Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems—General Requirements and Recommendations

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 17A FIFTH EDITION, MAY 2017

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Copyright © 2017 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

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Contents

Page

1. Scope 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms, Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols 2

   1. Terms and Definitions 2

   2. Acronyms and Abbreviations 3

4. Subsea Production Systems 5

   1. General 5

   2. System Configuration 5

   3. Overview of API 17-series Documents by Categories 6

5. Systems Engineering 10

   1. General 10

   2. Process 10

   3. Systems Engineering Inputs 10

   4. Systems Engineering Approach 14

   5. System Engineering Analyses and Evaluations 16

   6. Systems Engineering Documentation 20

   7. System Reviews 20

6. Equipment Design Requirements 21

   1. General 21

   2. Safety 21

   3. Environmental Conditions 22

   4. Materials and Corrosion Protection 22

   5. Structural Analysis 22

   6. Piping Analysis 23

   7. Dropped Objects and Fishing Gear Loads 23

   8. Lifting Devices, Padeyes, and Unpressurized Structural Components 24

   9. Colors and Marking 24

   10. Tolerance Evaluation 24

   11. General Requirements for Transportation, Preservation, and Storage 25

   12. Load-out Planning 25

   13. Installation Planning 26

   14. Maintainability 27

7. Technology Management 27

   1. Development and Qualification 27

   2. Obsolescence Management 27

8. Manufacture through Commissioning 28

   1. Reliability, Integrity, and Technical Risk Management 28

   2. Manufacture 28

   3. Assembly 28

   4. Testing 29

   5. Installation 30

   6. Commissioning 30

9. Operations 30

   1. Integrity Management 30

   2. Production Management 31

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      Contents

      Page

   3. Seabed and Surface Equipment Maintenance 31

   4. Failure Reporting 32

10. Well Intervention 32

11. Decommissioning 32

Annex A—Generic Testing Terms for Use in API 17-series Documents 33

Bibliography 42

Figures

1 Basic Subsea Systems 6

Tables

1. Dropped Object Loads 24

2. Fishing Gear Loads 24

vi

Introduction

This document has been prepared to provide general requirements, recommendations, and overall guidance for the user to the various areas requiring consideration during development of a subsea production system for the petroleum and natural gas industry. The intention is to facilitate and complement the decision process rather than to replace individual engineering judgment and, where requirements are nonmandatory, to provide positive guidance for the selection of an optimum solution.

The development of this document is based on input from API Subcommittee 17 (Subsea Production Systems) technical experts. The technical revisions have been made in order to accommodate the needs of industry and to move this specification to a higher level of service to the petroleum and natural gas industry.

This document is not intended to inhibit a manufacturer from offering, or the purchaser from accepting, alternative equipment or engineering solutions for a specific application. This may be particularly applicable where there is innovative or developing technology.

Users should be aware that the current revision of this document no longer includes much material that was considered to be tutorial in nature. The majority of this material can now be found in API Technical Report 17TR13.

vii

Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems―General Requirements and Recommendations

1. Scope

   
   

   API 17A provides general requirements and recommendations for the development of subsea production systems, from the design phase to decommissioning and abandonment. This document also references to other API 17-series documents as well as various other relevant industry documents.

   
   

   The complete subsea production system comprises several subsystems necessary to produce hydrocarbons from one or more subsea wells and transfer them to a given processing facility located offshore (fixed, floating, or subsea) or onshore, or to inject water/gas through subsea wells.

   
   

   This document, given its broad scope, has a systems engineering section. The purpose of this section is to help ensure consistency across the various subsystems.

   
   

   If requirements as stated in this document are in conflict with, or are inconsistent with, requirements as stated in other API 17-series documents, then the specific requirements in the subsystems series document(s) take precedence.

   
   

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

API Recommended Practice 17B, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe

API Recommended Practice 17C, Recommended Practice on TFL (Through Flowline) Systems

API Specification 17D, Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems―Subsea Wellhead and Tree Equipment

API Specification 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals

API Standard 17F, Standard for Subsea Production Control Systems

API Recommended Practice 17G, Recommended Practice for Completion/Workover Risers

API Recommended Practice 17H, Remotely Operated Tools and Interfaces on Subsea Production Systems

API Specification 17J, Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe

API Specification 17K, Specification for Bonded Flexible Pipe

API Specification 17L1, Specification for Flexible Pipe Ancillary Equipment

API Recommended Practice 17L2, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe Ancillary Equipment

API Recommended Practice 17N, Recommended Practice for Subsea Production System Reliability and Technical Risk Management

API Standard 17O, Standard for Subsea High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS)

API Recommended Practice 17P, Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems―Subsea Structures and Manifolds

1

2 API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 17A

API Recommended Practice 17Q, Subsea Equipment Qualification―Standardized Process for Documentation

API Recommended Practice 17R, Recommended Practice for Flowline Connectors and Jumpers

API Recommended Practice 17S, Recommended Practice for the Design, Testing, and Operation of Subsea Multiphase Flow Meters

API Recommended Practice 17U, Recommended Practice for Wet and Dry Thermal Insulation of Subsea Flowlines and Equipment

API Recommended Practice 17V, Recommended Practice for Analysis, Design, Installation, and Testing of Safety Systems for Subsea Applications

API Recommended Practice 17W, Recommended Practice for Subsea Capping Stacks

API Specification Q1, Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Manufacturing Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry

API Specification Q2, Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Service Supply Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries

3 Terms, Definitions, Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Symbols

3.1 Terms and Definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following definitions apply.

3.1.1

extended factory acceptance test EFAT

Test conducted to verify that the specified requirements, for a set of interfacing products, have been fulfilled.

3.1.2

interchangeability test ICT

Test conducted to verify the interchangeability requirements of “identical” products, which may be interfaced with other mating products at the installation site, have been fulfilled.

3.1.3

life cycle

That of a subsea development that includes design, manufacture through commissioning, operations, intervention, and decommissioning.

3.1.4

predeployment test PDT

Test conducted to verify that the specified requirements, for a product that is ready for deployment, are still fulfilled.

3.1.5

site received test SRT

Test conducted to verify that the specified requirements, for a product that has been transported from one site to another, are still fulfilled.