Singapore-headquartered provider of offshore, marine, and energy solutions Seatrium and Technology Centre for Offshore & Marine, Singapore (TCOMS) have expanded on the master research collaboration agreement (MRCA) to explore new methods for making floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) platforms safer and more efficient.
The original collaboration agreement was signed in April 2023 to explore cyber-physical modeling capabilities in simulations of operations in high-sea states and other extreme events for FPSO units. After performing scaled model testing of an FPSO duo Seatrium is building for Petrobras in TCOMS’ ocean basin facility, the partners now plan to use the data collected to develop digital twins to be deployed in real-field scenarios.
Chris Ong, CEO of Seatrium, said: “As a leading global player in the offshore, marine and energy industries, Seatrium is committed to driving innovations in improving efficiency and maritime decarbonisation. Our partnership with TCOMS nurtures aspiring engineering talents and encourages them to push the boundaries beyond what is possible in their field of work. Together, we are unlocking new efficiencies and enhancing field performance through technology that contributes towards a greener future.”
The FPSOs in question, P-84 and P-85, will be deployed in the Santos Basin, approximately 200 kilometers offshore Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in the coming years. Expected to start producing in 2029 at the second phase of Atapu and Sépia fields developments, the two all-electric FPSOs are forecast to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint by 30% per barrel of oil produced.
Petrobras and Seatrium signed the contract for the construction of the vessel pair in May. The Singaporean player then subcontracted CIMC Raffles Offshore for the construction of the hull and KBR to develop topside facilities. The start of construction on FPSO P-84, described as the “largest FPSO in Petrobras’ history,” was marked with a ceremony held last month in China.
Established in March 2023, the Seatrium-TCOMS Ocean Lab focuses on aspects such as cleaner oil and gas solutions including smart floating production platforms, and new energy solutions including ammonia, hydrogen, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Digitalization and data analytics are also used for enhanced predictability and reliability of ocean systems and its infrastructure.
“As a national R&D platform dedicated to the offshore & marine, maritime and other ocean related sectors, our relentless pursuit of innovation and sustainability has made us the ideal partner to the industry looking to stay ahead and futureproof their solutions and operations,” noted TCOMS’ CEO, Chan Eng Soon.
“By combining our expertise in cutting-edge digital modelling, simulation and physical model testing capabilities with keen business insights, we support the industry in developing future ocean systems and infrastructure that not only enhance safety, optimise efficiency and performance, but also drive long-term sustainable economic growth.”
Experts from both companies carry out stress tests and validate solutions and concepts in the ocean basin facility. The results are then used to assess the performance of ocean systems in simulated operating and extreme ocean conditions and enhance field performance through technologies such as smart sensing, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. This facilitates the creation of digital twins of ocean infrastructure assets to improve life cycle management.
Last month, Seatrium hosted a naming ceremony for another FPSO unit destined for Brazil – Bacalhau. The Singaporean firm was in charge of undertaking integration work on the FPSO after Aibel wrapped up the work on topside modules. Constructed by MODEC, the unit will work in the Bacalhau field in the Santos Basin. The partners in the field are Equinor, ExxonMobil, Petrogal Brasil, and Pré-sal Petróleo (PPSA).