Swagelok’s experts provide technical consultation, logistics and supply chain resources, onsite support, and training for FPSO construction projects to ensure dependable operation in offshore environments

In deepwater and remote drilling locations, floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels are gaining momentum as a cost-effective, efficient alternative to fixed platforms especially for ultra-deep-water drilling.

Swagelok Company brings decades of experience in the oil and gas industry to the table and understands the issues that are top of mind when building, maintaining or retrofitting an FPSO vessel’s fluid system components.

Whether it’s tight commissioning schedules that require on-time delivery and ongoing availability, or the need for safe, reliable, environmentally compliant systems with long-lasting performance, Swagelok is ready to help customers make the most of their FPSO investments.

The company’s team of experts provides technical consultation, logistics and supply chain resources, onsite support, and training for FPSO construction projects to ensure dependable operation in offshore environments.

HOW SWAGELOK INTERACTS WITH THE FPSO SUPPLY CHAIN

• Owner/operator: Owner/operators need global resources and availability, and long-term support to go along with standardised product requirements.

Swagelok’s global presence, breadth of products and production volume help maximise uptime and improve safety, all while controlling costs and mitigating environmental risks.

• Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC): Ensuring products comply with operator specifications and providing a single source of products, standardised training, and technical support enables smooth project execution.

Swagelok supports EPCs by ensuring product compliance, offering standardised training, and providing technical support for seamless, on-time project execution.

• Shipyard/integrators: Comprehensive project management support includes local experts that understand customer needs, backed by global resources prepared to support international fluid system construction projects.

• Package vendors: Swagelok provides accurate and timely delivery of products and services to package vendors to keep projects on time.

Coupled with training and onsite services, the company can provide customers what they need when they need it, anywhere in the world.

FPSO INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING

Swagelok ensures FPSO construction projects maintain dependable operation in offshore environments

High-quality Swagelok components and solutions help maximise operational efficiency, reliability, and safety on an FPSO vessel and help ensure critical systems operate as designed.

Additionally, Swagelok custom design and assembly services, as well as fluid system training, can help keep projects on time by ensuring a simple, leak-tight installation process during hookup and commissioning that protects personnel and the environment while reducing costly downtime and repairs.

At Swagelok, materials science is a core competency. Since FPSOs operate in harsh environments, including exposure to saltwater, extreme temperatures, and corrosive conditions, the company’s expertise in materials science ensures components withstand these challenges.

Customers can be confident that the dependable components and solutions they need are readily available.

Swagelok is committed to on-time delivery and continued product availability at the local and global levels.

In addition to stocking the most used products locally for easy access, the company holds inventory of thousands of standard products in regional warehouses, maintains a healthy stock of raw materials, and employs a global team of professionals who work with suppliers to ensure supply chain stability.

Swagelok supports a variety of critical systems that must operate as designed to maximise operational efficiency, reliability, and safety on a typical FPSO.

• Below-hull systems: Specialty equipment located beneath the hull is typically inaccessible after installation, making long-term reliability essential.

Tube and fittings must deliver leak-free performance, enabling critical applications, including:

• Compressed air system.

• Firefighting system.

• Valve remote control system.

• Inert gas system.

• Tandem offloading system.

• Turret swivel systems: The turret swivel system provides crucial connection points between topside and subsea systems.

Some swivels utilise excessive hose lengths for these connections, but hoses require regular inspections and may require replacement after just a few years of service.

If failure occurs, it could mean millions of dollars’ worth of lost production.

A well-designed installation, utilising permanently installed tube with only short jumper hoses where flexibility is required, delivers a more reliable and lower maintenance installation.

• Topside umbilical termination units (TUTUs): Serving as a connection point for the umbilical that runs from subsea equipment to the topside of the FPSO, topside umbilical termination units (TUTUs) require durable and corrosion resistant components.

Leak-tight connections enable TUTUs to route essential services, control and monitor subsea systems, and provide safe isolation for maintenance activities.

Customers can select from readily available Swagelok components that meet their system parameters for pressure, flow, and fluid.

• Hydraulic power units (HPUs): Providing consistent power to topside, turret, and subsea production systems is critical on an FPSO vessel.

Well-designed hydraulic power units (HPUs) built with trusted components ensure systems operate efficiently to avoid costly shutdowns, as well as safety and environmental risks.

Customers can rely on high-quality Swagelok components, modular solutions, and capital project support to address their HPU system needs. 

• Chemical injection (CI) systems: Chemical injection (CI) systems precisely and repeatably deliver chemicals into the production well to optimise production.

A CI system may be built with hundreds of components. Keeping the system leak-tight is critical for protecting personnel and the environment, as well as reducing downtime and production loss.

Expertise in valves, fittings, and advanced services, including on-site inspection and installation verification performed by skilled field engineers, ensures optimal system performance and reliability.

• Process and analytical instrumentation: Process and analytical instrumentation systems on an FPSO vessel may operate in harsh environments.

Swagelok provides technical expertise and consultation to help customers make suitable product and material choices for these systems.

With a goal of minimising rework during hookup and commissioning, as well as expensive maintenance and repair, our installation oversight services include training and competency management, onsite material management, technical support, inspection, and system flushing guidance.

• Rotating equipment: Reliable hydraulic, instrumentation, and safety systems are essential on an FPSO vessel.

Systems may not only be operating at extreme pressures and temperatures but may also be exposed to corrosive conditions and vibration.

Choosing Swagelok tubing instead of pipe can help reduce leak paths and ensure uptime.

Swagelok also offers a line of mechanical seal support systems designed to help keep pumps, compressors, and turbines, and other rotating equipment online, mitigating production shutdowns and profit losses.

Mechanical seal support systems extend seal life by providing lubrication to seal faces, controlling pressure and temperature, flushing the seal of residue, and preventing system process fluid from leaking to atmosphere.

• Grab sampling systems: A grab sampling system must deliver representative samples and allow operators to safely use the system, maintain chain of custody compliance, and make proper process control decisions.

Determining the proper system requires technical expertise and an evaluation of the required sample pressure, temperature, phase, compatibility, and chemical composition to ensure the sample represents process conditions.

Swagelok standardised grab sampling systems include local configuration, assembly, and support; optimised designs built according to best practices; clear labelling and easy operation; adaptability to meet system requirements; and assembly and testing by certified technicians.

• Gas distribution: Properly designed and installed gas distribution systems used in laboratories or critical production functions on an FPSO enhance efficiency and safety, while minimising maintenance issues and related costs.

Consider fully assembled and tested Swagelok gas distribution systems, which are available in four standard subsystem designs.

MAXIMISE UPTIME WITH SWAGELOK FPSO FLUID SYSTEM EXPERTISE

Swagelok can help with fluid system needs, starting at the pre-FEED and FEED stages consulting with owner companies and EPCs, to assist with standardisation and specification and makes recommendations for efficiencies and cost-saving configurations.