Considerations for Maximising the Value of a Connected Vessel

Extracting the Value of Connected Production

The rapid progress of digital and automated technologies has transformed the role an FPSO can play within a company’s wider production operations. To help generate the maximum value from a connected vessel, there are several aspects for decision makers to consider.

1. Optimising remote operations

As the oil and gas sector recalibrates following a year of global lockdowns and enforced social distancing, the ability to reduce the number of staff present at production sites has become a common objective. A connected vessel supports this goal by enabling relevant expertise to remain onshore and connect with the facilities remotely to manage routine maintenance and repairs.

A common example is where a fault emerges with equipment on the vessel. The production data from the ship’s Distributed Control System (DCS) can be fed back from the offshore site to an onshore data centre. The offshore operator is able to interpret the data and relate the issues directly to personnel onboard the vessel and work collaboratively to resolve the problem. Where further expert guidance is required, the offshore personnel can interface with expert engineers anywhere in the world using connected devices, such as augmented reality (AR) enabled headsets, without themselves needing to have deep expertise on the parts they’re repairing.

In addition to preventative maintenance, the connected vessel also enables a more predictive approach. Using the rich data from the DCS and analytics capabilities, a centralised management team is better positioned to plan ahead and schedule maintenance across its fleet of vessels to keep equipment operating at optimum levels.

This remote approach allows for rapid maintenance and resolution of nascent issues before they become more serious problems. It also reduces the potential dangers associated with having personnel on site in hazardous or unsettled conditions and saves money by reducing operational costs such as travel to distant locations.

2. Enhancing network for reduced downtime

The costs involved in operating a connected vessel can be significant and continue to run whether or not the vessel is operating. Unplanned maintenance on a floating production facility is quoted as costing 100 times the amount of that same repair onshore; therefore, the reliability and management of key production assets continues to be an area of critical focus.

A robust infrastructure layer can underpin effective operations on the vessels and dramatically reduce the risk of downtime. This includes the use of control systems, edge servers and IoT technology in order to analyse the performance of equipment (including separate OEM parts), improve asset utilisation and conduct preventative maintenance.

3. Reducing risk through OEM integration

Any production facility can contain equipment and skids from a wide number of different OEMs. Part of the challenge for the operators on a vessel is getting these different pieces of equipment seamlessly integrated during start up without delay.

A connected FPSO can be built from its foundations to ensure OEM equipment is integrated harmoniously. Our approach is to use interface management and standardisation of systems to drive coordination among the different OEMs involved. We develop an architecture in collaboration with the operator and ensure that all OEMs deliver their equipment using this framework. This approach reduces risks by having skids connected from the beginning of the project and using software to simplify ongoing management and communication.
Connecting with the right partners

Investment in FPSOs is likely to continue as leaders seek more flexible ways to service renewed global demand by capturing the potential value of oil and gas resources in challenging or isolated locations. Connected vessels help leaders deliver on this goal by taking a more agile approach to production and benefitting from reduced maintenance costs, enhanced monitoring of critical assets and better utilisation of personnel.

Rockwell Automation helps customers to realise the full range of benefits of floating production. We partner with Sensia (a Rockwell Automation and Schlumberger joint venture) to offer the end-to-end services and solutions that help oil and gas companies to get the full value out of their FPSO investment. The partnership draws on our combined strengths to deliver an integrated approach, setting standards for OT and IT systems on the vessels as well as drawing on distinct capabilities around predictive control, condition monitoring systems, petrotechnical expertise and digital solutions that can optimise production.

This unique combination of skills and rich experience in oil and gas helps companies to explore new opportunities in sites that have not previously been explored, while controlling costs and risks. Partnering across the life of the asset, we can ensure the vessel will see more uptime to help maximise the enormous upfront investment.