Xavier Connaulte
Engineering Project Manager, SBM Atlantia (Houston, USA)
SUMMARY:
- Ten years experience in deepwater offshore systems for Oil and Gas industry.
- Managed a team of engineers to design and analyze an emergency offloading system for Gulf of Mexico
- Developed a disconnectable weathervaning FPSO system (MooSparTM) for Gulf of Mexico environment, with press release to industry during OTC in May 2008.
- Global performance assessment of floating production and offloading platforms (FPSO, Spar, TLP, deepwater buoys).
- Expertise in dynamic riser systems (steel catenary risers, riser towers, flexible risers, flexible jumpers), mooring systems, and offloading systems (submarine and floating rubber hoses).
- Involved in challenging projects interfacing with structural, piping, and mechanical disciplines.
- Hydrodynamic software skills include Orcaflex-3D, AQWA, Ariane-3D, Flexcom-3D / Modes 3-D, Shear7 (VIV tool).
- Team player, attention to details, persistent, good communication and writing skills.
SPECIALITIES:
- Marine and Offshore Engineering
- R&D in Oil and Gas Industry
- Project Management
- Product Design and Development
- Hydrodynamic Analysis
- Floating Platform Global Performance
- Deepwater Mooring and Riser Systems
- Offloading Systems
- Offshore Disconnectable Systems
25 contactsManagement of an engineering team to develop an emergency offloading system for the Gulf of Mexico for a Joint Venture between Shell, BP and Chevron.
Challenges included:
- Generic design of a submersible CALM buoy with its own mooring system in water depth ranging from 300ft to 8000ft
- Submarine hose configuration between a production platform and the CALM buoy separated by 2500m that is adaptable from 300ft to 8000ft water depth.
- Acceptable performance of the coupled system in harsh environment (hurricanes, loop current eddy events, winter storms)
- Global performance engineer:
As part of an R&D program, I am responsible for the design and analysis of a new type of deepwater disconnectable FPSO system in the Gulf of Mexico. The work involves global hydrodynamic performance type of work with emphasis on steel catenary risers response assessment. The work implies also challenging mechanical and structural interfaces to allow reconnection and disconnection prior the arrival of an hurricane.
- Hydrodynamic/project engineer:
I have worked on the design and analysis of a challenging subsea flexible riser/umbilical/power cable system in shallow water depth. The configuration was based on a lazy S shape with the use of a subsea mid water arch. The riser system was design to operate in a 100year return period connected to both a CALM buoy (first 5 years) and then to an FPSO external turret.
2003 - 2005- Hydrodynamic Lead Engineer: mooring design and analysis on several projects, lead hydrodynamic engineer on Enfield Riser Turret Mooring project (Australia)
- Subsea Engineer: Interface engineer responsible for following the design, analysis and manufacture of flexible jumpers (NKT Flexibles, Copenhagen)
1998 - 2003