Profile: Total's Daniel Picard Kristin: The First HPHT ... - Aker Solutions

Major DifferenceThe major difference to any other platform is theamount of exotic materials required to cope withthe wellstream.“We have 94 percent white steel onpipework systems. Exotic steels, titanium, austeneticand superaustenetic feature in this floatingfacility too. I have never been close to anythinglike that,” Elverhaug notes. A second Kristin differentiatoris the criticality of the topsides weight.Extensive use has been made of FRP grating onlarge areas of the topsides and aluminum featureson decks, stairs, gangways, handrails, and tanks.Looming on the horizon is the date for deckand hull mating – August 2004. The hull is due toarrive at Aker Stord at the end of July aboard theMighty Servant 1 from Samsung Heavy Industriesin South Korea. Elverhaug is certain he can meetthat date. “We have had an extremely short constructionperiod,” he says. “We have had to build12,000 tons topside in 13 months.” Normally hewould have four to six months longer to constructtopsides this size. Additionally the living quartersmodules with 2,040 tons and a riser balcony of4,230 tons have to be integrated with the deck.That is where Aker Kvaerner’s project executionmodel has fulfilled its crucial role in keepingthe project on track, guiding project planningand construction. “We have built a model thatcontains the engineering, procurement, constructionand commissioning work. The essential partof that was the construction method,” he explains.ControlElverhaug stresses three main issues forKristin: “Control, control and control.Normally when a project goes wrong you havelost control without knowing it.” He cites aclassic example where a project’s design basisis not sufficiently mature at the start of theengineering, procurement and construction(EPC) phase. Either design work is incompleteor insufficient money has been spent investigatingall aspects. “If you go ahead, you neversee the consequences before the next phase orthe phase after.” So careful planning, controland management of changes and interfaceshave been important on Kristin.Much of that care and control falls to TomHenningsen, Kristin’s Planning Manager, whois responsible for a “precedence network,” whichbrings all project engineering, procurement andconstruction activities together in the correctand logical sequence.He identifies three key ingredients for successon Kristin. Firstly, the project executionmodel interrelates all engineering, procurementThe mistress, meeting quality requirements, is being completed on schedule.“Aker Kvaerner’s ability to maintain the overall installationprogram as we go along has been very importantfor the execution of the project so they are on schedule.”Kristin field development.“They have reason to beproud of their projectexecution model.”Loading of manifolds from KvaernerEgersund Yard in Norway.and fabrication activities in a logical and costefficientsequence by providing detailed descriptionsof standard milestones which have to beachieved, addressing both quantity and quality.MethodologySecondly, the construction methodology optimizesthe most cost-efficient fabrication andassembly sequence within the time constraints.Thirdly, the precedence network containsall the Kristin construction data. “You start withfabrication,” he says. “The question is ‘Howcan we execute the fabrication most efficiently– that is very important in Norway where ourlabor costs are very high.’”Once a fabrication methodology is decided,all engineering and procurement activities arerelated. All this information is fed into theprecedence network, resulting in up to 30,000separate construction activities being identified.“We have never had that many activitiesbefore,” he comments. “Some 15,000 of themare fabrication related, and the rest are engineeringand procurement related.”He says the project execution model definesmilestones which have to be reached, indicatingwhat has to be done when, to what extent and tothe right quality, and by whom. “The project executionmodel is giving the mindset for the people.”ManagementBård Heimset has been pleased with the projectmanagement and change control practiced byAker Kvaerner. “They have reason to be proudof their project execution model,” he says.“Under the engineering, procurement, constructionand hook-up (EPCH) activities, theyhave a sound project execution program overall,where they had an early focus (on critical items)and they were proactive about an early startwhich was critical to the engineering and particularlythe procurement activities. Togetherwe have had a good focus on change control andinterface control between the various schedules.”He continues, “Aker Kvaerner’s ability tomaintain the overall installation program as wego along has been very important for the executionof the project so they are on schedule.”Statoil has implemented its own computerbasedplant information management (PIM)system for Kristin, which has been made availableto all vendors through Aker Kvaerner. Inreturn, Statoil gets all its project information fedinto PIM through Aker Kvaerner’s own centralproject system tools (CPST), enabling access toAker Kvaerner’s latest operational informationon the project – effectively a two-way street forinformation. This electronic system has beenused for approving and issuing information,engineering diagrams and documents.“That type of approval will happen more,”says Heimset. “You get rid of paper. It is a verygood way to get information around to people.1213