FPSO Start-Up: Comprehensive Commissioning Approach

A Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel is one of the most complex pieces of offshore infrastructure in the oil & gas industry. It receives hydrocarbons from subsea wells, processes them on-deck, stores the stabilized crude in its hull, and periodically offloads to tankers — all while floating in open ocean.

Commissioning an FPSO before its first oil production is one of the most technically demanding undertakings in the offshore sector, involving dozens of simultaneous workstreams across mechanical, process, electrical, and instrumentation disciplines.

Before a single system on an FPSO can be handed over to operations, it must complete a rigorous pre-commissioning programme. For the pipeline and process systems, this typically includes:

• Mechanical Completion (MC) — Verification that all equipment, piping, and instrumentation is installed per design
• Chemical Cleaning — Removal of construction debris, mill scale, and contamination from process lines using chemical or mechanical flush methods
• Pressure Testing — Hydrostatic or pneumatic testing of all piping systems to design test pressure
• Tightness Testing — Low-pressure leak checks of all flanged and threaded connections
• Nitrogen Preservation — Inerting of cleaned, tested systems to prevent corrosion during the commissioning window
• Lube Oil Flushing — Cleaning of lubrication and hydraulic oil systems for pumps, compressors, and rotating equipment

FPSO commissioning presents challenges not found in fixed onshore facilities:

• Motion and vibration — Work must account for vessel movement; temporary supports and flexible connections are required
• Confined space and access restrictions — Dense piping layouts in limited deck space require specialist access planning
• Marine environment — Humidity, salt-laden air, and temperature cycles accelerate corrosion, making preservation quality critical
• Simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) — Multiple contractors working in parallel requires strict coordination and safety management
• First oil pressure — Project schedules are commercially driven; every commissioning delay directly impacts revenue

In FPSO pre-commissioning campaigns, BIWERG provides integrated production services including chemical cleaning, LOF, pressure testing, nitrogen preservation, and flange management — delivered as a coordinated package rather than isolated scopes.

This integrated approach reduces interface risk between contractors, simplifies QA documentation, and allows schedule overlaps that improve overall commissioning efficiency. Our teams are experienced in working within the demanding SIMOPS environment of offshore vessels.