A Case Study of an Independent Third Party Review of Subsea HPHT Technologies Designed and Qualified by a Joint Development Agreement

For new High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) subsea technologies deployed in the United States Gulf of Mexico (GoM), the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) currently requires an Independent Third Party (I3P) review of the design and qualification. When these technologies are developed through a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) and involve a significant scope of new product development, the I3P review can become complex, and a lengthy endeavor. This paper outlines the management lessons learned through a case study of an I3P review performed on a JDA for subsea HPHT production equipment. In 2014, an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and four Operators formed a JDA to develop new subsea production technologies for use in the GoM. The OEM has designed the JDA equipment suitable for 20 ksi / 350°F operation subsea, and performed activities to verify and validate the design. An I3P began reviewing the OEM's JDA work in 2016 to verify it meets the acceptance criteria established by industry standards, practices and procedures. Key management lessons from the JDA I3P review's organization, methodology, and practices were studied from an Operator's perspective. This paper describes the selection of the I3P for the JDA. The selection criterion includes the I3P's qualifications, experience, and resource availability. This paper identifies critical leadership attributes required of the I3P review participants: enforcing ground rules; using a common language across the teams; and deploying robust performance management tools. These attributes drive the convergence of the OEM and I3P review activities. Also discussed, are the importance of a mature OEM document register for timeliness and completeness of document availability for I3P review, and the need for streamlined procedures with a collaborative working approach to manage Findings from the I3P review. It discusses the value of standardizing I3P review reports, to convey the results of verification and validation activities to BSEE clearly and concisely. The paper concludes with identifying some pitfalls to be aware of when executing an I3P review. The results of studying an ongoing JDA I3P review as described in this paper provide useful guidance for Operators or OEMs in planning and executing I3P reviews of HPHT technology development programs. The case study's key lessons can aid others to implement an I3P review effectively and efficiently for BSEE's acceptance of new HPHT technology.