In the oil & gas (O&G) industry, a 1% rise in a production system’s availability has an estimated impact of five to seven billion dollars. Likewise, shutting down a gas liquefaction plant costs $150 million a year and a non-operating well can lose up to three million dollars in revenue a week. These mind-boggling figures underscore how even the slightest change in output can have huge effects on the earnings of strongly capital-intensive industries. That’s why this industry looks like the ideal candidate to benefit from the current digital revolution. “Data collection is a reality in the O&G industry,” says Sébastien Condom, “but just a tiny fraction of the information is available and used. The O&G industry will be able to optimize its entire value chain by efficiently managing data collected by sensors and analysing them with algorithms and statistics.” 

Data collection is a reality in the O&G industry, but just a tiny fraction of the information is available and used.

Data analysis: driving the digital transformation

The O&G and maritime industries operate very far from logistical bases. Shipping a spare part can therefore be quite expensive and have a significant impact on production. Using and analysing data makes it possible to plan ahead and act more quickly. Specifically, it is key to reducing offshore facilities’ down times, adapting maintenance programmes or forecasting possible breakdowns. “I think the industry is on the verge of a major data analysis turning point,” says Mr. Condom. “The possibilities for connecting equipment to sensors are more numerous and less expensive. What’s more, digital technology’s new capacities, especially with cloud computing, allow us to store data and make big calculations at low cost. These two factors pave the way for a new era in data analysis, with the potential to considerably boost production facilities’ output. If companies are able to adopt a digital culture and make the best possible use of collected data, the digital revolution will be a success in this industry" says Sébastien Condom. 

SÉBASTIEN CONDOMGeneral Manager Digital GE oil & gas tms

"If companies are able to adopt a digital culture and make the best possible use of collected data, the digital revolution will be a success in this industry."

THREE QUESTIONS FOR SÉBASTIEN CONDOM

What factors are holding back O&G’s digitalization?

The stumbling blocks are more psychological than technological or technical. They have to do with the ability to work differently. We must acquire reflexes and develop a digital culture based on analysing data in order to solve problems. The digital revolution reshaping our industry today is as important as the Internet’s arrival was for consumers. The possibilities are endless. 

How can digitalization transform a group like BOURBON?

With fuel and upkeep costs being so high, BOURBON must be on the lookout for anything that can optimize their or the clients expenses! The potential to use collected data to improve maintenance and productivity is considerable. That’s even truer on the scale of a entire fleet of ships.

Where does General Electric stand in terms of using data?

We developed a digital industrial vision fairly early on. Combining our digital and industrial capacities should help us reach our productivity targets, which are crucial in the energy industry. The goal is to horizontally and openly serve the whole value chain as a way of helping users boost their productivity.

BOURBON carried out for 3 months 2 missions off the coast of Kakinada in eastern India’s: testing the G-1 tract’s umbilical and installing a jumper, stored on the seabed for over a year. The tract lacks surface structures, so an umbilical carries command and control information from the mainland to the subsea facilities. Two of its communication lines displayed anomalies, which may trigger unexpected production shutdowns. The Bourbon Evolution 807 was deployed with two Work ROV HD subsea robots. After tests, the umbilical’s condition was deemed satisfactory. Two ROVs recovered and installed the jumper connection hose. The connection’s particularity was the complexity of the hose’s channel: the wellhead was 90 degrees off its normal position. Three lines - the crane cable and two ROV control cables - descended from the surface."The ROV HD is our flagship tool for underwater operations, it’s extremely compact, a key advantage in areas with strong currents. », says Jean-Charles Audouin, Commercial Area Manager and the vessel’s Project Manager.

ROVs in drift launch mode

In addition to monsoons, one of the main challenges was working in very strong currents with three lines (crane and ROV) from the surface. The ROVs dove in currents as brisk as 3.5 knots, which required major safety measures and precautions when putting the robots into the water and lifting them out again, as well as special navigation methods. The ROV entered the water in drift launch mode: the vessel dove in a controlled “drift” before moving back into position. "Bourbon Evolution vessels allow this kind of mission to be accomplished: they are powerful, enable two ROVs to be embarked at the same time and have a large deck area. Classified as SPS and DP3 vessels, they have helidecks, which are crucial for operating in this region."

This first successful mission is driving new opportunities. McDermott has just awarded BOURBON a new mission on the next Indian field development (S1-Vashishta). Bourbon Evolution 807 will steam back to India early 2017.

JOINT Interview

What goals does a compliance policy aim to achieve?

Sylvie Rapin: Our compliance programme allows us to secure our activity and reassure our stakeholders on the steps we’re taking to prevent non-compliance risks. It guarantees transparency and long-term success. Today, a group like TOTAL, which operates in over 130 countries, works internationally in accordance with an ethics code and a standardised global compliance policy.

Christian Laveau: A compliance programme is indispensable for operating in the oil and gas industry. Standardising BOURBON’s ethics and compliance policy allows us to have a common approach and rules with regards to compliance and anti-corruption.  It also allows us to keep up with ever tightening regulatory frameworks. 

S.R.: In the extractive industries, the global EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) has been retained because so much money is at stake and the countries we operate in are changing and restructuring.

C.L.: Just like safety, the risk of non-compliance represents a major risk in our industry. The potential impact on finances and reputation is considerable. Not managing the risk of non-compliance concerning, for example, facilitation payments, the rules regarding embargoes, or business gifts can have serious consequences and leads to a loss of confidence among employees, stakeholders and all parties involved.

How can your policy be implemented in all the countries where you operate?

S.R.: It rests above all on engaging management at the highest level to analyse the risks and draft rules that are easy for everybody to understand. Our policy, which is spelled out in our code of conduct, is distributed to new employees and all interested parties. To make sure it is correctly applied, we rely on several stages of raising awareness, communication, and training, not forgetting monitoring and, if necessary, sanctions.

C.L.: BOURBON has a similar approach to TOTAL with our deployment of the ‘six pillars’ of our compliance programme. To complement this in terms of raising awareness and training, BOURBON has put in place clear sanctions linked to the non-respect of internal procedures. The emphasis is on winning the support of everybody in the organisation to respect these rules to ‘protect’ the company and its employees and boost competitiveness. Our motto, “Compliance, no compromise”, clearly states our goal.

S.R.: Employees must understand that this approach is fundamental to how the company works. 

C.L.: I totally agree. We must continue to educate and raise awareness in order to work towards zero risk.

SYLVIE RAPINBRANCH COMPLIANCE OFFICER, TOTAL E&P

"Good compliance is a quiet success, like a good safety policy with zero incidents."

Which tools have been rolled out to raise employee awareness? 

S.R.: In addition to 80 compliance officers in each entity, we have outreach tools like e-learning, which makes it easier to understand compliance principles on a daily basis. A dedicated e-mail address lets everybody express his or her concerns as quickly as possible, receive advice and report instances of non-compliance with the rules.  A tool to register gifts, invitations, donations and conflicts of interest is available to each employee at their work station. 

C.L.: BOURBON relies on a corporate team, a network of 26 compliance officers in the locations where it operates, a code of conduct and a compliance e-learning programme. This enables employees to reduce the risks they are exposed to and become more effective. Compliance success in the long term means never letting down your guard.