ABS: New Technology to Support Drilling Riser Programs

ABS announced it has issued the first “Concept Verified” Statement of Maturity to Stress Engineering Services (Stress) for its riser CBM program using Real Time Fatigue Monitoring System (RFMS) with Subsea Vibration Data Logger (SVDL) technology, and to LaserStream, LP (LaserStream) for its Bore Erosion Measurement and Inspection System (BEMIS).

This is the second of five technology qualification stages to be completed by Stress and LaserStream for new technology that supports structural integrity evaluation and maintenance assessments of drilling risers.

Successful completion of the “Concept Verified” stage follows requirements outlined in the ABS Guidance Notes on Qualifying New Technologies to confirm new technologies’ ability to perform intended functions in accordance with defined performance requirements. Using the five-step systems engineering approach, new technologies are evaluated for incremental risk from concept stage to operational maturity.

“We continue to see how digitization, connectivity and data analytics are driving the introduction of new technology in our industry. Confirming these new technologies perform as intended is critical in providing the necessary confidence to both technology vendors and its end-users,” said ABS Executive Vice President, Ken Richardson. “We are pleased to collaborate with Stress and LaserStream on these technologies. Going forward, we believe the New Technology Qualification process is a natural step in the journey of digital innovation and new technologies that support our industry. “

Chuck Miller, Vice President of Stress Engineering Services, said, “Completing the second stage of this qualification underlines not only the high priority that Stress places on safety and reliability of products in the field, but also our commitment to the wider growth of digital initiatives within the oil and gas industry. The continued development of monitoring and inspection techniques that harness innovative automation, digitalization and data analysis techniques is improving performance economics for operators throughout the industry. We are proud that our RFMS, an advanced technology that empowers drilling engineers to make more informed decisions, has passed the second stage of ABS’ New Technology Qualification and we look forward to the next phases.”

“BEMISTM  systems are used in drilling riser inspections to laser profile the internal diameter accurately and efficiently, by measuring erosion, corrosion and mechanical damage,” said Jason Waligura, Managing Partner and Chief Engineer of LaserStream. “Comparing the digital records of internal riser conditions, can help identify exact damage rates, and feed predictive models based on actual loads measured by the RFMS. The combined advantages of Stress Engineering and LaserStream technologies provide operators with a greater level of insight into riser conditions and will help implement robust riser programs for offshore assets.”