WorldOil

RLWI system demonstrates its worth in North Sea operations

DAs a greater number of operators puts more and more subsea wells into production, the global industry is finding that the older installations are beginning to yield wells that require intervention, if they are to remain fully productive. However, the traditional method of conducting subsea interventions from marine rigs remains quite expensive, even in today's atmosphere of high oil and gas prices. Accordingly, it has become imperative to find and implement more cost-effective methods and technologies for subsea well interventions. One of the stronger candidates in this effort of the last few years has been the Riserless Light Well Intervention (RLWI) system, built from an alliance between FMC Technologies, Island Offshore Management and Aker Kvaerner's Maritime Well Services AS. BASIC CONCEPT The three partnering companies based the RLWI concept on deployment of intervention equipment and services from a purpose-built, dedicated vessel that would be far cheaper to operate from than a standard marine rig.