Subsea technologies selection using analytic hierarchy process

One of the primary issues in the offshore oil and gas development is the comparative evaluation of subsea production versus other alternative means. Another issue of importance is assessing the technologies to be used for each concept. The present paper concentrates on such assessments and aims to develop a method for selecting the most appropriate technologies or components for the subsea production systems. Financial viability is the main driver of the concept selection, but the most important decision variables for selection are: technology readiness, reliability and availability, constructability, maintainability, operability and costs. Technology selection requires the combination of these decision variables, as they impact both cost and benefit. The paper provides an integrated analytic framework, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) for technology selection that best satisfies all of a decision-maker’s requirements. A survey of all decision influencing factors is presented in the present paper, as well as a case study, a sub-set of which is used to demonstrate the selection process between two subsea trees manufactured by different suppliers. The emphasis is on the practicality and accessibility of AHP.