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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

Embracing technology to deliver an intelligent Scarborough offshore facility

Thomas Pritchard A * and Roy J. Mellows A
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A Woodside Energy Ltd, Perth, WA, Australia.


The APPEA Journal 62 S162-S164 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21138
Accepted: 24 March 2022   Published: 13 May 2022

© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA.

Abstract

The Scarborough gas field is located approximately 375 km offshore the Burrup Peninsula in approximately 900 m water depth. The Scarborough Project will process gas from the field through a new semisubmersible Floating Production Unit (FPU), then through an onshore LNG facility. Woodside’s Operations and Project teams have focussed on enabling safe, reliable, and efficient operations to be realised throughout the facility operating life. Woodside has adopted a justify in, design out, embrace technology approach to meet this requirement. At the heart of this approach is the requirement to minimise the time required for personnel to be present on the facility. This is being achieved by utilising technology in design and innovative equipment and material selection. The FPU will be remotely controlled from an Integrated Remote Operations Centre located in Perth. Critical equipment located offshore will be constantly monitored for condition and performance with data able to be analysed efficiently, enabling effective and timely decisions. An extensive digital environment will be utilised to capture information and allow for intelligent solutions to aid this analysis. Materials and coatings have been selected to meet the design life and reduce maintenance-intensive refurbishment requirements. Offshore equipment can be remotely reset and restarted and includes appropriate sparing to maximise availability. Maintenance and environmental benefits have been realised by selecting electrical alternatives for lifeboats and cranes with a large installed battery system enabling a reduction in spinning reserves. This strategy will result in a lower emissions facility with reduced operating costs and offshore exposure hours.

Keywords: data, digital, floating production unit, maintenance, monitoring, offshore, operations, reliability, remote.

Thomas Pritchard graduated with an Honours degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Adelaide. He has over 20 years experience in the international Oil and Gas industry and is currently the Operations Readiness Manager for the Scarborough development. His experience covers engineering support for offshore fixed gas platforms, design of FPSO’s and oil facilities, commissioning, and start-up. His operational management experience includes LNG, domestic gas, storage, and loading from 5 years at an onshore LNG facility with further experience managing a large logistics portfolio consisting of an onshore and offshore supply base, camp accommodation, residential housing, and facilities maintenance. This breadth of experience was gained both within Australia and postings overseas in the UK and the US working on projects spanning Australia, the North Sea, Africa, the Middle East, and Russia.

Roy Mellows has 20 years of offshore Oil and Gas, project and maintenance execution, maintenance coordination, and maintenance management experience and is currently the Maintenance Manager for the Scarborough development. His operational and maintenance management experience includes senior management roles covering all Woodside FPSO Asset and Operations readiness teams.