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| Summer 2003 | ||
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| West Seno Phase II Project |
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In September 2002, INTEC was awarded the detailed engineering design of the three pipelines connecting TLP B to the existing Floating Production Unit. UNOCAL awarded the main contract (TLP, topsides, and pipelines) to SEA Engineering, who subcontracted the pipeline design to INTEC. The topside design was awarded to Alliance Engineering.
The West Seno Field Development, located offshore south of Kalimantan, Indonesia, has a water depth of 3,300 ft (1,000 m). Phase I of the field is being developed using a TLP (A) wellhead platform and a moored Floating Production Unit. Phase II will use a second TLP (B) wellhead platform tied back by three 5.5 km pipelines to the floating unit. Produced crude and gas from TLP B will be sent through 12-inch and 14-inch diameter pipelines, respectively, to the Floating Production Unit for further treatment and for eventual export to shore. Injection gas will flow through a 6-inch diameter pipeline from the floating unit to TLP B. The pipelines will be connected to both TLP B and the Floating Production Unit via steel catenary risers (SCRs).
Project Challenges
INTEC was responsible for the detailed design of the three pipelines and six SCRs, the preparation of material and construction specifications, and installation analysis for the pipelines and steel catenary risers.
Design Premises
The FEED had established the pipeline route, which was practically unchangeable between the moored floating unit and the TLP B location.
West Seno Phase II Project by Ennio Morgante A Note from the President Due to the very short pipeline length compared to the SCRs, there was a concern regarding the stability of the pipeline and the SCR touch down location. This resulted in a problem for one of the lines, and it was solved by increasing the wall thickness of the pipe.
The design of the SCRs hinged on the requirement to have a sufficient pipe wall thickness to obtain an acceptable flaw size from the 'Engineering Critical Assessment' (ECA) analysis. In fact, adjustments were required to the production oil and gas SCRs pipe wall thickness derived in the FEED solution. The wall thickness had to be increased and the SCR configuration changed in order to have a minimal impact on the hang-off loads on the now designed TLP.
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| Disc Buoy and Caisson Spar as Solutions for Control of Subsea Wells |
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INTEC's Perth office recently described a Disc Control Buoy (DCB), (Figure 1), as a cost effective alternative to a 60 km long umbilical for controlling up to four wells off the coast of Australia. The DCB is currently configured to carry a 50 ton equipment payload and a 100 ton fluid payload.
The Challenge
A key challenge to any floating system is to constrain its natural periods suitably outside the predominant wave periods, thus ensuring that additional motion at or around the natural period does not occur. The natural periods in pitch and roll of the DCB are smaller than the expected wave periods. However, due to the relatively small mass/inertia and large water plane area the DCB essentially rides the waves in a similar fashion as a small boat. An additional challenge is to ensure that installation of the control buoy does not require a costly installation spread. This is particularly important off the remote coast of Australia where mobilization of installation vessels can be prohibitively expensive.
The Solution
Equipment payload and fluid capacity (diesel, corrosion inhibitor and chemical injection) is identical to the DCB. Natural periods of the Caisson Spar are sufficiently larger than the likely wave periods ensuring little excitation due to wave loading. More importantly, the large mass/inertia of the Caisson Spar coupled with the small water plane area in the wave zone ensures that there is very little wave response motion.
Cost and Performance Differential
The only significant difference in the two systems is the quantity of steel required for the solution. The Caisson Spar is heavier. The total installed cost of the Disc Control Buoy is estimated at US $8.0 million (excluding umbilical) in its current configuration with the Caisson Spar estimated at US $9.5 million. Either concept is seen as easily convertible for larger payloads. |
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The DCB is principally intended for application in slight to moderate environments where access and egress can be easily managed from a supply vessel.
Although Spar and Caisson structures themselves are well understood, the innovative approach adopted by INTEC is to incorporate the topside structure, (Figure 3), into the hull of the Caisson Spar allowing load-out, wet tow and installation of the complete unit to be carried out readily without a costly installation vessel. This is of significant benefit in remote areas.
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The program for the course consisted of an interesting mix of speakers, discussions, assignments, and physical activities that all tied together in one form or another. For instance, we heard from one speaker, a leader in Corporate Branding and Imaging, on howimportant it is for a company to evaluate how it is perceived in industry along with the importance of employees evaluating how they perceive themselves and are perceived in their role within the company. This related to another speaker who talked about knowledge management and conceptions and how an individual's interpretation of things, such as his or her own morals and values, are partly influenced by their corporate culture.
Lessons started mid-June in comfortable rooms on the first floor of the Buenos Aires office. The Institute comprises a group of expert instructors in the art of teaching foreign languages in-company. Most are native speakers which will contribute far more to the success of the program and the student’s efficient learning. Instructors use various oral and written techniques (grammar, reading, conversation, comprehension, etc.) which make the lessons interesting and dynamic. Students are very satisfied with teachers, material, and the cool atmosphere of the groups. "I thought this was going to be another boring course, but I´m really enjoying it and I´m learning a lot," said one of them.
Settled in around 1700, Shelton was originally incorporated in the Town of Huntington and became a part of the City of Shelton in the early 1900's. Shelton consists of 31 square miles at the northeast edge of Fairfield County and is bordered on the northwest by the Housatonic River. Shelton is populated by approximately 36,000 residents and is one of the fastest growing communities in Connecticut.
The annual INTEC Regatta was held Saturday, May 3, 2003 in Kemah, Texas. A total of 70 people participated in the sailing event and were divided into crews on ten boats (three privately owned and seven chartered). The weather was absolutely beautiful (winds at about 10-12 knots at the start, increasing to about 15 knots at the finish). The racing was especially good this year with lots of very close competition.
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| A Note from the President | ||
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Early in my career, while on a year's training in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to attend some business management courses  and was asked to write a paper on the difference between organization management in Europe and the US. In my presentation to the class I stated that Americans appeared to live so they could work, and Europeans rather worked to live. This statement, even after giving a more nuanced explanation, caused boos from the mainly American audience. Coming freshly from Europe, it had struck me as odd that many of the US employees spent their short two week vacation on fixing their roof or rebuilding a car engine, and not on the sacred European institute of a (preferably foreign) vacation trip.
In a recent article in the New York Times the theory was presented that the reason why the US economy is ahead of that of Europe is the fact that US workers on average spend 10 to 20% more hours per year on the job. With a reference to the German sociologist Max Weber, this in turn was attributed to the Protestant work ethic, which is particularly strong in the US, but reportedly fading in Europe as evidenced by much lower church attendance there. Apparently, the writer believes that "godless Europe" will have its comeuppance as a result of its secularized sloth!
Our actual experience is much different. Yes, Europeans (and South Americans and Australians with them) have become used to, and attach greater value to, more free time. This is in part because for them working more hours has limited return due to high marginal tax rates. These taxes in turn also provide for greater security in case of disability or unemployment, so that there is less pressure to earn more now and make provisions for such future adversity. That this concept can be carried too far is being recognized in many countries, and their social benefits, including statutory working hours and retirement age and benefits, are now being curtailed despite great opposition.
INTEC's revenue is mainly based on invoicing manhours worked, and it would follow that it is in the company's interest to limit time off and "squeeze" more hours out of our people. Apart from the selflimiting effect of increased stress and reduced productivity, the question
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is not how many hours are worked, but what is produced in that time. I have said before that it is unfortunate that manhours are still the measure for compensation in our industry, but in the end he who can be more productive can charge more for those manhours. I also find that in our offices around the world long hours are spent when the work must be completed to meet a client deadline. This is the case in catholic Latin America, in the North American Bible belt and in Muslim Malaysia. I have never checked if our employees participate in regular religious worship, and know better than to try and find out; I just know it has nothing to do with their work ethic and productivity.
The desire or tendency to work long hours has probably more to do with the economic situation and the cultural background of people than with their religion. In American schools, Asian students routinely shine because they have strong family support and are encouraged to do better than their parents who don't hesitate to work hard and long to make this education possible. In my own upbringing, I got the same message: you were supposed to work hard to achieve ambitious goals. Now that many in the US and Europe have attained these goals in terms of earthly goods, the pressure may be off for the next generation. In countries where economic conditions are not nearly so good, people work harder and with fewer benefits. Our employees in Argentina went through a major economic downturn resulting in high unemployment. Not surprisingly, there is a high motivation there to produce good work, be efficient, and thus stay employed.
This is a good example of a single-issue theory where, because two things happen at the same time (e.g. lagging economic development and declining church attendance), the conclusion is there is a causal relationship. If we believe that, the same research would probably show that the dollar amount of corporate fraud also goes up in proportion to church attendance (after all, economic growth will result in larger sums of money being involved in such corporate misconduct, unless it could be proven that religious practice leads to reduced fraud). In our technical-scientific world we know better than to accept such simplistic explanations; the world is more complex than that, fortunately!
W. J. Timmermans |
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| Eastchester Extension Project |
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The Eastchester Extension Project is the addition to Iroquois' gas transmission line which currently runs from Canada through upstate New York to Long Island. The new section of the pipeline being constructed in Long Island Sound will transport gas from Northport, Long Island to Huntspoint (South Bronx), New York and will be the first interstate pipeline in 40 years to be installed in New York City. The new pipeline will provide 230 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to the New York City region.
The project includes installing in New York State:
INTEC had previously been involved in this project at the design stage, but its current role consists of the review and verification of remaining construction activities and assistance with the project management processes through to completion of the project, or as we have named it "Managing the End Game".
Review and Verification Role
Managing the End Game
The Eastchester Extension Project is the first project for INTEC's newest business unit, Marine Installation Management (MIM). MIM was created to provide this type of high-level project management service to clients by utilizing the skills and expertise of INTEC’s existing staff network. The successful completion of this project will be a significant milestone marking the growth of INTEC. |
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The new pipeline will provide Iroquois access to a vast electric generation market that will help relieve existing bottlenecks in the New York City, New England and mid-Atlantic markets.
In this project, making the transition from construction to operation requires a major effort due to a number of parallel activities including marketing, permitting, design completion, public relations, environmental issues and its prominent location which forces the project into the public eye. INTEC is providing overall project management support, specific project services including cost and schedule control, project completion planning, start-up preparation, overall project risk management and major decision identification. We have implemented a detailed plan and management reporting structure to "Manage the End Game" and are consulting directly with Iroquois senior management. As a result, the Iroquois project team is maintaining a heightened level of awareness of the critical risks.
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| Update of Marco Polo's Journey |
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Since March of 2002, INTEC has been diligently working with El Paso Energy and their subcontractors to complete the design, procurement, and construction journey of the 110-mile long Marco Polo pipelines and SCRs project. INTEC design activities have been completed and the focus has shifted to coordinating the construction interface issues among the subcontractors and providing project management support. The Marco Polo project consists of:
The design of the three in-line tees and the two PLEMs has been completed by OSI/Hydrotec with extensive involvement by INTEC to ensure that all interfaces and requirements of the client, El Paso, and installation contractor, Allseas, were reviewed and taken into account to ensure the integrity, constructability, and installability of the tees and the PLEMs. The buckle arrestors, anodes and SCR strakes have all been received. The pre-crossing installation was completed by Cal Dive in June 2003. The pipeline installation contractor, Allseas, is expected to start laying the pipelines in August 2003.
The Marco Polo hull is being fabricated in the Korean Samsung yard and is expected to be in Corpus Christi in August for outfitting close to where the deck is being fabricated. Heerema is the installation contractor for the hull and the deck, while Cal Dive has been awarded the pick up and hang-off of the SCRs (after the hull and deck installation) as well as the PLEM's installation.
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UK Golf Day
With not a cloud in the sky, nineteen golfers assembled on June 24th to tackle the beautiful West Hill course just outside Woking for the first INTEC UK golf day. Four INTEC employees and two representatives from Heerema mixed in with players from oil companies to find out who would be the INTEC Champion for 2003.
Andy Brady won the prize for the best INTEC score and Hugh Davies of British Gas won the title of INTEC champion. David Hall and Tim Kieft from Amerada Hess got the second and third prizes. Following an excellent lunch, we set off for another nine holes of Greensomes in the afternoon, with Frank Nunan and Piet Wirds recording the top score. Sitting on the terrace with a cold drink under blue skies finished off the day perfectly. Everyone enjoyed the day and most have put their names down for next year's event already!
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UK Cyclists Raise in Excess of L500 For Charity
On Sunday, May 11, 2003, six INTEC UK employees and 2 family members cycled 32 miles around Surrey as part of the Woking Bikeathon in Support of Leukemia Research Fund.
After a long wait at the start line, we filed through and set off into the morning sunshine with fresh legs and smiling faces. The first checkpoint was reached with some ease and a certain rider even took it upon himself to go around the round-a-bouts twice just to add more miles to the journey. Fifteen miles in was the second checkpoint and the team had become spread out a bit but spirits were high even though there had been a few instances with irate motorists along the way. After regrouping, the team set off again on the nine mile stretch to the third checkpoint and the surprise of free donuts as we pulled into the local infant school for control card stamping and water top ups. After one or two donuts, it was a 5 mile dash to the finish line. With everyone on familiar ground, the pace upped and we all raced back in to Woking and the Finish Line. Medals were received and cards finally stamped before we headed to the local pub for some light refreshment.
The final amount raised within the UK office was £510 with several participants raising considerable amounts individually as well. Thanks to all those who sponsored us, and hopefully next year more of you will take part.
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The course is rated as one of the best in the UK and was a little too tough for some with its profusion of heather, but there were some good scores in the morning on a course which was in perfect condition.
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| Marco Seitz - Employee of the Quarter |
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I met Marcos three years ago when INTEC was looking for an office runner. He had just arrived at Buenos Aires from his home town Laprida in pursuit of his main goal: study at the CENARD (a prestigious local physical ed institute) to become a professor of physical education. Gonzalo Burgos introduced him and I thought it would be good to give him the opportunity to join us.
Living on his own in Buenos Aires, he made arrangements to work part-time at INTEC and concurrently to start training for the entry tests. He did not do well in 2001, failing in the exams, and so I offered him the possibility of working full-time. He said he would rather keep his part-time job as he needed to have available time in the afternoons to train and study for the 2002 examinations.
Again, he was not able to pass those exams. Yet, he did not give up. During 2002 he asked for help and I was able to get someone to help him in the preparation of the technical subjects where he was weakest. After a year of hard work, his turn came again this March for his physical and theoretical exams to be admitted to the CENARD (where 600 people applied to fill 60 vacant posts).
Last Friday I learned that this time Marcos had passed the exams, which made me very happy. I wanted to share his story: his persistence through difficulties to diligently accomplish his goal.
CONGRATULATIONS MARCOS!!! Your example shows all of us that effort is always rewarded.
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| INTEC Engineering, Inc. Intercontinental Building 15600 JFK Boulevard, 9th Floor Houston, TX 77032, USA tel: (281) 987-0800 Primary Fax: (281) 987-3838 Admin Fax: (281) 987-2002 e-mail: info@intec-hou.com |
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INTEC Engineering (SEA) SDN. BHD. Suite 12.2, 12th Floor Menara Aik Hua Changkat Raja Chulan 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +60 (3) 202-2488 Fax: +60 (3) 202-3488 e-mail: info@intec-mal.com.my |
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INTEC Engineering B.V. Poortweg 14 2612 PA Delft, The Netherlands P.O. Box 3178 2601 DD Delft, The Netherlands tel: +31 (15) 256-5675 FAX: +31 (015) 256-0194 email: info@intec-delft.com |
| INTEC Engineering S.R.L. Lavalle #465 Planta Baja 1047, Buenos Aires Argentina tel: +54 (1) 14 327-4120 FAX: +54 (1) 14 327-4121 email: info@intec-hou.com |
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INTEC-egis Adelaide House 200, Adelaide Terrace Perth, Western Australia 6000 tel: + 61 (8) 9220 9374 FAX: + 61 (8) 9325 9897 email: info@intec-hou.com |