FEATURE
Constructability of
Integrated and Modular
Type Fixed Offshore
Installations
By A Rahim Baharudin, K Anwar M Othman,
W Suzainorhapiz W Sulaiman, Petroliam Nasional Berhad
Picture by Divulgação Petrobras, CC BY 3.0 br. Taken from wikimedia.org.
T
he development of offshore oil and gas (O&G)
fixed offshore installations (FOI) has taken
place for many years. Various construction
methods have been employed, both integrated
and modular types included.
Although projects may appear similar in nature,
they are unique in many ways. Many projects have
experienced schedule delays and cost overruns
due to poor feasibility and constructability studies.
Hence, selecting the most suitable construction
method is essential to ensure that the project
meets its target production date, is within
budget and of acceptable quality while remaining
economically attractive and technically feasible.
This article explores the key selection drivers
and expounds the merits and demerits of both
integrated and modular type superstructures for
an offshore surface facility.
Historical Data
Historically, offshore O&G projects in South East
Asia (SEA) have adopted both Integrated Concept
(IC) and Modular Concept (MC) construction
methods, amongst many others. Figure 1 depicts
data sampling over the past 15 years, showing
that both methods are equally popular.
However, it can be observed that as the
weight of the topsides increases, IC becomes the
preferred construction option. Similar preference
can also be seen when the water depth increases.
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