Nexen – Significant savings made by changing to alternative valve in well interventions

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Problem statement

Nexen routinely used Shear Seal Valves in well interventions but the dimensions of the valve actuator caused logistical problems which cost time and manpower.

Aims

To reduce cost and manpower in well interventions.

Method

  • An alternative valve design was sought which would reduce cost and logistical problems.
  • The Slimbore Shear Seal Valve was identified which uses a ball valve to create a valve which has tall and slim dimensions.

Impact

  • Nexen has saved approx. £30,000 per each well intervention as a result of changing to an alternative valve.
  • Nexen is now using Slimbore Shear Seal Valve, which uses a different type of valve (ball valve) to create a valve which has tall and slim dimensions.
  • The valve fits through a much smaller aperture and means that a much smaller deck plate can be removed manually.
  • The valve can also be lifted and placed using the in-situ wireline mast tugger line which removes the requirement for a platform deck crew, crane driver and scaffolders.

Total well interventions 20  (2015 & 2016)

Total savings anticipated £30,00o per well intervention

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Global Energy Group: Integrated Caisson Team – a Collaboration of Expertise

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Problem Statement

Caissons are used in a variety of applications on offshore production platforms and vessels. Common uses for caissons are firewater and seawater lift, drain, as well as I/J-Tube applications. Due to platform life extension, caissons have often been in place longer than planned, and deterioration and failure of caissons is a growing trend in the North Sea and worldwide. This deterioration and failure may present a dropped object risk to subsea structural and piping systems. Their size and location also often make them difficult to access.

Aims

As there are a number of caisson-related issues across late-life assets, Global Energy Group (GEG) has reacted to the industry-wide issue of caissons with a bespoke offering via our Integrated Caisson Team (ICT). This initiative provides a cost efficient and value-added turnkey caisson solution and one-stop shop service.

Method

In an industry where innovation and collaboration are key, the ICT is a seamless approach and also offers the opportunity to have one interface and a unique commercial offering.

This ICT is made up of a number of companies with specialities dealing with caisson issues. We’ve teamed together to provide a collaborative offering, cost-efficient and value-added turnkey solution for
caisson-related scopes.

Impact

The philosophy behind the ICT model is the provision of a one-stop caisson remediation and replacement offering that identifies best value solutions by combining the services of selected ICT partners throughout the project life cycle.

Of significant value is the ability of the ICT to offer options to a variety of solutions from within the structure of the ICT, without the need to bring in additional external resources. Examples include:

  • Options for either welded or weldless connections of caisson sections
  • The use of conventional rigging equipment or specialist caisson lifting tools during destruct and construct
  • Options to coat caissons with client-specified coating systems or utilisation of
    one-coat systems complete with coating warranties during the fabrication process
  • Options to install marine growth prevention systems at the time of caisson installation, or as retrofit solutions to existing caissons (this option is available to risers, conductors and structural tubulars)
  • Options for nitrox diving capability to 50 metres or cofferdam support in the
    splash zone
  • Alternative access solutions including rope access, WEB deck and tension netting systems, all installed by multi-disciplined access and trade technicians
  • Options for platform, vessel or daughter craft-based diving operations

The ICT is also a platform for knowledge sharing across varied specialist skills and tooling:

  • GEG – inspection, survey, design, fabrication, repair, construction/installation – both topside and subsea
  • Acotec – Solvent free one-coat Humidur coatings and underwater cofferdams
  • STATS Group – caisson securing and lifting tools
  • GMC – weldless connectors
  • CETCO – temporary produced water systems
  • Cathelco – cathodic protection systems

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Lokring – Retaining Non-Hazardous Areas without Welding

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Submitted by Tom Brown, Technical Sales Manager.

Problem statement

  • A Northern North Sea asset had to replace a 2’’ stainless steel fuel gas system which ran through both hazardous and non-hazardous areas.
  • The system therefore had to be ‘fully welded’.
  • The only way they could do this under traditional methods was to weld the pipe on the platform.
  • This was not possible due to the spacing restrictions in this instance.

Aims

  • To replace the system as a fully welded one so the non-hazardous areas could remain this way, without actually welding on site.

Method

  • The operator had used Lokring before on fuel gas, but was not sure if it could be used on a fully welded system in a non-hazardous area without reclassifying the area as hazardous, as would have to be done when installing a flange.
  • To get confirmation, the operator contracted Xodus to carry out a study on whether a Lokring coupling could be used in this situation while maintaining the non-hazardous area classification.

Impact

  • The findings of the report confirm that;
  • ‘There is strong, well-supported justification for the use of LOKRING fittings in place of welded connections on the fuel gas system located in a non-hazardous area. The work completed for this study is judged to have suitably justified weld-equivalence for LOKRING fittings in non-hazardous areas, which by inference facilitates the support of their use in hazardous areas also.’

How does this relate to the Oil and Gas industry?

  • Traditionally, when installing fully welded pipework, the only option in non hazardous areas of a platform have been to weld on site.
  • This takes time, involves hot work permits, welders, habitats, fire watch and there is always the safety risk welding on site
  • This study has now provided another option to welding fully welded systems, while at the same time being quicker, safer and more cost effective.

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SETS – Applying the Subsea Standardisation Principles to Subsea Structural Repairs

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Submitted by Kevin Milne, Business Development & Brand Manager. 

Problem Statement

Utilisation of dive support vessels (DSVs) to fix and repair subsea structures on fixed assets is time sensitive, expensive and often inaccurate. Application of the principles of subsea standardisation/fit for purpose offers the potential to test interventions which do not involve DSVs.

Aims

  • Apply the principles of subsea standardisation to brace repairs and identify a fit-for-purpose approach.
  • De-risk an alternative intervention both commercially and technically in order to deliver the most efficient solution to meet the client’s requirement.
  • Reduce operational expenditure (OpEx) by challenging typical approach and methods.

Method

  • The SETS team worked with the project team early on to review the project scope and applied the standardisation principles to identify opportunities for improvement. The scope was then revisited and re-worked with a more realistic consideration of risk.
  • A focus on commercial risk was introduced.

Impact

Early involvement and application of a standardised/’fit-for-purpose’ approach resulted in:

  • Elimination of non-productive time
  • Consideration of all technical and commercial contingencies before the DSV left the harbour wall
  • Reduction of DSV requirement by 11 days
  • Work-scope successfully delivered with considerable cost and time savings.

Total hours saved: 264

Total savings anticipated: £1m +

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Maersk Oil – Engineering a unique solution

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Problem statement

Correcting the slippage of buoyancy modules on the Global Producer III FPSO vessel’s risers without replacing the riser or carrying out a planned shutdown is an extremely expensive and risky operation.  The challenge was to find a way to correct this slippage whilst keeping the riser in operation, something that hadn’t been done before.

Aim

To correct the buoyancy module slippage in a targeted manner using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), allowing us to move away from conducting saturation diving operations and also engineer a solution that could be implemented whilst in operation.

Method

  • The Maersk Oil team engaged with SubC Partner, inventor and owner of the technical solution. Over six months, the team created a bespoke tool that connected to an ROV.
  • The tool had to be specifically designed for the task because there were a number of specific requirements.
  • It had to work underwater while connected to the ROV, dock onto the riser and remove the old buoyancy module and inner clamp. It had then to bring the old parts to the surface, pick up the new clamp and module and go back down to the riser to install the new parts.
  • The new clamp was also installed with rubber compliant pads to stop future slippage, a technique already effectively used by Maersk Oil.

Impact

  • Replacing the buoyancy modules on a live riser system had never successfully been completed before. The Maersk Oil team met this challenge head on and in collaboration with SubC Partner, a bespoke tool was developed to replace the buoyancy modules, correcting the slippage.
  • The solution avoided the need to replace the whole riser, an extremely expensive and risky operation, and also meant that the riser could be kept in operation during the replacement, resulting in no production loss.
  • By using a tool docked onto an ROV the need for saturation diving personnel was eradicated, reducing the risk to human life.
  • The installation of rubber compliant pads on the inner clamp helps prevent future slippage.
  • Replacing the buoyancy modules is more efficient compared to the alternative of replacing the riser entirely; there was no impact to production and the solution saw around 80% savings compared to alternative method. This solution has been shared at a Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) lecture.

Total hours saved: No significant saving

Total savings anticipated: Solution cost approx. 20% of the average fee of replacing a riser, around 80% saving.

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Agilis – Cost estimate certainty

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Problem statement

From 2011-2016 fewer than 25% of oil and gas projects in the UKCS were delivered on time. Projects averaged 10 months delay and came in around 35% over budget (OGA).

Aims

Use better techniques to improve oil and gas project cost estimates.

Method

Collaboration between Agilis, a process improvement consultant and Barnett Waddingham, a leading UK actuarial firm.

Agilis cost model framing workshop engages with uncertainty and addresses bias. Barnet Waddingham draw on their experience of probabilistic modelling and estimate governance for the insurance and financial sectors to provide a more rigorous cost model for oil and gas projects that recognises complexity and reduces uncertainty.

Impact

  • Better understanding of project risk exposure: avoids over/under-provisioning
  • Allows planning for uncertainty: e.g. pre-emptive “delay analysis”
  • Provides a robust and transparent governance standard familiar to banks, investors and government: cheaper finance

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Wood Group – Alternative Access Solutions

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Submitted by Philip Oliver, Transformational Change Manager. 

Problem statement

Inclement weather, intermittent accessibility and poor control of environment can negatively affect schedule and drive up costs for planned/unplanned activities. Inflexible access solutions are a significant factor that contributes to delays in these scenarios.

Aims

  • Develop an optimised approach to each access situation that ensures safety and maximises tool time.
  • Assure greater integrity and reliability by creating a consistent environment.
  • Challenge conventional approaches to access solutions.

Method

Each scope is approached with a thorough and detailed focus on identifying the optimum solutions, considering aspects that include the work environment, the nature of the work, avoiding working at height, workface planning, remote operated aerial vehicle (ROAV) usage and area cover. The purchasing of multiple ‘Safezone’ positive pressure habitats ensures that we are not bottlenecked on resources and rapidly deploy the system on our clients’ assets when required.

Impact

Through challenging conventional approaches to access solutions we were able to ensure significant savings on material cost, improved safety and increased tool time.  Project successes have included an 85 percent saving on the inspection of 143 pipe supports and £1.68 million client saving  when using a remote operated aerial vehicle (ROAV) instead of rope access solutions. The use of a ROAV also allowed for avoidance of a three-week shutdown, scaffolding, rope access and over-side working

Total hours saved: Three-week shutdown

Total savings anticipated: £1.68m

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Wood Group – Innovative Flange Management when Decommissioning

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Submitted by Philip Oliver, Transformational Change Manager.

Problem Statement

Breaking flanges to physically isolate systems when decommissioning is time intensive and introduces the risk of disturbing asbestos present in compressed asbestos fibre (CAF) type gaskets

Aims

  • Reduce personnel asbestos exposure and minimise the requirement for asbestos removal specialists when breaking flanges during decommissioning.
  • Reduce the time required for providing positive isolations during decommissioning.

Method

To solve the issue, our decommissioning services contract proposed using  the Springlynn system, a self-tapping saddle for draining and venting systems adopted from the water industry.

Impact

The system has been simple to use and can be deployed by someone with no previous training. It removes the need to break flanges but ensures that re-energisation of the pipeline cannot occur. The system eliminates potential risk of exposure from asbestos fibre (CAF) gaskets.

Agilis – Sharing knowledge effectively

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Submitted by Lakshan Saldin

Problem statement

Multinational project needed to run workshop to review issues and  uncertainties with participants from multiple nationalities and across multiple specialisms, taking as little time as possible.

Aims

Develop a comprehensive, shared picture of project risk and uncertainty across a diverse group of participants and identify the critical factors affecting project within a very short timescale.

Method

Developed a workshop combining elements of the Delphi technique for developing consensus in expert groups with  an agile estimating methodology to gather diverse views.

Participants worked through a list of keywords and “played” a numbered card for each one, low numbers indicated an insignificant issue and high numbers a significant issue. For issues flagged as significant by one or more participants, a simple consensus based process was used to agree and capture outcomes. Initial output was available the same day.

Impact

The multinational, multilingual project team was able to challenge assumptions, recognise cognitive bias (e.g. anchoring, groupthink) and develop a shared understanding of project issues in a low conflict environment.

Material uncertainties affecting project delivery were identified early on and incorporated into execution plan.

Improved understanding of issues/threats through introduction of new information & perspectives.

Short duration enable participation from normally difficult to get hold of individuals.

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Wood group – Rising to the late-life asset maintenance challenge

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Submitted by Philip Oliver (Transformational Change Manager)

Problem statement

Keeping costs of maintaining ageing assets under
control prior to cessation of production (CoP), while maintaining integrity.

Aims

  • Evaluate work scopes to offer alternative solutions to client’s benefit.
  • Reduce maintenance scope of various projects in a late-life asset management context.

Method

As part of ongoing evaluation of work scopes, a
thorough review was carried out of a fabric maintenance programme to maintain platform integrity. Two opportunities were identified to either reduce or remove the painting scope. The proposed reduction required engagement with the client’s technical authorities to agree to a deviation on painting standards, which are written for operating assets and are not always appropriate for assets coming to the end of their field life.

Impact

A 42 per cent reduction in work scope was realised. The drilling derrick painting scope was reduced considerably by using wax oil instead of normal paint. As this took less time to complete, the job could be carried out during a planned drilling outage, saving an additional £1,120,000 (cost of drilling downtime for original scope).

Total days saved: 27

Total savings anticipated: £2.16m

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