There is pressure on the industry to increase reliability and reduce risk on complex equipment and systems.
The blowout preventer (BOP) for example, is a critical component and is the last line of defence to protect life, property, and the environment from well control events and possible subsequent blowout. While the basic functionality of the BOP has not changed in 40 years, the incremental changes that have occurred in recent years could be described as an evolution.
Advances in sensor technology now permit more accurate methods of BOP condition monitoring. Fibre-optic sensing technology and strain gauges have evolved to deliver real-time operating data on what is happening inside a BOP by installing sensors on the outside shell. With this knowledge, signal patterns are then used to assess degradation of the BOP functions and any failures.
Monitoring the BOP from the outside has the advantage of gathering data through a system that can be interfaced with risk-based integrity management software and smart monitoring systems that analyse real-time control variances and trends. This provides operators, contractors, and regulators with a risk-based and transparent decision-making tool for safer drilling, as well as immediate and consistent communications between all stakeholders in the event of a subsea BOP equipment failure.
Innovation in the oil and gas sector is drawing on a critical mass of changes in a range of technologies, rather than any single breakthrough. As the recent Lloyd’s Register Technology Radar survey identifies, a variety of technologies look set to have a significant impact in the coming years, including several relating to extending the life of existing assets, such as enhanced oil and gas recovery (EOR).
In terms of near-term impact, on the boardroom agenda is automation, including remote and subsea operation, as firms seek to cope with challenging environments. High-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) drilling and multi-stage fracking are also expected to have a major impact, but are only believed to become mainstream by around 2020. Just as important will be the more effective use of data, as many future breakthroughs will involve bits and bytes rather than physical hardware.
Tomorrow’s leading operators will likely be those that find the most effective ways of combining different technologies to add to an expanding systems tool kit.
Modern offshore systems and processes are becoming increasingly integrated and complex, requiring comprehensive levels of technical understanding and experience. While a key element of independent assurance is understanding the risks surrounding physical assets within the energy sector, technology is also advancing to provide better understanding of the decisions that need to be made and how people should interact with those assets.
Will industry be able to remove human error totally? A decade from now it could be achieveable. The answer lies in how technology can be integrated to expand the human senses and help organisations to focus on performing better. The journey starts with a deep understanding of how people, plant, and processes interact and requires the integrity to exercise clear judgement. Game-changing technologies will continue to shape our energy industry, but our ability to operate first needs to catch up with the speed of Industry 4.0.
