Energy Matters. Improved prediction of offshore operability. BMT participates in wind tunnel testing JIP

Transcription

1 Fall 2013 issue Energy Matters Improved prediction of offshore operability BMT ARGOSS couples hindcast data along with wind and wave models to improve operability and safety in ports and terminals. Read more on page 5. BMT participates in wind tunnel testing JIP BMT Fluid Mechanics participates in Wind Load JIP to to help improve the accuracy of wind tunnel measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations. Read more on page 4. BMT Reliability Consultants earns safety and environmental certifications The company has been awarded certifications in ISO and OHSAS Learn more on page 3. Meet BMT Oceanica BMT Oceanica is the latest company to join the Offshore Oil & Gas segment. Read more about the company and their services on the back cover. Photo courtesy of Shell

2 Message from the Sector Director Dr. Ralph Rayner Reliability is paramount when operating in the harsh marine environment. With increasing complexity, deeper water or operations at more remote locations the costs of intervention rises steeply making long-term reliability an ever more important issue. In this respect the reliability demands of offshore systems move closer to those of operations in space, where intervention carries vast costs, and components and systems must be designed and operated in such a way that they will deliver many years of trouble free service. Reliable design depends on a thorough understanding of the long-term performance of critical components of a development. It also depends on understanding the interaction between different components of complex systems so that they can be operated in such a way that reliability and availability are maximized. Achieving these goals depends on bringing together experience and analytical tools to determine component reliability and the application of complex methods for examining the performance of whole systems. It also relies on the ability to measure and understand real world performance to determine whether critical components are performing as anticipated. In this issue of Energy Matters you will find examples of some of the ways in which BMT is contributing in each of these aspects leading to improved reliability, operability and offshore safety. I hope you find this edition of interest and, as always, would welcome your comments or questions about the products and services that BMT might be able to offer to help your organization in these critical areas. Saipem Selects BMT for Riser Monitoring in Brazil s Pre-Salt Fields Saipem has contracted BMT Scientific Marine Services to provide riser monitoring systems for two Free Standing Risers (FSHRs) and four Steel Lazy Wave Risers (SLWRs) for the Sapinhoa Norte and Cernambi Sul pre-salt fields offshore Brazil. These systems will monitor the integrity of the risers by measuring strains, motions, attitude and position of submerged portions of the riser settings. Each FSHR riser system will include BMT s patent pending ROV- Serviceable Strain Sensor Assembly which allows operators to service or replace individual sensors by ROV. BMT s patented polypropylene strain sensors to submerged, insulated pipes will be employed on the SLWRs. BMT brings valuable experience to this project having supplied five Free Standing Riser Integrity Monitoring Systems since 2007 covering a total of twelve riser towers, and two SCR monitoring systems. BMT Reliability Consultants Awarded ISO 14001, OHSAS Certifications Upcoming Conferences BMT Offshore OIl and Gas companies will exhibit at the following conferences this season: BMT Reliability Consultants has been awarded the universally recognized standards for occupational health and safety, BS OHSAS 18001, and environmental management, ISO The company implemented a fully integrated management system which allows the organization to effectively identify, control and reduce the risks associated with health and safety in the workplace, and in understanding the environmental impact of the business, take constructive action to reduce it. Securing the accreditations is a key milestone for the company, and has resulted in a system which will help to simplify, streamline and standardize the operational systems used by staff, whilst achieving best practice in the management of health, safety, and environmental impact. Andrew Cooper, Managing Director, comments: We underwent an Pilot Share Fair (Oil & Gas UK) ADIPEC 2013 Oceanology International 2014 exacting audit and I am delighted of health and wellbeing in the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conf. Ctr. Abu Dhabi National Exhibiton Ctr. ExCeL Exhibition Center that our commitment to ensuring working environment, as well as Aberdeen, UK Abu Dhabi, UAE London, United Kingdom our people are kept safe has been understanding our environmental November 6, 2013 November 10-13, 2013 March 11-13, 2014 recognized. These certifications footprint. As a company, we will Visit BMT at Stand #31 Visit BMT in Hall 8, Stand 8140 Visit BMT at Booth #R400 provide us with confidence that we continue in our drive to improve our have effective frameworks, enabling environmental performance. us to improve our awareness 2 3

3 BMT Fluid Mechanics Participates in Wind Tunnel Testing Joint Industry Project A new Joint Industry Project (JIP) has been launched to help improve the accuracy of wind tunnel measurements and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations. The Wind Load JIP aims to address the lack of symbiosis which exists between the two and develop a standard set of guidelines to support port operators and designers of large scale offshore floating production systems. The three-year JIP will be delivered by a number of leading industry experts including: BMT Fluid Mechanics, MARIN, TU/e, Eindhoven University of Technology and DNW, the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels. Volker Buttgereit, Managing Director of BMT Fluid Mechanics explains: Traditionally, wind loads or wind flow around large scale offshore marine structures are studied in wind tunnels. Successful testing of these requires specialist skills and instrumentation technology that has been continuously developed over years of research and application. Guidelines and codes of practice for this type of wind tunnel testing exist and they do reflect the experience and advancement that has been made in the field. However, in spite of this, there is a certain amount of variability between results derived from the various wind tunnel testing laboratories situated in different parts of the world, which are constantly challenged by increasing scale and complexity of these remarkable engineering structures. Volker continues: With continuous advancement of computational speed, there is also a growing interest in the application of CFD which can predict the impact complex wind flows can have on large scale, offshore floating production and help deliver design efficiencies and safety of operations. Correlating CFD predictions with those derived from model scale wind tunnel testing can be a challenge in its own right and does require further investment in research and development. Floating production systems and liquid gas carriers are continuing to grow in size and complexity, which is placing increasing pressure on existing port and terminal infrastructure with the wind being the predominant load factor on ships. Similarly, the operations within the offshore industry are becoming more complex due to ship sizes and vessels finding themselves in close proximity of one another. As such, aerodynamic proximity effects associated with near shore topography and local terrain complexity, as well as temporary side-byside operations of multiple offshore vessels are playing an increasingly important role and are presently neither well understood, nor well treated through available engineering methodology. Volker concludes: Developing advancement and most importantly, communality in the methodology that combines reliable testing and simulation based prediction of 3D wind fields and forces acting on large scale offshore vessels and floating production systems is key. Such an approach will provide operators and designers of these structures with the opportunity to drive forward these designs with ever increasing reliability and efficiency. BMT ARGOSS Improves Prediction of Operability Offshore with Integration of Metocean Models and Vessel Response Simulations BMT ARGOSS has global data sets for historical wind, waves and currents and also routinely operates regional and local fine gridded wind and wave models to create site specific hindcast data sets. Using an extensive in-house database of satellite observations for calibrating the hindcast data improves the accuracy of the results for input into the simulation of moored ship response. The ability to couple these data sets and models is starting to provide benefits to our clients in terms of the design, operability and safe workability of a port or terminal. BMT provided consultancy to the port of Ijmuiden, which contains sea locks that form part of the Flood Defenses for Amsterdam. During extreme conditions, wave generation inside the harbor gives an important contribution to the hydraulic loads on the flood defenses. It is almost certain that the wind speeds in the harbor area during design conditions are lower than on open sea. However, until now, it was unknown how the wind speed varied over the harbor area and what effect this would have on the wave conditions. Mid resolution model with wind speed (knots) at 10m height above part of The Netherlands for situation on 9 Nov 2007, 02:00. The lower wind over land is clearly visible. As part of a recent study, BMT ARGOSS was commissioned to use local wind modeling with the WRF model (Weather Research and Forecasting) in combination with wave modeling using the SWAN wave model in a sensitivity study. The purpose was to look at the influence of the port structures on the local wind field and the influence of the modifications to the winds on the wave conditions. This showed that this more sophisticated approach can lead to a significant reduction in the demands on the structures. In the long term this could lead to considerable savings on capital investments and maintenance. BMT ARGOSS has also recently completed a study looking at the motions of a moored vessel to waves, winds and currents for LNG transportation. The client needed to know the operability at the potential site location to assist with investment decisions. The local wave conditions were complex, with swell and with the local wind wave systems coming from multiple directions. Traditional methods using the limiting wind speed and wave heights at the location led to conservative operational thresholds. BMT identified that during certain time periods the wind and wave directions gave much lower response than others and low wave periods tended to lead to much lower vessel response. A detailed analysis was conducted by BMT and a local wave model was customized to generate a 9 year time series of wave spectra at the client s site along with the corresponding wind, water level and current conditions. These spectra were directly coupled to the BMT REMBRANDT DMA model for simulating the dynamic response Hovmuller diagram showing the propagation of wave energy variance through time (days on the vertical axis) of a moored ship. At each hindcast moment the motion response and the mooring line tensions could be checked for operability against predefined criteria. This led to a 9 year data-set with information at each time step on the motion response, the operational and the survival workability. This gave a much more favorable operability than originally expected. The method also allows information on the limiting conditions to be generated by analyzing the conditions associated with operational downtime. Such an approach can be even more important when analyzing the survival workability of turret moored FPSOs, where the occurrence of cross seas (sea and swell from different directions) is even more important. The FPSO tends to align itself in the direction of the external forces minimizing roll motions. However, the occurrence of cross seas makes some roll inevitable and capturing the response to these in a realistic way is essential to gain understanding of the workability. After obtaining an accurate estimate of the workability, limiting conditions can be obtained by analyzing the downtime events and making use of the BMT spectral portioning tool for identification of multiple swell systems. 4 5

4 BMT Employee Spotlights - New Faces and Key Contacts Andrew Bridson Alex Byasse Gary Chow BMT Asia Pacific Pte Ltd has appointed Andrew as its new Business Development Manager based in Singapore. With over 13 years experience in the oil and gas, energy and marine sectors, he will lead the company in developing current and future opportunities in these markets. Andrew has an MBA International Business from the European Business School of London. Alex is a graduate Coastal Engineer for BMT WBM. He previously worked for Lyon Associates in the US where he worked on a Solar Power Initiative for Oahu, Hawaii, with the US Army Corps, and on climate change focused development work for various small, at risk locales in the Pacific (e.g. Tuvalu). At BMT, he focuses on coastal modelling, data analysis and coastal management. Gary recently joined BMT Asia Pacific as a Risk and Optimization Engineer. He has a background in chemical and environmental engineering. The major focus in his new position will be on quantitative risk assessment and process risk in the oil and chemical sector. Andy Brown Neil Charles Andy is the VP of Business Development for BMT Scientific Marine Services, based in Houston. He has over 25 years experience in business development, marketing, commercial documentation, and project management. He previously held senior management positions in Houston and Singapore, responsible for operations throughout the Americas and SE Asia. BMT hired Neil as Director of Projects for BMT Scientific Marine Services. He previously worked with BMT as a Project Manager and was instrumental in helping the company achieve ISO 9001 certification. He will help ensure consistency between projects by designing, implementing and maintaining compliance with processes, procedures and standards. Simon Drummond Simon is a consulting ecologist at BMT WBM. Simon has an Honours Degree in marine ecology and a Master of Science in conservation science, and has over 7 years post-graduate experience in research and environmental consulting. Simon s field of expertise includes aquatic, marine and terrestrial ecology with an emphasis on rigorous statistical designs. Daniel Moran Jesper Nielsen Daniel is a scientist at BMT WBM, with 5 years of postgraduate experience in research and environmental consulting. He has experience in the management and execution of field-based research projects in marine and terrestrial settings, the deployment, collection and maintenance of data logging equipment and in offshore environmental monitoring and impact mitigation. Jesper is a Coastal Engineer with BMT WBM. He received a Bachelor s in Civil Engineering from University of Queensland prior to working with BMT. He is a numerical modeler who, while having simulated coastal systems around the world, specializes in hydrodynamic, wave and sedimentation processes on Australia s East Coast. Matt Schlotterbeck Matt is the new Mechanical Engineering Group Manager based in Escondido. He has a Bachelor s in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly State University and is a Registered Professional Engineer. He previously worked as an Equipment Support Manager at Case Pacific Co for the last nine years. BMT Reliability Consultants to Host Reliability Training Courses BMT Reliabilty Consultants is pleased to announce that its Autumn Training Course Program is now available to support customers in the areas of asset acquisition and through-life operation. Through a selection of public and bespoke courses running through the autumn of 2013, BMT will offer training in: Software Reliability and Safety; Reliability Engineering; Aircraft Maintenance Program Development, Integrated Logistic Support and Reliability Centered Maintenance for project managers, design engineers, safety, reliability and maintenance personnel. With a background in the practical application of supportability, reliability and maintainability techniques across a wide variety of industries and market sectors, the company is well-placed to offer comprehensive technical training. Andrew Cooper, Managing Director of BMT Reliability Consultants, comments: Our breadth of engineering expertise ensures maximum training success, offering globally advanced tools, techniques and principles such as Reliability Centered Maintenance, Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis, and Fault Tree Analysis. Jingze Ze Goh Ze joined BMT as an Electronics Engineer based in the BMT Asia office in Malaysia. He has a Bachelor s in Electronic/Electrical Engineering from University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and has previous experience as a Test Development Engineer at National Instruments (Malaysia) and an Applications Engineer at Vitrox Corporation. Phil Hart Phil joined BMT Scientific Marine Services as the new VP of Operations. He has over 17 years experience in the offshore industry, including project management, technology development, designing and implementing new product lines and company revenue streams, building and directing multiple cross-functional teams and budgeting. Rizwan Sheikh Riz joined BMT Scientific Marine Services as a Senior Data Analyst and Key Account Manager. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering (Fluid Mechanics) and previously worked for 5 years as a Metocean Advisor for Shell Exploration and Production in Malaysia, supporting major upstream projects in the region. He will be based in Fareham, UK. He continues: The training courses aim to equip delegates with an understanding of the issues relating to the design, reliability, safety, maintainability, supportability and associated costs of products and services. For a full breakdown of available courses and to benefit from BMT s engineering support capabilities, please visit: Brandon John Brandon is a new environmental scientist with BMT WBM. He earned his Bachelor s in Chemistry (Environmental) at the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and worked for government and industries there for 3 years. His expertise includes water quality studies, environmental impact assessment/management, environmental auditing and general waste management. Hawk Lee Hawk recently joined BMT Fluid Mechanics in the Kuala Lumpur office as Head of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). He is a Mechanical Engineer with an extensive background in applying CFD to O&G, process engineering, mining, and the automotive industry. His focus will be to support the office modeling team, develop business, and serve as a local point of support for KL clients. Jeremy Visser Jeremy is an Environmental Consultant with BMT WBM. He is completing both his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Environmental Management at the University of Queensland. He has worked with BMT WBM for 4.5 years, specialising in environmental planning, preparaiton and assessment of development approvals, and environmental management. 6 7

5 Spotlight: BMT Oceanica BMT Oceanica is a new addition to the BMT offshore oil and gas segment. Its predecessor, Oceanica Consulting, has proudly delivered quality environmental services for more than 10 years. BMT Oceanica understands the needs of the oil and gas industry and has worked hard to build trusting and long-term relationships with its clients. The company also addresses the regulatory pressures faced by the oil and gas sector, the need for absolute honesty and integrity, and the expectation that environmental monitoring, data analysis and associated reporting will be undertaken to the highest standards. Mark Bailey, Co-Managing Director, noted: With over half of our business being provided for leading international oil and gas companies on Western Australia s northwest shelf, our entire team has a strong appreciation of the value the industry places on protecting our marine environment and enjoys the challenge of working to the very high standards required. BMT Oceanica offers the following services to the oil and gas industry: Marine Environmental Monitoring & Management Environmental Impact Assessment Coastal Surveys Spatial Sciences Project Management & Field Operations Environmental Data Management Environmental Audits and Compliance Assessments Biostatistics & Survey Design To learn more about BMT Oceanica and their services, visit their website at com.au. Americas West Little York Houston, Texas, 77041, USA Tel: Fax: Australia Suite 6, 29 Hood Street Subiaco, Perth Western Australia, WA 6008 Tel: +61 (0) Fax: +61 (0) Asia Pacific Unit A-32-5, Menara UOA Bangsar, No. 5 Jalan Bangsar Utama 1, Kuala Lumpur 59100, Malaysia Tel: Fax: Europe Broadfold House Broadfold Road Bridge of Don Aberdeen, AB23 8EE Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) Follow us Members of DeepStar and RPSEA energy@bmtmail.com