Editorial comment
In September, Assistant Editor, Isabel Stagg, and I attended the biennial International Pipeline Conference and Expo, joining over 7500 fellow pipeliners as they converged upon Calgary, Alberta. Enthusiasm for the prospects of the pipeline sector was high, amid the usual concerns about regulatory obstacles, infrastructural constraints, and the decarbonisation pressures associated with the global energy transition.
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Canadian energy company Enbridge had some big news in October, with the announcement that it will be constructing and operating crude oil and natural gas pipelines in the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to support the newly sanctioned Kaskida oil hub, which is managed by British oil giant bp.
The new crude oil pipeline, named the Canyon Oil Pipeline System, will have a capacity of 200 000 bpd. In addition, the new Canyon Gathering System, a natural gas pipeline with a capacity of 125 million ft3/d, will connect subsea to Enbridge’s existing Magnolia Gas Gathering Pipeline. These projects are slated to become operational by 2029, with an estimated investment of US$700 million. The Kaskida hub is bp’s sixth operational hub, and is expected to commence oil production in 2029. It will feature an innovative floating production platform with an initial capacity of 80 000 bpd, drawing from six wells. bp’s GoM output averaged 300 000 bpd in 2023, with a goal of reaching 400 000 bpd by 2030. Located in the Keathley Canyon area about 250 miles southwest off the coast of New Orleans, the Kaskida project unlocks the potential future development of 10 billion bbls of discovered resources in place across the Kaskida and Tiber catchment areas.
In a related development, Shell has confirmed its final investment decision for the Rome Pipeline, designed to facilitate the export of oil produced from the Kaskida project. The Rome Pipeline, set to begin operations in 2028, aims to enhance connectivity between the Green Canyon Block 19 pipeline hub and the Fourchon Junction facility on the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Kaskida is in a prime location, with a stable fiscal regime and access to market. It will also be bp’s first development in the GoM to produce from reservoirs that will require well equipment with a pressure rating of up to 20 000 psi. If you’re interested in learning more about this, and other, upstream projects, subscribe to receive a free bi-monthly digital copy of our sister magazine, Oilfield Technology.
In this issue of World Pipelines, we start with a focus on pipelines in the MENA region. OQ Upstream presents a case study from Oman, where OQ is working toward maximising value for Omani energy and ensuring a sustainable future through asset optimisation and digitisation (p.9). Correspondent Gordon Cope then provides an outline of the key pipeline projects in the region (p.14). Later in the issue, TSC Subsea writes about carrying out an internal rigid riser inspection for bp (p. 31); Connector Subsea Solutions describes technology for deepwater or diverless pipeline repairs (p.37); and Atmos International considers the growing significance of produced water pipeline leak detection in gathering networks (p.43).
Don’t miss next month’s annual World Pipelines Integrity issue, which will offer insight into inline inspection, composite coatings, field joint coatings, internal flow coatings, software and systems, automation, data, and pipeline materials.
