The visualisation, which has been developed by Middlesbrough-based Unasys in conjunction with Teesside University, is part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) which is looking at how Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodologies can be applied in the decommissioning process of oil and gas facilities. The visualisation is more than a tool with which to view the facility: clicking on a particular piece of equipment, whether it be a generator, heatsink, a pump or even part of the structure itself, reveals a host of information. Data such as its status and criticality are displayed, making it incredibly useful for anybody involved in the reuse or recycling of the facilities. Unasys also provides expert services to the oil and gas industry to help manage the complexities of project closeout and start-up. The company’s skills in this area are being augmented by expertise from Teesside University to look at how, as with the Balmoral FPV and other oil and gas facilities in the North Sea that are being decommissioned, the process can be standardised and made more efficient.
As oil and gas facilities reach the end of their life, a research partnership is exploring how digital assets are being used to help manage the decommissioning process.