Increasing focus is being placed on minimizing or removing the human presence on board floating offshore facilities. For this reason, ABS published the paper “Reduced Manning on Offshore Facilities”, introducing some of the design considerations, enabling technologies and the existing regulatory framework.
According to the report, by utilizing new technologies, the number of personnel can be reduced, minimizing personnel exposure and potentially reducing overall capital and operating costs.
Since a significant reduction in manning is a fundamental shift for the industry, it needs to be completed carefully so that safety is not compromised
said ABS.
In addition, floating facilities with reduced or no personnel on board can be remotely operated from a nearby facility or a control center located onshore. To enable such changes, real-time monitoring, control automation and maintenance procedures incorporating remote diagnostics and simulations with minimal human intervention will be required.
This concept requires detailed consideration of the remote-control center, the communication infrastructure, smart functionalities and potentially leveraging digital twin and simulation technologies
Design considerations
Factors to consider when reducing the number of personnel on an offshore facility include:
- Functional focus: The functional requirements should be considered as the primary driver. Key functions should be identified based on type of facility, level of automation and autonomy and facility main function. They may include remote control and monitoring, accessibility and maintenance, remote testing, fire safety/fire detection and firefighting, main and emergency power supply and import/export systems.
- Operational principles: Remote control systems and technology should be analyzed in detail to identify all relevant potential hazards and their impact.
- Structures, arrangements and systems: While most design principles, such as structural integrity, will be the same as for a fully manned facility, consideration should be given to any unique elements introduced by the reduction in manning.
- Software quality and security engineering: Given that software will become even more integral to the operation of a facility with reduced manning, rigorous software engineering practices should be followed. This includes detailed testing of functional and extra functional requirements and employing highly developed software FMECA (Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis) techniques to identify and control potential risks to asset safety and mission completion.
- System engineering and integration: Close attention is to be paid to system engineering and integration. Verification and validation of an integrated system will require focus on functionality, operability and safety.
- Degree of automation and human involvement: The desired degree of autonomy and level of control need to be decided and documented.
- Human factor engineering: Human in the Loop (HILT) analysis for the remote-control room and facility are needed, addressing the implementation of basic principles of human factors engineering (HFE) and ergonomics.
Regulatory barriers to zero manning
Considerable work has already been undertaken to understanding the existing regulations and standards, and their inherent ‘barriers’ to deploying and operating facilities with minimal or no personnel on board
However, the barriers can be risk ranked (critical, high, medium, low and negligible) and re-evaluated with potential ‘technology’ credit whereby the risk ranking is changed due to application of new technologies to remove or minimize human presence and involvement.
Addressing barriers will require a structural/organizational change possible with the widely recognized model
focusing on three areas of People, Process and Technology. The barriers and their mitigation will need to be a subject of discussion and open communication with stakeholders including regulatory bodies.
Technology
According to the report, the adoption of new technology and replacing action by humans will need to show that risk has been reduced to ALARP level.
The new technologies will have to have a reasonable technology readiness level (TRL) and qualified to be considered. New technologies for the facility may include such areas as connectivity, data collection and storage, management and analytics of sensor information, condition- based and predictive maintenance information, digital twins, etc
according to ABS.
