Subsea Pipeline Design Automation Using Digital Field Twin

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to present a cost-effective, user-friendly and highly reliable subsea pipeline design automation framework under the cloud-based digital field twin platform Subsea-XD. The FEED and detail design phase of the subsea pipeline is normally quite long and need to run several analyses sequentially to achieve the desired results. In this cloud-based design automation method, a significant number of calculation hours are saved due to systematic and sequential approach with minimum remediation work by reducing human error. In this proposed design automation framework, all the standard pipeline calculations including code checks are performed through a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) designed in cloud-based digital field twin. In the design phase of the subsea pipeline, some more advanced level pipeline finite element analyses are performed for buckling and walking assessment. The design phase of the subsea pipeline consists of different analytical as well as finite element (FE) calculations which are performed systematically and sequentially in cloud-based digital field twin. Various calculations including wall thickness calculation based on API/DNV/ASME code check, on-bottom stability analysis, pipeline span analysis, pipeline end expansion analysis, out of straightness analysis and pipeline buckling analysis are performed sequentially and systematically in the cloud using the metadata information available from the digital field data. All the standard pipeline calculations are developed using Python API and connected to cloud-based digital twin Subsea-XD. For advanced FE analyses for lateral buckling and pipeline walking, the preliminary susceptibilities are assessed through analytical calculations developed through python- based API. For the pipeline FE analysis for lateral buckling and walking assessment, pre-processor and post-processor are developed in python based on various metadata (pipe data, soil, environment) information available in the subsea digital field. The pipeline design calculation outputs are stored in a standardised report format in the cloud platform. The GUI is developed and the whole pipeline design process is automated through the python API. This design automation approach significantly reduces the total project cost. Integrating all the pipeline design calculations and automated report generation in a cloud-based digital field twin is very much beneficial for the early stages where some changes are expected. This pipeline design automation system relates to cloud-based digital field Subsea XD through API so that it is worked as an integrated system giving 3D digital field diagram as well as all pipeline design calculations in one digital platform.