Shell Brazil backs new research programme

Norwegian oil and gas company 4Subsea is awarded a Shell-funded contract to support COPPE, the centre for engineering research and education at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

The a US$3.1 million project is funded by Shell Brazil and is a partnership with UFRJ-COPPE EMBRAPII. The primary goal is to extend the safe operational life of flexible risers and to reduce operational risk and increase the life expectancy of flexible risers. The project runs for 3 years and has a contract value of about 25 million NOK.

    “This Shell Brazil R&D project enables us to combine best practices from two key regions of the world that rely on the use of flexible risers to improve safety operations of Brazil offshore fields not only today, but creating better concepts for the future,” noted Leury Pereira, Subsea Principal R&D Engineer in Shell Brazil.

4Subsea will deliver digital solutions for monitoring riser integrity and develop new methodologies for life extension of risers. It will also support UFRJ-COPPE with a material research programme to develop improved models for polymer ageing and steel corrosion.

    “The project encourages technology exchange between Brazil and Norway, aligning the development of digital and automated solutions for live follow-up of flexible risers in operation,” said CEO of 4Subsea Peter Jenkins.

    “The use of flexible risers has posed some operational challenges to the industry. However, managed correctly such risers provide robust and cost-efficient solutions for offshore oil and gas production in challenging environments like Brazil and the North Sea.”