Digitally Transforming Offshore Production: Making Low-Manned Brownfield Installations a Reality

Abstract

This paper outlines an approach for de-manning brownfield offshore production installations. It discusses how the latest advancements in rotating equipment, electrical & automation systems, and digitalization can be applied to reduce operating costs, lower breakeven prices, and extend the lifetime of existing/aging fields. The approach is value-rather than technology-driven and focuses on prioritizing investments based on return on investment (ROI) to enable low-manned operations as a stepping-stone towards unmanned installations. The paper discusses key facets of a holistic de-manning strategy, including: Remotely controlled production operations Predictive analytics to reduce unplanned downtime and extend mean time between overhauls (MTBO) Automated inspections Remote collaboration Unified data management Change management The concepts presented in the paper are derived from the authors’ company's work implementing digital solutions for customers in both onshore and offshore oil and gas, and power generation industries. It also draws on the results of an in-depth onshore field de-manning study that was conducted for a major Middle East national oil company (NOC).