Middle East's Ageing Structures a Challenge - DNV GL

 

Collaboration is Key to tackling Middle East's ageing structures challenge say DNV GL. The Middle East faces a substantial challenge to ensure hundreds of ageing offshore oil and gas structures operate safely beyond original design life.

Constraining operational expenditure (opex) is vital to economically viable operations, according to Anupam Ghosal, newly appointed regional manager for Middle East and India, DNV GL - Oil & Gas. “Of the 700 to 800 fixed platforms and bridges in the region,  we believe more than 70% are older than 25 years and some even exceed 40 years. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone has about 450.”

The structural integrity management challenge is complex and critical for many operators seeking to extend the economic life of assets. Life extension of ageing structures needs to ensure continued operation within regulatory requirements, and to limit future opex.

“Life extension of ageing structures and assets is moving firmly up the agenda for oil and gas operators in the Middle East,” says Ghosal. “Collaboration, joint innovation, best practice sharing and research, such as for CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery, are prerequisites for smarter lifetime extension projects.”

Anupam Ghosal joined DNV GL’s Abu Dhabi office in April 2010. He brings more than 23 years of industry experience and led the Verification and Asset Integrity Management unit with Noble Denton marine assurance and advisory services up until the DNV GL merger in September 2013.

DNV GL is engaged with several customers in the region to implement controlled approaches to asset integrity management and structural integrity management systems. The company’s software, database, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and other expertise in capturing, analyzing and managing information for structural integrity management assists customers to scope, design and implement effective life extension strategies. The company’s ‘missing data methodology’ addresses the absence of historic documentation, a common challenge for operators in the region.

“We persistently endeavor to understand the challenges of our industry in this region and we are already playing a central role with a number of major operators,” adds Ghosal. “Our aim is to develop cohesive and cost-effective strategies to attain life extension of ageing assets and secure the economic benefits it brings.”

“In our 38 year presence in the region, we have built a strong position in the market founded on trust and competent delivery, while setting the benchmark in industry best practice and offering access to more than 300 standards and recommended practices.”

In the oil and gas sector, DNV GL has advanced from having the majority of the offshore pipelines in the UAE being designed and certified to DNV GL standards to currently being engaged in ALL the major offshore projects in Abu Dhabi. The company is currently working with a number of major operators to provide Technical Integrity Verification services and in-service inspection.

DNV GL will be exhibiting and presenting at ADIPEC at Stand 8921 in Hall 8.