations
•
Designed to move tolerably across the seabed to absorb some of the load imposed
by thermal expansion of the pipeline.
•
Enables smaller foundation footprints, quicker, cheaper installation by smaller
vessels.
N == 123
Backward
Forward
Reconsolidation
As flowline expands at PLET, flat base allows
PLET to slide- slides back during shut-down
Contact: Susan Gourvenec,
susan.gourvenec@uwa.edu.au
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
O-tube Program
•
The O-tube allows ocean-pipe-seabed interaction to be simulated at large scale
•
Seabed mobility can be observed, quantified and now included in design
•
This has benefits for pipeline stability, which are leading to reduced project costs
Contact: Prof. Liang Cheng, Professor of Hydraulics liang.cheng@uwa.edu.au
Prof. David White, Shell EMI Professor of Offshore Engineering david.white@uwa.edu.au
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
O-tube Cyclone Simulation
•
Example test from STABLEpipe JIP, exploring stability limits (Woodside/Chevron funded)
Draper, S., An, H., Cheng, L., White D.J., Griffiths, T.G. 2014. Stability of subsea pipelines
during large storms. Philosophical Trans. of the Royal Society, DOI:10.1098/rsta.2014.0106
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
Field data to verify new methods
Historic survey data mining to model self-burial (Woodside)
Leckie, S., Draper, S., White, D.J., Cheng, L. & Fogliani N. 2015. Lifelong embedment and
spanning of a pipeline on a mobile seabed. Coastal Engineering. 95:130-146
Building Australia’s CapabilityWA Research in Subsea Engineering
Thanks to the academic staff of:
WA Organic & Isotope Research Centre
Centre for Marine Science and Technology
Corrosion Centre
Dept of Petroleum Engineering
Built Information Modelling Centre
Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems
Curtin University is a trademark of Curtin University of Technology
CRICOS Provider Code 00301J