energize oil & gas 01/2011 - GL Group

offshore fpso
BROWN: The first FPSO Forum was held in 1998 and
the event – which is held twice a year – is now acknowl-
edged to be one of the most important opportunities for
industry experts to discuss technology-focused topics sur-
FIM.
rounding the use of FPSOs. Forums are held in the middle
of so-called “JIP Weeks” where the steering
The aim is to ensure
management and
continuous follow-up
teams of a number of Joint Industry Projects
(JIP) share knowledge and experiences.
of floating units from
During these meetings, progress reports are
a safety, environmental,
operational,
maintenance and
given on several active JIPs such as those studying
fatigue, computational fluid dynamics (CFD),
quality management mooring integrity, corrosion and rogue waves.
viewpoint. The JIP meetings are closed to the media, allow-
Aberdeen.
The latest FPSO
Forum, organized
by GL Noble
Denton, was held
in the Scottish oil
capital of Europe.
ing participants to speak freely and to share experiences,
whether good or bad, in confidence. To date, meetings have
been focused on hydrodynamic, structural and marine issues.
ENERGIZE: An FPSO can be described as a cross between a
ship and an oil processing facility. How does this affect GL
Noble Denton’s approach to working with such vessels?
Hybrid.
FPSOs are a cross between a
ship and an oil processing
facility.
BROWN: Seeking a balance between the marine and pro-
cess functions is one of our industry’s key challenges. The
two aspects require very different technical backgrounds,
and it is important to get the balance right between these
disciplines. Due to production demands and the remote
areas FPSOs operate in, these units are only dry-docked
for exceptional repair and maintenance needs. If GL Noble
Denton engineers and designers are involved from the start
of the design process then we are in a position to identify
opportunities for safe, efficient life-long operations together
with tangible cost savings at this vital early stage. Introducing
concepts such as Floater Integrity Management
(FIM) at an early design stage is key to a successful and
productive life of an FPSO. It includes recommendations
on inspection, maintenance and repair based on a project
specific risk-based assessment. It also allows operators to
optimize the value of their oil and gas assets throughout
their life cycle while at the same time reducing the risk of
accidents and production shut downs.
ENERGIZE: How is the cooperation between GL Noble
Denton and owners and operators evolving?
BROWN: FPSO technology has developed significantly since
its introduction in the early 1980s when most vessels were
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