SS: Floating Systems Integrity Management: Effective Fleet Management Strategy for Floating Assets - An Operator's Perspective
Authors: Bhattacharjee Subir , Angevine Doug , Sandstrom Robert E. 
Published: July 2009

This paper provides a broad overview of a general framework adopted by ExxonMobil Production Company (EMPC1) to promote and achieve performance excellence in asset integrity management across our global network of production operations. The paper highlights how EMPC uses a structured risk based philosophy and enabling processes for planning, execution, and tools that are essential to its integrity management framework. EMPC's portfolio of very large and complex deepwater fields is rapidly growing. Many of our new production assets operate in less developed areas of the world. While these operating conditions may be different, a producer's view of asset performance in terms of production reliability and integrity remain unchanged. The growing scope of integrity management leads to strategies to manage risks on a consistent basis across the portfolio. Achieving an effective risk based strategy requires a disciplined approach. The goals of this paper are to (1) raise industry awareness of effective fleet management strategies in challenging environments, (2) help Class Societies take a more effective approach in incorporating RBI plans in their recommended practices, and (3) facilitate an exchange of ideas in this rapidly developing field.

Introduction

Over the last decade, the number of floating assets has increased significantly for most operators. Many of these are in remote areas, where a thoroughly planned and executed integrity management becomes all the more critical. Several of these fields are also in harsh environments with limited weather windows for routine maintenance. Some are in deepwater and have a very complex field architecture putting a higher demand on the integrity planning. Several of the assets, especially the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units, are converted tankers with a long cumulative service life, with its associated structural integrity challenges. All of these factors call for a well planned integrity management system to ensure asset integrity and minimize production downtime.

The general principles outlined in this paper will provide some insight and experience on EMPC's approach to successful asset integrity management and the challenges EMPC faces. We discuss the general scope of the integrity and reliability management framework, the organization and the process by which the plan is executed, the primary tools used including the risk based inspection (RBI) plan, the performance indicators used to measure the effectiveness of the program and the overall assessment and feedback used for continuous improvement of the system.

The Floating Fleet Under Direct Operatorship

EMPC currently operates 13 fields with floating production systems (Table 1). On these fields, there are 15 floating units. These include two tension leg platforms (TLP), two floating storage and offloading (FSO) units, 9 floating production, storage and offloading units (FPSO), one floating production system (FPS) and one deep draft caisson vessel (DDCV) commonly referred to as a Spar. In addition, there are a number of offloading systems of the catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM) configuration. These assets produce a combined total of around two million barrels of oil per day.