鶹ýӳ

Skip to main content

鶹ýӳStop over-engineering to reset the cost base,鶹ýӳ says Industry Chief at Offshore Europe

Published by , Editor
World 鶹ýӳ,


Speaking at Offshore Europe, David Lamont 鶹ýӳ Chief Executive Officer at Proserv 鶹ýӳ said the North Sea has many years of profitable life ahead if the sector urgently adopts more collaborative and efficient business practices.

He said: 鶹ýӳWe must embrace and rekindle the pioneering spirit that made the North Sea great in the past to ensure the North Sea industry doesn鶹ýӳt fade out prematurely, but really flourishes in its latter years. Despite talk in recent years of the urgent need to act and collaborate, even before the oil price crash, the industry as a whole still has a long way to go. Everyone knows what needs to be done but the inertia in the industry is of great concern. The time is now to put a stop to this and make dynamic changes to the way we act and behave. Changing our approach to how we think and do business will see the industry thrive, rather than simply survive.鶹ýӳ

Challenge the conventional standard

He continued to explain that the industry must challenge the conventional by looking beyond standard practices of simply challenging the supply chain to trim costs. Any material change will only come by changing the fundamentals in the way we work together.

鶹ýӳAs a start, we must stop over-engineering if we are to reset the cost base. Realising the value of the huge number of marginal fields in the UKCS will only be possible if we as an industry collaborate and co-operate to make the most of the existing infrastructure, enhanced only by the most appropriate and efficient technology and engineering know how. Applying the same old engineering practice and business model is simply not an option.鶹ýӳ

Lamont cited American industrialist, Henry Ford: 鶹ýӳcoming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success鶹ýӳ.

鶹ýӳWhile we are seeing real efforts and actions to collaborate, it is still the exception rather than the rule. Too many people in the industry are still holding their breath for a return to the 鶹ýӳgood old days of US$100 oil,鶹ýӳ which simply won鶹ýӳt happen, and even if it does, the practices of the recent past are too wasteful in any case.鶹ýӳ

Brownfield subsea developments

Lamont also challenged the industry to change its 鶹ýӳremove the old and replace with the new鶹ýӳ culture to a 鶹ýӳbrain surgery鶹ýӳ mindset that has underpinned Proserv鶹ýӳs successful growth and track record for doing more with less.

鶹ýӳThe challenges and opportunities that the industry faces with brownfield subsea developments are varied. The typical reaction to a problem is to undertake a complete system change when sometimes a more flexible and simpler approach may be appropriate, especially in a low commodity price environment. Ingenious simplicity is at the core of Proserv鶹ýӳs approach. We work with our customers to maximise the use of their existing infrastructure and assets by delivering appropriate products and services specifically developed for brownfield application 鶹ýӳ driving costs down, while providing industry leading reliability and enhanced functionality. Often, that may mean focusing on only one aspect of a system that requires attention and layering on, or working alongside the existing system, rather than recommending a complete change out. This minimises any production downtime and maximises the use of existing infrastructure.

鶹ýӳFor example, when the electronics in the subsea control module require replacement, either because of reliability issues or changes required elsewhere in the system, we apply subsea system 鶹ýӳbrain surgery鶹ýӳ. We focus on solving the electronics issue rather than changing-out the entire control module 鶹ýӳ a costly process that brings significant risks because of the changes made to all the external interfaces. Replacing only the electronics allows for the external interfaces to remain intact. In addition, it gives operators a truly 鶹ýӳmaintenance free鶹ýӳ subsea production control system and uninterrupted production, with state of the art system capability to allow the use of advanced system monitoring and data gathering.鶹ýӳ

Lamont concluded: the industry has both a moral and an economic obligation to work collectively towards maximising total production from difficult reserves.

鶹ýӳWith more than 80% of world energy use still reliant on fossil fuels, the maintenance and optimisation of ageing brownfield subsea fields are critical. On mature brownfield assets with dwindling production, the longer it takes to make the right and cost effective decision to maximise output, the more expensive that decision becomes. By not changing its operating model, the industry will risk the future of that asset. A subsea asset, which is losing production revenue, against a backdrop of increased operating costs, is only going to become less viable to the point of shutdown and decommissioning 鶹ýӳ denying the world recovery of a limited and valuable resource. No matter what the commodity price is now or in the future, we have it within our power as an industry to control costs, improve efficiencies and prosper. We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation.鶹ýӳ

Proserv 鶹ýӳ which operates worldwide through 29 operating centres based in 11 countries 鶹ýӳ has a 40 year track record in delivering world-class solutions for the energy industry, particularly in the drilling, production, and subsea market sectors.

Edited from various sources by

Read the article online at: /business-news/10092015/stop-over-engineering-to-reset-the-cost-base/

You might also like

 

 The World 鶹ýӳ Podcast

A podcast series for energy professionals featuring short, insightful interviews with experts who can shed light on topics that matter to you and your business. Subscribe on your favourite podcast app to start listening today.

     

 

 
 

Embed article link: (copy the HTML code below):