A Data-Centric Omnichannel Digital Platform for Configuring Subsea Field Developments
Authors: Morgan Rhys Gareth , Parenteau Thomas , Priyadarshi Hemant , Mathakari Sachin Vijay , Le-Nel Malo , Lefebvre Nicolas , Somabathula Joydeep , Prin Kévin Le , Jetter Patrick 
Published: August 2021

Subsea field development planning can be a complicated undertaking requiring the coordination and collaboration of multiple engineering and commercial disciplines with competing objectives. Thus, finding the optimal development solution can be challenging. To combat this, a data-centric omnichannel digital platform for configuring subsea field developments has been created. The study workflow orchestrated by the digital platform is detailed along with an overview of the data model, functionality, and deliverables. A case study is presented to demonstrate the value delivered using this digital platform.

The digital platform is inherently collaborative as it orchestrates specialist engineering tools and their workflows around the same data for study teams to configure subsea development solutions. The platform is composed of:

A web-based graphical user interface that allows discipline and product engineers to collaboratively configure the system, products, planning and costing for an entire subsea field development scenario, leveraging the same base data i.e., a single source of truth. A proprietary data model covering system, product (e.g., hardware or equipment), activity planning and costing breakdowns, and; Microservices that directly attach engineering tools and their workflows to the digital platform to automate product design and analysis.

A case study is presented to demonstrate the use of the digital platform on a subsea field development prospect and a qualitative comparison with the conventional way of working is made. The case study illustrates the use of a digital hardware configurator (subsea tree system configuration) and the automated planning workflow for an EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation) prospect enabled by the digital platform. The results of the case study demonstrate the platform values and benefits the digital platform delivers. The benefits are underpinned by the automated data transfer, the versioning functionality, software logic, and the common base data used by the microservices. The benefits that have been found when compared with the conventional way of working include:

Faster validation of alternative development scenarios, meaning that more concepts and sensitivities can be investigated in the same length of time; A reduction in the overall lead time and person hours required to configure and optimize a field development solution; Design risk reduction, and; Efficient and consistent transition of data via virtual handovers.

This paper demonstrates a new approach for subsea field development planning using a data-centric omnichannel digital platform called Subsea Studio™ FD, which is shown to deliver benefits over the conventional document-centric way of working. The digital platform brings multiple engineering disciplines together to configure optimal development solutions, accounting for competing objectives. It initiates the digital thread through the project lifecycle and will ultimately culminate in a digital twin during project execution, which can be leveraged throughout the life-of-field to optimize operations.