The Blue Dolphin stimulation vessel is designed to meet a variety of sophisticated frac-pack, gravel-pack, proppant fracturing, and acidizing conditions. It is custom-designed to provide 20,000 psi working pressure via multiple Coflexip reeled flexible umbilical lines and can perform large-volume, high-pressure stimulation operations with minimal downtime for multizone or multiwell operations.

BJ Services Co. announced at the SPE ATCE meeting in New Orleans on October 5 that it is launching the world’s largest high-performance stimulation vessel for oil and gas wells in the Lower Tertiary and other Gulf of Mexico (GoM) formations.

GoM well completions have become increasingly more complex with the exploration and development of formations at more than 20,000 ft (6,096 m) in water depths beyond 5,000 ft (1,524 m). High-pressure, high-temperature conditions and complex geologies common to these formations require advanced sand control and well stimulation technologies. The Blue Dolphin stimulation vessel is designed to meet a variety of sophisticated frac-pack, gravel-pack, proppant fracturing, and acidizing conditions.

“BJ is meeting the challenges of future offshore stimulation today,” said Ben Weber, Gulf Coast Region Sales Manager, at the press event held at the BJ Services Co. booth.

According to BJ, the Blue Dolphin is custom-designed to provide 20,000 psi working pressure via multiple Coflexip reeled flexible umbilical lines. The vessel can perform large-volume, high-pressure stimulation operations with minimal downtime for multizone or multiwell operations and has accommodations for up to 45 crew members,

The Blue Dolphin features a DP-2 dynamic positioning system and will receive well stimulation/offshore support vessel class notation, certified by the American Bureau of Shipping. It is equipped with eight skid-mounted 3,000 brake horsepower Gorilla
fracturing units can store 2.75 million lb of proppant. The vessel can provide up to 23,000 hydraulic horsepower and 80 bbl/min blending rates to meet high-rate fracturing and stimulation requirements of ultra-deepwater projects. At more than 300 ft (91 m) in length, the multipurpose vessel includes additional storage for up to 11,800 bbl of fluids or completion brines, 12,600 gal of raw acid and 6,300 gal of solvent. The Blue Dolphin has a maximum on-the-fly acid blending capacity of 50 bbl/min.

“The advanced capabilities of the Blue Dolphin vessel have made it the flagship of BJ Services’ stimulation fleet,” said Ronney Coleman, vice president for North America pressure pumping services, BJ Services. It is the first 20,000-psi pressure-rated stimulation vessel specially designed for Lower Tertiary conditions, which include long, multiple-pay zones and intense pressure and temperature variations.

“The differentiator of this vessel is the 20k psi capability,” Weber said.

According to Coleman, “Minimizing downtime during well stimulation in these deep environments and on multiwell locations is possible through the advanced pressure specifications, storage capacities and crew accommodations available with this vessel. We can essentially have multiple crews working around the clock to provide large-volume, high-pressure stimulation services.”

The Blue Dolphin will begin sea trials this fall and is expected to formally join the global BJ Services fleet in early December, with its first contract expected to be carried out in the GoM.