The recent resurgence of interest in Integrated Operations (IO) and Integrity Management (IM) for the oil and gas industry has triggered necessary discussions of why revisiting these ideas and initiatives is important to the future of the industry. By implementing IO and IM programs and initiatives, operators gain an advantage in achieving increased recovery, reduction of operating expenses (OPEX), efficiency in execution, and optimization of asset availability. More than ever, the operator is held accountable by company stakeholders to determine rationalization when implementing any new program. This paper is to provide supportive rationale that the operator needs in choosing the subsea system provider as the best equipped to develop the intelligence engine driving its IO and IM programs.
The key to a successful IO and IM program design and implementation lies in the provider's proven history of experience and competence in the areas of well completion, production flow management, power distribution (hydraulic and electrical), controls (subsea and topside), installation, intervention, and life of field services and support. On both the technical and logistical sides of IO, expertise in these areas lends to the provider a better comprehension and applicable tools essential to the successful and effective implementation of a real-time diagnostics system and the associated support services program, including:
Risk identification
Risk mitigation
Performance attributes and trends (system and component)
Preventative maintenance program enhancement
Failure modes (system and component)
Performance indicator algorithm development
System integration
Event response support and counsel
Timely intervention planning
Improved intervention execution
After being presented with this information, the IM program management of the operating company will understand why their program's success is greatly increased when it is backed by a reliable partnership with a subsea system supplier. Additionally, the operator will possess a clear set of criteria to help them evaluate potential suppliers of this valuable support piece ensuring them continuous and reliable production operations over the life of the field.
