Designing FPSOs for the long term in newbuild projects
FPSO newbuild projects differ fundamentally from conventional shipbuilding. While trading vessels are designed for mobility and periodic modification, FPSOs are offshore production units intended to remain on station for decades. Design decisions made early in the project therefore have long-term consequences for safety, emissions performance and operability.
“FPSOs are fundamentally different from trading vessels,” says Jens Bøgely, who is responsible for newbuild FPSO projects at Pres-Vac. “You are designing an offshore production asset that will remain on station for 20 to 30 years. Once production starts, making changes becomes very costly.”
Early involvement reduces project risk
According to Jens Bøgely, pressure and vacuum systems are sometimes specified late in FPSO projects, when layouts, vent routing and hazardous area classifications have already been defined.
“If we are involved early, we can support EPCs and yards with correct valve sizing, vent pipe design and compliance strategy,” he explains. “That reduces the risk of late design changes or complex discussions during class approval.”
Early involvement allows pressure and vacuum systems to be integrated into the overall safety and venting philosophy of the FPSO.
“Pressure and vacuum valves interact directly with vent piping, deck layout and hazardous zones,” says Jens Bøgely. “If those interfaces are not considered together, you can introduce unnecessary complexity.”
Meeting oil-major expectations
Oil majors increasingly look beyond minimum compliance when reviewing FPSO designs. Lifecycle performance, emissions behaviour and documentation have become central considerations.
“Oil companies want predictability,” Jens Bøgely says. “They want confidence that the solutions installed today will still be workable ten or twenty years from now.”
Pres-Vac’s involvement in regulatory standardisation work supports this forward-looking approach.
“Our role is often to help customers look ahead,” Jens Bøgely explains. “That includes understanding how regulations may develop and ensuring that design choices made today remain robust in the future.”
Engineering discipline over complexity
From Pres-Vac’s perspective, successful FPSO newbuild projects depend on disciplined engineering rather than unnecessary complexity.
“It is not about over-engineering,” Jens Bøgely concludes. “It is about choosing solutions that are robust, well documented and fit for long-term operation. That is what reduces risk for everyone involved.”