FPSO Peregrino is one of the biggest and most technologically advanced oil production ships in the world. Converted at a cost of more than $1 billion, the vessel receives, processes and stores high viscosity oil from the ultra-deep Peregrino oil field off the coast of Brazil.
The entire production process – from reservoir to wellhead platforms to vessel – is powered and controlled by ABB electrical and multi-system control solutions.
Recently acquired by the Statoil group, FPSO Peregrino was converted from a very large crude carrier (VLCC) to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel at a cost of more than $1 billion. Completed in April 2011, the conversion took three years and was at that time the biggest investment in a single vessel ever made by A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, the then owner.
ABB’s involvement in the design, engineering and conversion of FPSO Peregrino is extensive. Maersk FPSOs, the original owner, selected ABB as its partner in the bidding process for the FPSO contract, and retained ABB as the main automation and main electrical contractor (MAC/MEC) when the contract was won.
On the electrical side
ABB supplied a complete power distribution solution for the entire production process. The solution comprises a vast array of ABB low- and medium-voltage products and systems that distribute power efficiently, reliably and safely throughout the FPSO and the two wellhead platforms, all the way down to the electric submersible pumps in the production wells below the seabed.
On the automation side
ABB provided a fully integrated multi-system solution including field instrumentation. The solution includes a process control system, power management system, production information management system, condition monitoring system, fire and gas system, and emergency shutdown system – all fully integrated within the same System 800xA Extended Automation platform and operating environment.
Each system is operated from a System 800xA Extended Operator Workplace (EOW-x) control room in a topside module onboard the FPSO. The solution includes two 800xA Simulators, which provide realistic and safe process simulation.
Source: abb, August 20, 2012; Images: maersk
