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RAM analysis on floating production storage and offloading vessels FPSO Industrychallenges
The demand for energy extends the exploration and production of oil and gas to increasingly remote and harsh environments. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) are the most effective option for theprocessingandstorageofoilandgasinchallengingenvironments.AnimportantfactorforchoosinganFPSOas asolutionisthefeasibilitytooperateinremoteandsmallerfields. Duringallstagesoftheprojectlifecycleanumberofquestionsmustbeansweredtoensurethebestperformance: Whatistheproductionefficiencyforthedesignatedbasecase? Howdoesproductionefficiencyvaryforthealternatescenarios? Whatistheoptimumredundancyforcriticalsystems? Whatistheimpactofmaintenanceandlogisticsissues? Whatistheimpactofoperationalflexibility(e.g.linepack)? WhatistheincrementalNPVforthealternatescenariosagainstthebasecase? AUTHOR: Victor Borges, DNV Software DATE: February 2013

Theanswersarefoundthroughaprovenmethodology:Reliability,AvailabilityandMaintainability(RAM)analysis. ThroughRAManalysisitispossibletoanalyseandimprovetheproductionefficiencyofassets,safelyand responsibly.

WhyRAManalysis?
RAManalysishasbeenassistingallthemajoroilandgascompaniespredicttheperformanceofassets

duringallstagesofthelifecycle,fromtheconceptualphasetodecommissioningoftheplant.
WhenintegratingRAManalysiswiththeoperationalconstraintsandtypicalindustryspecificparameters,it becomesapowerfulassetmanagementmethodologygivingamuchmorerealisticandcompletepictureofthe performance.

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Benefits
The first and most important benefit of running a RAM analysis is the reduction of uncertainty associated with complex systems. Through RAM analysis you will be able to more fully comprehend your assets performance profileanditsbottlenecks. Another crucial benefit is the ability to improve your understanding of the FPSO operation. By combining your experience in operational procedures of the asset with this powerful analysis, a simulation model that accurately reflects the failure patterns and proposed operating strategy for a the FPSO is possible. This leads to accurate resultsonproductionefficiencythroughoutthefieldlife: Achievedproductionefficiencyandproductionlosses Rankofcriticalsystems,equipmentandmodesoffailure Adetailedresultforthenumberofvesselsinterventiontakingintoaccountmobilisationtimeandhours ofusagebrokendownbyactivity Operationalcosts,revenuelossesandthroughlifeNPVreductionbecauseofsubseafailures/activities.

Figure1:productionoverthelifeofthesystem

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Figure2:criticalityanalysispointingwhatisthemostcriticalequipmentinthewholesystem

Figure3:Bufferresults

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Whichparametersshouldbeconsidered?
ARAMstudyallowsadetailedsimulationforFPSOfacilitieswhichincorporatekeysystemparameters,suchas: Failuredistributions Repairdistributions Abilitytomodellogicaleventstorepresentoperationalstrategiesorconstraints Variousplannedinterventionstrategies Impactofweatheroninterventiondurations Vesselavailabilityconstraints(seasonalissues,numberofvessels) Individualwellproductionprofiles,includingademandprofile Wellsphasinginandoutoverthedurationoflife Multiproductconstrains Economicparameters(mobilisationcosts,dayrates,oilpriceetc,economiccutoffdatesfor interventions)

Figure4:exampleofflownetwork

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Figure5:definitionofdifferentlocationsformaintenanceresources

Figure6:exampleReliabilityBlockDiagram

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Figure7:equipmentdefinition

Figure8:flowprofile

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Conclusion:
A RAM study will support decisionmaking that will optimise oil and gas productions at facilities in a safe and responsible way. A software package makes it possible to efficiently take into account all the important parameters. By the end of the project, the model will become a unique source of information comprising information from reservoirprofilestoequipmentfailuredata.

Abouttheauthor:
VictorBorges,RAMProductManageratDNVSoftware,isachemicalengineerwithyearsofexperienceperforming RiskandReliabilityanalysisforassetsintheoilandgasindustry.HeisresponsibleforDNVsworldleading simulationsoftwarepackagesMaros(Maintainability,Availability,Reliability,Operability,Simulation)andTaro (TotalAssetReliabilityandOptimisation).