Innovations 27 2015

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I N N O V AT I O N S • V O L . V I I , N O. 3 • 2 0 1 5
4
TRENDS IN OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY
JAMES DRUMMOND
VP GLOBAL OPERATIONS - LLOYD’S REGISTER ENERGY,
ASSET INTEGRITY SERVICES
GlobalPerspective
Reserves are being explored in ever-deeper waters and remote locations where
development requires the oil and gas industry to push the boundaries of existing
technologies.
Last year, Lloyd’s Register Energy published a comprehensive industry report – Oil
And Gas Technology Radar 2014 – which examined the state of technology innovation
within the industry, including the motivators and barriers to implementation. Cost, not
technological capabilities, was identified as the greatest barrier.
“The [international oil companies] have great difficulty replacing their hydrocarbon
reserves, which drives them to go into the most challenging and expensive
environments,” says Duco De Haan, CEO of Lloyd’s Register Drilling Integrity Services. “As a result, costs have
exploded in the last four to five years.”
Nonetheless, technical innovation continues to be a central focus for subsea pipeline owners as they explore
operations at unprecedented new ocean depths.
To support asset integrity management programs, the industry is exploring the use of autonomous underwater
vehicles (AUVs) – which are docked and recharged subsurface – to perform routine visual inspections, free span pipe
monitoring, and cathodic protection surveys that detect corrosion.
In some cases, AUVs could replace current remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and their support vessels,
potentially reducing cost and improving integrity management practices and maintenance activities.
Advancements in data analytics are also playing an increasingly important role in the integrity management
of pipelines. They are giving operators better visibility of the operating health of subsea pumps and the fluids
produced in subsea processing facilities, as well as helping to monitor the condition of the pipeline – including the
use of leak detection systems.
Pipelines, too, are undergoing a technological evolution with the emergence and application of thermoplastic
composite pipes. Both the polymers and fibre materials are composed of typical industry materials. The fibre,
which provides the strength within the composite, is comprised of materials such as glass or graphite fibres
and KEVLAR®.
Another exciting emerging technology is “additive manufacturing” for fabrication of subsea equipment. Since
deepwater processing facilities require thick-walled vessels to contain pressure, equipment such as gravity-based
separators have become large and difficult to transport when fabricated using solid steel plate.
But just as additive manufacturing offers an opportunity to customize materials, these variations from solid
materials can compromise the structural integrity of an asset in ways that would be new to the industry. Clearly, a
deeper understanding of the benefits and barriers to adoption is required.
Innovative new technologies continue to be developed as the easily accessible fields are depleted. These new
technologies bring improvements, but many also bring new limitations,
which require engineers to revisit accepted risk management
techniques, develop appropriate standards, procedures and
methodologies, and apply their experience in new ways.
Lloyd’s Register Energy’s “Oil and Gas Technology Radar"
report is available at:
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