Subsea boosting system will be used to increase production from a midlife Gulf of Mexico asset and help reduce CO₂ emissions—Q&A with Phillip Luce

In July 2022, Schlumberger and Subsea7, as part of a consortium, were awarded an engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract by Kosmos Energy Gulf of Mexico Operations, LLC.

We sat down with OneSubsea Processing Systems Regional Manager Phillip Luce to discuss the use of subsea multiphase boosting for Odd Job Field and its field-proven benefits in the Gulf of Mexico.  

How did the collaboration with Kosmos Energy come about?
Kosmos Energy wanted to rejuvenate a midlife deepwater field and reached out to OneSubsea^®, the subsea technologies, production, and processing systems business of Schlumberger, because of our long track record and field-proven solutions in the Gulf of Mexico. Working closely with Kosmos Energy, we screened several increased oil recovery options, and subsea boosting was eventually selected as the preferred artificial lift solution because it offered the best return on investment and a reduction of CO₂ emissions.
 
Our offering was further developed and enhanced by leveraging Subsea Integration Alliance, the non-incorporated strategic global alliance between Subsea7 and OneSubsea, which works collaboratively with customers to design, develop, and deliver integrated solutions to optimise the cost and efficiency of deepwater developments. The alliance has been able to help customers improve their field economics and reduce complexity, cost, and risks to achieve their production objectives with a high level of safety and on time. Subsea Integration Alliance, which was recently renewed, continues to build momentum, and in recent years, it has been awarded major greenfield projects in Australia, Brazil, Africa, and Turkey, as well as significant tieback work in the Gulf of Mexico and Norway.
 

 
Why was subsea boosting selected as the preferred solution? 
Kosmos Energy came to us with functional specifications and wanted a subsea multiphase boosting solution with the hydraulic performance capable of supporting a 16-mile tieback to the Odd Job wells. These types of requests require only minimal pre-engineering because we offer a standardised Gulf of Mexico–compliant system. By supplying a field-proven, fully supplier-led solution, we can help decrease cycle times by 8 to 10 months for precontract activities (including pre-front-end engineering design [FEED], FEED, request for proposal, and contract negotiations) and reduce contract execution (manufacturing, testing, installation, and commissioning of the equipment) to 23 months. And, of course, we should not underestimate that a subsea boosting system tied to existing infrastructure helps reduce CO₂ emissions—an all-important consideration as the alliance helps customers transition to cleaner energy systems.
 
How does Subsea Integration Alliance’s integrated model mitigate project risk and add value for Kosmos Energy?
In addition to the use of field-proven technology, the nature of an EPCI contract further mitigates customer risk because it eliminates the complications of managing the interfaces—an activity typically undertaken by the operator. We are delivering a turnkey solution, but we’re also providing confidence and expertise, thereby gaining our customer’s trust.

SLB’s press release