Minimodules: An attractive alternative for the North Slope

In light of high North Slope construction costs and depressed crude prices, the need for more economical methods of designing, constructing, and installing production facilities has led to the concept of using smaller, truckable ''minimodules'' for continuing development of the Arctic region. The Prudhoe Bay field on Alaska's North Slope covers approximately 400 sq miles and has an entirely self-sufficient infrastructure to support 600 wells and associated collection/separation facilities. North Slope production and separation facilities were initially constructed as large, enclosed and heated modules to protect equipment and operating personnel from the harsh Arctic climate. They were fabricated at Gulf of Mexico and West Coast sites and barged to Prudhoe Bay during the 6-week July-August Bering Sea breakup. Economics favored the largest self-contained modules to reduce the amount of costly module hookup and interconnects when delivered to the slope. Each module contained manifold facilities for approximately 30 wells at each wellpad or drill site, and were equipped with extensive instrumentation and automation to reduce the number of operating personnel.