Ravenna (Italy)
Pala de André
"Transition to a sustainable energy mix" is the core topic of OMC 2017: the exhibition and the wealth conference agenda allow sharing ideas, new research and innovation to highlight how the Oil & Gas industry can give a solid support to a more sustainable future.
To meet our team, visit us at the stand n. N1 Hall 7. Here the RINA's contribution to OMC 2017:
Wednesday 29th March (4.25 - 6.05 PM | Room B - Health, safety & environment in offshore): Net environmental benefit analysis: a tool to inform oil spill contingency planning
(Marina Accornero - Chiara Giacchino - Eugenio Napoli, D’Appolonia; Melania Buffagni - Carlo Alberto Cova - Giuliana Iazeolla, Eni Upstream & Technical Services; Maurizio Mariani, Eni; Luca Cassina, TEA Sistemi )
Oil spills have the potential to affect natural and human resources and their effects largely depend upon the characteristics of the spilled oil and the sensitivity of the resources at risk. Response actions aim to reduce the possible impacts of a spill, limiting its spreading and recovering the oil before it can cause harm.
Taking into account that each response technique has its intrinsic field of application and effectiveness and taking into consideration spill-specific and site-specific features, the Net Environmental Benefit Analysis (NEBA) compares and balances the different response options, evaluating and weighing their positive effects and drawbacks: the ability to remove the oil, the feasibility in a specific context, the potential to cause harm to sensitive resources. When incorporated in the response planning phase, NEBA is a highly informative tool that makes it possible to prepare in advance different response strategies for representative spill scenarios, saving valuable time in the contingency phase.
This work describes the application of NEBA to a complex environment in which several offshore platforms, sealines, onshore plants and shipping activities constitute a challenge for oil spill response planners. The NEBA case study presented is one of the first ‘real-life’ applications of the IPIECA-IOGP Good Practice Guideline in the Oil & Gas Industry and can be seen as a pilot study that may lead the way to a systematic incorporation of NEBA into the Oil Spill Contingency Planning.
Thursday 30th March (09.00 - 10.40 AM | Room D - Preparing the industry for the transition): A governance approach based on ISO 26000 for the Oil & Gas industry
(Laura Severino, RINA Services; Piera Turati, Eni)
The objective of this article is to give a practical guidance in order to promote ISO 26000 in Oil & Gas industry, with a high complexity of decision making structures and with a high complexity of context. The international guidance on social responsibility ISO 26000 enables a holistic approach to different issues of sustainability, balancing the various needs of creation of business value, governance, economic and social development, energy saving, environmental protection and fight against climate change and is particularly useful for organisation which operate in complex situations. A governance approach based on ISO 26000 helps oil and gas industry in monitoring, measuring, managing and reporting the negative and positive impacts of its operations.
Since 2014 Eni has been developing and implementing in Eni’s subsidiaries/districts sustainability procedures/management systems based on ISO 26000 and asks RINA to assess the level of implementation of this standard at different districts/subsidiaries.
Friday 31st March (09.00 - 10.40 AM | Room B - Production): Minimum requirements for decision making and maintenance of existing fixed offshore structures
(Stefano Copello, RINA Services; Marco Magliano, RINA Services; Ambra Manera, University of Genoa)
The number of existing offshore platforms nearing the end of their designed life is increasing but the fields beneath them still contain viable reserves. The challenge is to continue to use, in safety conditions, offshore platforms that have reached the end of their designed lifetime and, on the other side, to ensure that to extend the service is affordable.
Safety is identified by minimum target probability of failure: the existing structure is fit-for-purpose when the risk of structural failure leading to unacceptable consequences is adequately low. The required safety target can be then related to the actual system capacity of the platform, measured by the residual strength reserve of the whole jacket evaluated by, e.g., a pushover analysis, and then introduced in a system reliability assessment capable to eventually determine the actual residual life of the structure and maximum return period of the extreme environmental loading that the platform is still capable to withstand.
Friday 31st March (09.00 - 10.40 AM | Room C - Decommissioning): Condition assessment for offshore platforms reuse
(Stefano Copello - Stefano Gaugenrieder - Carlo Pellegrino, RINA Services)
Nowadays most of the Oil Companies, in view of a project for the exploitation of a new shallow water oilfield, are considering to reuse existing offshore structures removed from previous service site.
This solution is considered strategic, in comparison to the construction of a new platform, with respect to the time required to production, which can be anticipated. Moreover the cost benefits may prove significant taking into account the lower price of the used platform compared to the cost to be incurred for the design/construction of a new structure.
Cost saving is the issue but, of course, also the structural safety is to be considered as primary target: therefore, in view of the possible purchase of the existing structure, it must be carried out an appropriate assessment in order to confirm the engineering feasibility of the project and analyze the costs with the purpose to quantify the economic benefits.
Friday 31st March (09.00 - 10.40 AM | Room D - Developing new technologies): PIRM-DMS: A decision making tool for pipeline integrity and risk management
(Enrico Di Martino - Angelo Lo Nigro, D'Appolonia; A. Kolios, Cranfield University)
Asset Integrity Management (AIM) for Pipelines is a very critical task in the Oil & Gas energy industry. Pipeline failures may lead to severe environmental damage as well as huge losses (in terms of life, property, production, commodity and reputation). Therefore, operators have to effectively evaluate and mitigate associated risks to a level that is compliant with their own policy, standards and regulations.
This work describes a methodology for cost-effective decision making during the pipeline network risk management process, applicable to any pipeline system: the “Pipeline Integrity and Risk Management Decision Making Strategy” (PIRM-DMS). The methodology helps owners understand how (and where) to prioritize the allocation of resources for pipeline risk and integrity management.
The cooperation between Cranfield University and D’Appolonia has facilitated the merger between a methodologic approach and an industrial solution, which has been tested in a real case study.
The test has revealed that the PIRM-DMS is extremely useful because it can be applied to assets with different features and dimensions. Moreover, it is developed on multiple echelons, reducing or increasing the level of detail depending on the needs of the operator.
Friday 31st March (11.05 - 12.45 AM | Room D - Developing new technologies): Offshore meteo-marine monitoring systems
(Aldo Gallerini - Fabio Launaro, Seatech)
Oil and gas offshore facilities are subject to time varying loads that are mainly due to environmental conditions and secondly to operational conditions. Monitoring meteo-marine parameters makes it possible to estimate the fatigue damage a facility has undergone since the beginning of its operational life, to verify and improve facility design inputs, and to confirm or better extend a facility’s design life. The use of environmental loads in a facility’s Finite Element model allows asset owners to identify the facility locations subject to the most stress.
The continuous monitoring of meteo-marine parameters represents a remarkable tool that allows asset owners to plan necessary maintenance activities, develop inspection plans and, ultimately, predict the residual asset life. This paper presents the technology and features of two meteo-marine monitoring systems designed for and installed on an offshore platform (Vega “A” – Sicily) and the jetty and the offshore buoy of a refinery (API Falconara).