In this issue: Achieving a step change in safety, USCG’s big picture view of offshore safety, Brazil’s regulatory and safety evolution
Date: 2011-05-25
Special OTC edition
DNV will have a strong presence at OTC with technical presentations and an exhibition stand to welcome customers, share DNV news and discuss the important issues of the day.
Achieving a step change in safety
Many offshore companies are taking a closer look at critical equipment and systems. But to achieve a step change in safety, DNV has proposed a far more comprehensive approach to managing risk.
DNV position paper validated by reports
After the Macondo well blowout accident, DNV published a Position Paper suggesting changes to the US offshore safety regime with the aim of achieving a step change improvement in offshore safety and environmental performance. The recently released Presidential Oil Spill Investigation Panel report and the BP Investigation both validate DNV’s position, as explained by Robin Pitblado, DNV Director for HSE Risk Management Services.
USCG’s big picture view of offshore safety
The Deepwater Horizon explosion and Macondo Well blowout have drawn global attention to the regulatory regimes for offshore exploration and production activities. Jeff Lantz, Director of Commercial Standards and Regulations of the U.S. Coast Guard offers some interesting insights into the US regulatory regime for offshore safety.
Will the US warm up to the safety case approach?
Although the safety case approach is well known in the UK, Europe, Australia and parts of the Middle East, not many people in the US are familiar with this type of offshore regulatory regime. Robin Pitblado, DNV Director for HSE Risk Management Services, explains the terminology and different approaches to implementing safety case requirements.
DNV launches shared Hull Integrity Management service
DNV’s Hull Integrity Management (HIM) is an innovative web-based service designed to improve maintenance, streamline reporting, facilitate inspections and avoid downtime due to unanticipated repair work during renewal surveys for classification.
Dry Tree Semi – New Deepwater Floater?
Floating Production Units around the globe mainly consist of ship-shaped FPSOs, TLPs, Semis and Deep Draft Floaters like the Spar concept. The actual selection of a floating system involves a mixture of multiple technical evaluations/constraints.
Golar LNG: Fast-tracking innovation
With floating regas units operating in South America, Europe and the Middle East, Golar LNG Energy has recently won another FSRU contract in Asia. But with a tight deadline, the company has little time to celebrate.
DNV introduces the industry’s first certificate for managing software risk
The increasing complexity of onboard software-operated systems represents a significant safety and business risk for owners and operators of offshore assets. With renewed industry focus on this critical but often poorly managed operational component, DNV has developed the world’s first certificate for Integrated Software Dependent Systems (ISDS).
DNV releases DYNPOS ER notation
In response to rapid changes in dynamic positioning (DP) technologies, DNV has launched a new, flexible and efficient DP notation developed to allow owners to optimise fuel usage and reduce operational costs, while maintaining high integrity towards loss of position and heading.
Sigma Mooring System
With limited modification, quayside installation, no dry docking, minimal hull invasion and a cost reduction of some 30%, Aberdeen-based Sigma Offshore claims its smart mooring system will take mooring and fluid transfer systems into a new era.
The Cape Wind project
According to Christian Nerland, Project Responsible and Head of Department for Cleaner Energy in Houston, DNV’s involvement in the Cape Wind project, and indeed its long-term goal for similar work in the US wind offshore market, is to cover the entire value chain, from early phase studies such as Enterprise Risk Management, due diligence and energy or resource assessment via type certification, testing and technical analysis, all the way through to operational aspects when the projects come online.
Brazil’s regulatory and safety evolution
Conventional thinking is that all regulations for offshore drilling are now being driven by the information flowing from numerous Deepwater Horizon investigations, most notably the USCG/BOEMRE Joint Investigation, the Presidential Commission, the forensic investigation of the blow out preventer, BP’s own fact-finding and review and the National Academy of Engineering/National Research/National Research Council analysis of the causes of the Macondo well blowout tragedy.
Time to rethink risk
Risk, that simple, single syllable, four letter word, deals with the complex questions about the probable frequencies and the probable consequences of actions, decisions and events. Risk is now part of the general vocabulary of a more informed public, legislators and regulators and it is carefully considered throughout the energy industry.
Pioneering wind turbine installation
Established in 2008, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier is a new player in the wind turbine installation market. But with two purpose-built vessels now under construction, the company is preparing to take a bold step into this growing segment.
Ensuring the integrity of aging wells
The result of the growth of oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico has lead to deployment of a wide range of well designs and materials which today are in varying state of aging. A recent article in Oil and Gas Journal reported that over 14,000 existing wells are present in the Gulf of Mexico.
HHI Offshore boasts a booming order book
At the beginning of 2011, Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Offshore and Engineering Division won orders to build the Q204 FSPO and Clair Ridge Fixed Platform for BP, the Bazan Offshore Gas Plant for RasGas, and a Semi-Submersible Heavy Lift Vessel (SSHLV) for Dockwise which can carry 110,000-tonne supersized offshore units.
Eide Marine: Where innovation meets success
In an industry where it is all too easy to play it safe, Eide Marine Services took a chance by engineering a unique design for a light workover well intervention unit. The ship shaped column-stabilized unit features an innovative hull shape that offers many operational benefits, but can be built at a lower cost than a conventional rig – a smart solution that helped the company win its largest contract to date.
LNG’s bright future in the Americas
In February 2011, DNV released “Greener Shipping in North America” which looks at the three options for owners to choose from to meet new emissions control area (ECA) requirements in North America: Switch to low sulfur fuel within the ECA areas, install scrubbers to remove the sulfur from the exhaust gas or switch to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Expanding collaboration on drilling and well systems guideline
DNV’s on-going joint industry project (JIP) on structural integrity of drilling and well systems has received a great deal of interest and several new participants have joined. “Since the project will deliver a important international guideline on this hot topic I hope that even more key international players will join with their expertise in order to improve drilling safety,” says Lars-Tore Haug, project responsible at DNV.
Dolphin Drilling: Taking the lead in software risk management
As the industry’s first drilling contractor to qualify for DNV’s class certificate for Integrated Software Dependent Systems (ISDS), Dolphin Drilling is leading the way on software-related risk management.
Rise in drilling activity creates demand for more specialised risk management
Increased demand for energy has created a boom in offshore drilling. But with more complex automation systems being installed on new and aging units, the industry faces significant challenges.
DNV releases new Offshore Technical Guidance
DNV has released the Offshore Technical Guidance (OTG-02 “Floating Liquefied Gas Terminals”), representing the latest DNV and industry lessons on tackling design and construction issues for floating LNG terminals.