Shell is using digitalisation and digital-twin technology to improve management of floating production facilities. It is integrating asset simulation with metocean information and advanced data analytics to make key decisions on asset integrity, inspection and maintenance.
This pilot programme focuses on floating production system (FPS) motions, riser and tendon response data, and environmental data. It integrates products and services from Stress Engineering Services (SES) and RPS Group.
Shell Deepwater Technology is using SES’ NeoSight digital twins for FPS simulation and RPS’ OceansMap metocean data analysis tools.
This enables Shell to create digital asset integrity management plans for its deepwater tension-leg platforms, spars, semi-submersibles and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels.
Shell Deepwater Technology robotics and automation technology lead Ilkay Darilmaz said the system “enables us to manage our assets more proactively”. NeoSight FPS provides “a visual dashboard; indications of the current condition of our assets; an advisory system equipped with preset key performance indicators; and optimised inspection frequencies to ensure structural integrity,” said Mr Darilmaz.
NeoSight FPS leverages physics-based models and data science algorithms to provide integrity management and operational support, and can be used for life extension assessments.
The NeoSight FPS tool delivers predicted responses of the entire FPS facility, including stress and fatigue along the length of tendons, mooring lines, risers and umbilicals using environmental data.
RPS developed OceansMap to aggregate global, regional and local metocean data. It is used by major oil companies and maritime agencies, including the US Coast Guard.
Shell combined OceansMap’s weather and ocean data visualisation capabilities and data analysis with FPS digital twins for this pilot project. Future phases of the programme will incorporate other asset information in a single display to monitor FPS performance.
Shell celebrated 40 years of deepwater operations in 2018. It operates a fleet of TLPs in the US Gulf of Mexico and the world’s deepest positioned FPSO on the Stones oilfield and deepest spar production unit at Perdido. It also manages the Na Kika semi-submersible production facility that is a central hub for subsea gas developments.
Shell operates two FPSOs in Brazil, two semi-submersible production systems in Malaysia and an FPSO in Nigeria.
Shell deepwater facilities:
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