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Engineering project of the year
  
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By T.L. Hamilton
THE WOODLANDS – Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Enterprise Products Partners LP’s joint project, The Independence Hub, was recently chosen as the Engineering Project of the Year by Platts.
The hub is a collaboration between Anadarko, who mans the project, and a multitude of independent natural gas companies, whose wells supply the clean-burning heating fuel.
Anadarko’s headquarters are in The Woodlands.
Through the project, natural gas is gathered from several wells within a 10-acre area in the Gulf of Mexico and is processed by the hub.
The gas is then sent to shore, via a 134-mile long, 20-inch diameter pipe, in order to provide about 2 percent of the nation’s natural gas supply.
“We run it with a lean crew,” said Gary Mitchell, General Manager, Gulf of Mexico Operations.
About 17 crew members work 14 days at a time on the hub and end up spending about half of their lives offshore.
“These guys do a lot to meet the needs of America,” Mitchell said.
The hub produces about 900 million cubic feet of natural gas per year, enough to heat five million homes, he said.
Mitchell said he thinks the company won this honor because of the sheer numbers involved: it’s the only hub that operates in Gulf waters 6,500 feet deep, drilling to depths of 9,000 feet within an area about the size of Rhode Island, he said.
“It also has to do with the innovative ways our company has dealt with water pressure at such great depths,” said John Christiansen, company spokesman.
Mitchell agreed.
“The technology continues to evolve,” he said. “It’s exciting to be on the forefront of that, and that the brain trust for these ideas is right here in The Woodlands.”
Platts is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information serving customers across more than 150 countries.
The competition drew entries from about 10 energy companies from a variety of countries, including Petrobras, CNOOC and G.E. Nuclear, Christiansen said.
“The fact that Independence was singled out from such a strong field of international contenders underscores the world-class achievement of this initiative,” said Michael A. Creel, Enterprise president and chief executive officer.
Christiansen said it means a lot to the company to be well-recognized among its peers.
Anadarko Senior Vice President, Worldwide Operations Chuck Meloy said, "The Independence project truly is a great example of what our industry can accomplish through collaboration, innovation and access.”
When the hub began production in July 2007, Anadarko officials said the Independence project established numerous records for offshore development, including:
• The world's deepest platform in approximately 8,000 feet of water;
• The world's deepest subsea production tree, located in 9,000 feet of water;
• The world's deepest flowline installation;
• The world's deepest export pipeline and riser, originating in 8,000 feet of water;
• The world's longest mooring lines at 2.4 miles;
• The Gulf of Mexico's largest gas processing facility with 1 Bcf/d of capacity.
The Independence Hub is operated by Anadarko and owned 80 percent by Enterprise with Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. owning the remaining 20 percent.
The Independence Trail pipeline is owned completely by Enterprise. The Atwater Valley Producers Group, which has working interests in and operates the discovery fields, is comprised of Anadarko, Devon Energy Corporation, Eni and StatoilHydro.
The hub is a collaboration between Anadarko, who mans the project, and a multitude of independent natural gas companies, whose wells supply the clean-burning heating fuel.
Anadarko’s headquarters are in The Woodlands.
Through the project, natural gas is gathered from several wells within a 10-acre area in the Gulf of Mexico and is processed by the hub.
The gas is then sent to shore, via a 134-mile long, 20-inch diameter pipe, in order to provide about 2 percent of the nation’s natural gas supply.
“We run it with a lean crew,” said Gary Mitchell, General Manager, Gulf of Mexico Operations.
About 17 crew members work 14 days at a time on the hub and end up spending about half of their lives offshore.
“These guys do a lot to meet the needs of America,” Mitchell said.
The hub produces about 900 million cubic feet of natural gas per year, enough to heat five million homes, he said.
Mitchell said he thinks the company won this honor because of the sheer numbers involved: it’s the only hub that operates in Gulf waters 6,500 feet deep, drilling to depths of 9,000 feet within an area about the size of Rhode Island, he said.
“It also has to do with the innovative ways our company has dealt with water pressure at such great depths,” said John Christiansen, company spokesman.
Mitchell agreed.
“The technology continues to evolve,” he said. “It’s exciting to be on the forefront of that, and that the brain trust for these ideas is right here in The Woodlands.”
Platts is a leading global provider of energy and commodities information serving customers across more than 150 countries.
The competition drew entries from about 10 energy companies from a variety of countries, including Petrobras, CNOOC and G.E. Nuclear, Christiansen said.
“The fact that Independence was singled out from such a strong field of international contenders underscores the world-class achievement of this initiative,” said Michael A. Creel, Enterprise president and chief executive officer.
Christiansen said it means a lot to the company to be well-recognized among its peers.
Anadarko Senior Vice President, Worldwide Operations Chuck Meloy said, "The Independence project truly is a great example of what our industry can accomplish through collaboration, innovation and access.”
When the hub began production in July 2007, Anadarko officials said the Independence project established numerous records for offshore development, including:
• The world's deepest platform in approximately 8,000 feet of water;
• The world's deepest subsea production tree, located in 9,000 feet of water;
• The world's deepest flowline installation;
• The world's deepest export pipeline and riser, originating in 8,000 feet of water;
• The world's longest mooring lines at 2.4 miles;
• The Gulf of Mexico's largest gas processing facility with 1 Bcf/d of capacity.
The Independence Hub is operated by Anadarko and owned 80 percent by Enterprise with Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. owning the remaining 20 percent.
The Independence Trail pipeline is owned completely by Enterprise. The Atwater Valley Producers Group, which has working interests in and operates the discovery fields, is comprised of Anadarko, Devon Energy Corporation, Eni and StatoilHydro.
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