B6331 - SUBSEA ENERGY SYSTEMS

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

By the end of this course, students will be able to understand, describe and manage the fundamental engineering principles of subsea energy systems as the exploitation of conventional energy sources, the underground storage of natural gas, of hydrogen and of CO2, with a specific focus on offshore subsea technologies utilised in the energy sector. More specifically, the students will be able to: understand and manage the technologies used for the production of underground fluids and for the transport and underground storage of fluids; identify the associated safety issues and environmental impacts; plan and design specific energy production processes; support the choices of subsea energy systems in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability. Finally, students will be able to analyse qualitative and quantitative data, to transfer scientific procedures, results, and conclusions (by using appropriate language, formats, and units of measurement), and describe, evaluate, and communicate the impact of research. These topics represent strategic elements as far as world clean energy supply is concerned.

Contenuti

Requirements/Prior knowledge

A prior knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts used to describe a production process and its material and energy input/outputs is required to attend with profit this course. In addition, students should master the typical mathematical methods for Engineers and Scientists (Calculus and Probability).

Fluent spoken and written English is a necessary pre-requisite: all lectures and tutorials, and all study material will be in English.

Course Contents

Part 1, 6 CFU (Prof. Paolo Macini)

Overview of the Oil & Gas Industry. Oil and gas reserves. Petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks. Introduction to Exploration, Drilling, Production and Reservoir engineering. Environmental issues of offshore Exploration & Production (E&P) technologies.

Rotary drilling and oil well drilling engineering. Rotary drilling rigs (offshore and onshore). Drilling rig components: hoisting equipment, drillstring configuration, circulation equipment, drill bits technology, power generation. Drilling fluids: functions, properties and hydraulics. Casing and cement operations. Casing design. Wellhead components, safety equipment and BOP (Blow Out Preventers) configuration. Directional drilling: downhole motors, borehole profile, well path directional control technologies and directional surveys.

Offshore drilling operations. Mobile Offshore Drilling Units: drilling barges, jack-up units, semi-submersible units, drilling ships. Mooring and dynamic positioning systems. Drilling marine riser, subsea wellheads and BOPs. Motion compensation systems. Overview of offshore petroleum production engineering (including deep water environments).

Part 2, 3 CFU (Prof. Alessandro Tugnoli)

Overview of the Oil & Gas industry and basics of petroleum economics. Industrial phases of oil and gas development projects. Overview of the Oil & Gas production system. Full system production performance. Gas field processing. Oil field processing. Production trouble shooting. On shore field development. Offshore field development. Oil& Gas project management, Field development strategy and case studies.

Testi/Bibliografia

Lectures list and selected study materials (available on-line by Virtuale service).

Enciclopaedia of hydrocarbons: Volume 1, exploration, production and transport, Treccani 2005.

Bai, Yong, and Qiang Bai. Subsea Engineering Handbook, Elsevier Science & Technology, 2012. (Full text access through UniBo library).

Metodi didattici

Classroom lectures, seminars and/or workshop by industry professionals or experts from research institutions. Possible field trips to industrial plants. The lectures will be supplemented with practical exercises and discussions on current topics in the energy industry, to develop the critical thinking of the students, to recognize and enhance the interdisciplinarity with other subjects, in order to carry out the most effective engineering solutions to the theoretical and management issues outlined during the lectures.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Students must sit a final exam to assess their critical and methodological skills, comprising a series of questions to verify students’ understanding of the theory of the technological and design principles presented during the lectures, and the ability to solve practical problems like the ones dealt with during the practical exercises related to the course classes. A single written test will cover the two parts of the course (no separate tests are possible).

Higher grades (from 25/30 to 30/30) will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the subject, a high ability for critical application, a clear and concise presentation of their ideas and an appropriate use of technical language.

To obtain a passing grade (from 18/30 to 24/30), students are required to at least demonstrate a knowledge of the key concepts of the subject, some ability for critical application, and a comprehensible use of technical language.

A failing grade will be awarded if the student shows knowledge gaps in key-concepts of the subject, inappropriate use of language, and/or logic failures in the analysis of the subject.

Requests to refuse a mark of ≥18/30 must be submitted to the Professors within 48 hours after you receive the graded exam, and with a written justification. After 48 hours, the mark is automatically considered accepted, and the test cannot be taken again.

A positive mark ≥18/30 cannot be refused more than 2 times.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

Lecture slides and integrative supporting material will be available on-line by Virtuale service. A password is required for access (communicated at the first lesson or upon request to the teacher).

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Paolo Macini

Consulta il sito web di Alessandro Tugnoli

Consulta il sito web di