Engineering Poster E6: Route selection with artificial intelligence: pseudocode and demonstration of a multi-use artificial intelligence algorithm to perform offshore pipeline, cable and umbilical route selection and optimisation
Drew Sage A *A Genesis, Perth, WA, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21418
Published: 3 June 2022
Abstract
Poster E6
Routing pipelines, cables and umbilicals in offshore locations represents a key activity with potential impacts for design, installation and operation. Deficient routing may result in (a) increased offshore construction durations (b) requirements for engineered mitigations from geophysical/geotechnical constraints and (c) unforeseen requirements for intervention during operations. Despite this, offshore route selection is restricted to repetitive, inefficient, and iterative processes between draughters, engineers and asset owners. Now, digital technologies enable optimised solutions for cables and pipelines. This paper presents the development and application of a complex routing algorithm using modern software code frameworks. The algorithm serves as an artificial intelligence platform by replicating engineering expertise. This identifies commonly encountered routing constraints such as geophysical features, seabed gradients, existing offshore facilities. Ideal geometric parameters are then determined to minimise route costs. The algorithm structure will be presented in pseudocode, which will define/describe the digital simulation of route selection within the algorithm. This includes sequences such as (a) processing of offshore geotechnical survey data, (b) recreating offshore locales and routes in a data environment, (c) implementation of geospatial intersection detection, (d) 3-dimensional route length optimisation and (e) automated route selection criteria. This replicates the sequence of manual processes undertaken by engineering experts into a digital realm, thus eliminating time-consumption, repetition and human error. Finally, the algorithm will be demonstrated in offshore case studies with challenging conditions such as highly disturbed seabeds and routing obstacles. Thus, engineers in the future developments can better answer the question ‘What is the best route?’.
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Keywords: artificial intelligence, cables, engineering, field development, geohazards, offshore pipelines, pseudocode, routing, subsea, umbilicals.
Drew Sage is a Process Engineer with 25 years of engineering and management experience in all project phases on both greenfield and brownfield projects. Drew is skilled at both sponsoring and leading studies, in addition to managing high performing technical teams to achieve high value outcomes. Drew has experience working directly for operators, consultants and engineering contractors which gives him a broad, yet detailed, understanding of what is required to manage stakeholders. Drews' key technical skills are in field development planning and front-end development of offshore oil and gas facilities using fixed and floating platforms, subsea developments, onshore facilities, and renewable solutions. Drew is also a specialist in the concept development and design of unmanned, not normally manned, and minimum manned offshore facilitie |
