SUBSEA PRODUCTION MANIFOLD SYSTEM

A production manifold is a subsea structure containing valves and pipework designed to

commingle and direct produced fluids from multiple wells into one or more
flowlines. Our cluster-style production manifolds play a key role in well testing,
isolation, sampling, and allocation management.

Subsea manifold is a flow-routing subsea hardware (subsea flow router) that connects
between subsea treesand flowlines. It is used to optimize the subsea layout arrangement
and reduce the quantity of risers connected to the platform. If connected to
dual flowlines, the manifold can typically accommodate pigging and have the capability
of routing production from a particular tree to a particular flowline.

Subsea manifold types

There are several manifold types and it is the field layout that determines the type of
manifold required.

Template manifold

Template manifold is a drill-through structure designed to house

multiple subsea Christmas trees on top of it and gather/route flow at the same time. It is
required when subsea Christmas trees are grouped side-by-side. Trees are connected
directly into the manifold via mandrels when installed.

Template manifold must be fabricated and installed before the start of drilling, which
gives less schedule flexibility. It does not allow the re-use of exploration wells because
they are typically not grouped together. Statoil Norne in North Sea has template
manifold.
Cluster manifold

Cluster manifold is a stand-alone structure designed to direct fluids for

multiple subsea Christmas treesplaced around it. It typically can accommodate 4- 8 wells
per manifold. Both the TOTAL and Shell'smanifolds shown in the picture are cluster
manifolds. Whensubsea Christmas trees are grouped closely in a central location (but not
side by side), either a cluster manifold or a PLEM is required depending on the number
of trees anticipated. A Daisy Chain field layout has the same manifold requirements

Pipeline End Manifold (PLEM)

It a simpler version of a cluster manifold generally designed to direct fluids for only one
or two subsea Christmas trees. A PLEM generally connects directly to a subsea flow line
without the use of a pipeline end termination (PLET).

Manifold components
A manifold is typically composed of the following major components:

 Pipework and valves – contains and controls the production and injection fluids.
 Structure framework – protects and supports the pipework and valves.
 Subsea connection equipment – allows subsea tie-in of multiple pieces of equipment.
Types include vertical, horizontal and stab-and-hinge-over connections.
 Foundation – interface between the manifold structure and seabed.
 Controls Equipment – allows the remote control of any hydraulically actuated subsea
manifold valves and the monitoring of production and injection fluids. Control pods
may be either internal or external to the manifold.
SUBSEA TEMPLATES

Subsea Templates

Subsea templates are fabricated from steel members; they vary in size and weight
depending on their functional requirements. Template weights typically range from a one
hundred ton skid frame to several hundred ton

Template Installation
Subsea templates can be installed using the same mobile offshore rig (MODU) used
for well drilling or a heavy lift crane vessel.

Figure 1 shows a procedure for installing a subsea template by keelhauling it below the
MODU. This installation method involves pre-installing the piles through a
temporary pile guide frame, keelhauling the template below the rig and lowering the
template to the sea floor using the drill pipe. In this type of installation, the weight of the
template is restricted to the lift capacity of the rig's draw-works. The keelhauling phase
can be simplified by the use of templates which are buoyant. Buoyancy may be obtained
by using steel tubulars in the construction of the template structure. However, as the
water depth increases, wall thickness to diameter ratio increases rapidly negating any
perceived benefit from using the MODU for installation.

FIGURE 1
Figure 2 shows a procedure for installing a subsea template using a heavy lift crane
vessel. The heavy lift vessel directly lifts the template off the deck of a
transport barge and lowers it into water. The template is then further lowered to the sea
floor on the crane hook using the crane's underwater block.

FIGURE 2

The rigging of the template is designed for the three phases of the installation operation:

 The lifting in air of the dry weight of the template from the transport
barge. Dynamic factors apply, which account for the lifting by a floating
structure from another floating structure in an offshore environment. The dynamic
amplification factors for this phase are typically less than 1.25.

 The lowering of the template into water through the wave zone. The drag and the
inertia due to the direct wave load impart additional loads on the template and the
supporting riggings. Slam and slap loads can also be significant.

 The lowering into water of the template to the seabed. The drag and inertia loads
in this phase result from the template's dynamic motions that are caused by the
motions of the installation vessel. The combination of the template mass and
hoisting wire stiffness can give rise to natural heave period for the template that
are in the same range as the installation wave periods. The resulting resonant
response of the template induces dynamic tensions that equal, or exceed, static
tension in the rigging. A dynamic analysis can be carried out to calculate the
motions and line tensions in either time or frequency domains. Cranes or winches
with heave compensation are often used in deepwater installation to avoid such
resonant response.
 General References
http://www.oilfieldwiki.com/wiki/Subsea_manifold
https://www.onesubsea.slb.com/production-systems/subsea-manifolds/production-
manifolds
https://www.onesubsea.slb.com/production-systems/subsea-manifolds
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/subsea-template
http://www.fishsafe.eu/en/offshore-structures/subsea-structures/subsea-templates-
manifolds.aspx