Deep Water Consultancy and Engineering Services partnered with us at IngresQR to bring cutting edge augmented reality to offshore General Visual Inspections (GVI) and functionality testing on board FPSO Mystras. FPSO Mystras services the Okpoho and Okono fields, OML 119.
The Okono field produces oil from subsea wells tied-back to the Mystras FPSO located at the field. Oil from Okpoho is produced via a platform linked to the FPSO by pipeline. Oil is exported from the FPSO by shuttle tanker
The inspection was aimed at identifying defective and aging components that need to be either upgraded or changed out completely. In the short term, it was also to identify anomalies currently being experienced offshore pertaining to subsea dependent units.
1. UNITS INSPECTED
The GVI and functionality status of all subsea units on board the Mystras FPSO covered the following assets.
- Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU)
- Topsides Umbilical Termination Unit (TUTU)
- Riser Hang-Off
- Umbilical Hang-Off
- Well Control Panel
- Motor Control Unit
- Chemical Injection Unit
- UPS
- Controls System
- Emergency Shutdown System
- Instrument Air Shutdown System
2. Augmented Reality in GVI
The RealWear HMT-1Z1 (intrinsically safe) headset, running the Pinnacle Digital Industrial Worker (PDIW) application was used to provide augmented inspection capability to the DWS personnel carrying out the GVI. The headset and application were used to inspect the HPU, TUTU, Riser and Umbilical Hang-Off, Well Control Panel, Motor Control Unit, and Chemical injection Unit.
2.1. Pre-inspection Setup
Leading up to the inspection, DWC and IngresQR engineers collaborated in transforming what would usually be a purely manual, human engagement into a technology enabled, value-based inspection.
The following steps bring to life the pre-inspection activities which enabled the use of the technology in the GVI.
Inspection steps for each unit to be inspected where collated and evaluated for completeness and accuracy
Inspection steps were collated and converted to a smart procedure with validation checkpoints in the PDIW application. Pictures were added in as integral to the steps where applicable to digitally enable the inspection engineer.
See below some of the Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) inspection steps which are part of the smart procedure in the PDIW application as viewed by the engineer on the Realwear HMT-1Z1
- Remote Access through the PDIW application was provisioned for NPDC (in Lagos) and DWC land support (in Lagos) personnel who would remotely join the inspection session.
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2.2. Unit GVI and Remote Support Enabled by the RealWear HMT1 and The PDIW Application
The inspection engineers inspected the HPU, TUTU, Riser and Umbilical Hang-Off, Well Control Panel, Motor Control Unit, and Chemical Injection Unit enabled by the RealWear HMT1 and The PDIW Application.
The engineer followed the smart procedural steps shown above which were loaded on the PDIW application running on the HMT-1Z1. See pictures of the inspection in progress below.
The inspection engineer on board the FPSO was able to coordinate with the land support team, which followed the inspection via remote access enabled via the PDIW application.
This remote access was enabled through the ‘see what I see – SWIS’ feature of the PDIW application which provided a video and voice channel through which the inspection engineer and the land support team (comprising DWC and NPDC personnel) could collaborate on the tasks.
3. Value Realized by Enabling the Inspection Team with Augmented Reality
General Visual Inspections have been part of the process of ensuring the integrity of assets are maintained for decades.
There has been an exponential growth in technology adoption across all industries.
Augmented Reality is one of such technologies that has seen its application drive value across multiple industries. With the integration of AR into the GVI process, there will be extended value in conducting these GVIs.
3.1. Improved Inspection Efficiency and Effectiveness
Inspection speed and accuracy was improved by AR enablement of the inspection engineer. It allowed the engineer to be quicker in identifying the parts to be inspected and also gave the inspection engineer the specific steps to thoroughly inspect the parts and outlined what to do in the event that an issue was identified.
This meant as much as a 30% improvement in inspection engineer productivity.
3.2. Reduction in Safety Hazards
With the integration of AR into the GVI on board FPSO Mystras, there was a reduction in safety hazards associated with flying multiple people out to the location with hazards associated with an offshore production environment.
With the AR ‘see what I see – SWIS’ feature, all personnel or critical stakeholders who did not travel to the site were provided with an immersive, minute-by-minute involvement with the inspection.
3.3. Reduction in Covid 19 Exposure
The world is still being ravaged by the Covid 19 pandemic and social distancing is still the best solution to help humanity combat this pandemic until a vaccine is developed.
Augmented Reality technology that underpinned the FPSO Mystras GVI, enabled reduced exposure of personnel to the pandemic as number of personnel who needed to travel to the FPSO for this inspection was reduced.
This however didn’t mean that they were exempt from the inspections. They participated via this AR technology from the comfort of their homes or offices without being exposed to the virus.
3.4. Reduction in Inspection Cost.
Any work execution at site, especially offshore comes with substantial cost. Some of these costs include but are not limited to:
- Flights to and from the offshore facility
- Accommodation and meals onboard the FPSO
- Amenity costs onboard the location
These costs were avoided as DWC and NPDC engineers who supported the inspection from Abuja and Lagos did not need to travel to the FPSO.
See Also: How To Effortlessly Integrate Augmented Reality in Oil Gas Operations
