Reduced manning with improved safety and reliability: how classification societies and digital solutions can support operators

Abstract

The oil and gas industry is moving steadily towards automation and remote control of processes, which has the added advantage of removing personnel from the immediate danger of the offshore workplace. However, significant challenges remain to be met before the more complex type of offshore facility (especially floating facilities) can be operated fully unmanned, particularly when it comes to maintenance and repair campaigns. In particular, even though human life may be protected, the consequence of a major pollution incident occurring as a result of lack of sufficient manned surveillance is increasingly unacceptable in today’s society, and solutions have to protect these requirements as well. With today’s technologies and the pace of innovation, it is not difficult to envisage facilities in the near future where manned intervention is reduced to a far lower level than currently prevalent, perhaps even eliminated as robotics steadily advance. We can already begin to consider design features and systems that will make new facilities ready for such advances so that projects can absorb benefits from innovation as it occurs. The role of independent bodies such as the classification societies is to assess the design, construction and operation of offshore facilities and issue certification that gives regulators, financiers and insurers alike the confidence to support developments. For floating facilities this includes formal classification and a requirement for detailed knowledge of the state of the structure. This paper explores the methods that the classification society can use to support the aims of the offshore industry for reduced manning with improved safety and reliability.