feature collaboration on pipelines to unlock new offshore resources

Chevron is proud to help drive research into new subsea engineering technologies for offshore oil and gas production.

The new University of Western Australia Centre for Long Subsea Tiebacks, launched recently, aims to enhance WA’s global reputation in deep water energy production.

The Centre will undertake research to help the industry better understand hostile deep-sea conditions, enhance the economic feasibility of remote offshore prospects and find solutions to minimise environmental impacts.

The effort will be led by the Chevron-Woodside Chair in Long Subsea Tiebacks, expected to be appointed early next year.

Chevron Australia Managing Director Nigel Hearne said the collaborative research efforts could help unlock new opportunities in the Carnarvon Basin.

Nigel spoke at the launch of Gorgon’s subsea gas gathering system – one of the largest installations of its type in the world – as an example of how technically complex subsea developments can be.

“The steepness of the underwater escarpment on Gorgon necessitated the design of 270-meter-long pipe spans – far longer than the 40-meter lengths usually used,” Nigel said.

“Unlocking the technical challenge of running a subsea pipeline up the escarpment, unlocked the possibility of the Gorgon development.

“Now, as the industry strives to reach resources further and further from production hubs, long subsea tiebacks will likely form the preferred development methodology of the future."

“The Centre for Long Subsea Tiebacks will be an important hub for connecting research and industry, offering a unique collaborative environment that will equip our researchers with the expertise to address the pressing challenges of Australia’s energy security and strengthen our contribution to the global LNG market,” Professor Freshwater said.

She said the expertise generated through the Centre would be directly integrated into the development of offshore assets which will support WA’s market competitiveness in oil and gas production over the coming decades.

The Centre was founded following successful collaborations with flow assurance and subsea processing technological integration on the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project and Woodside’s Greater Enfield Development.