Optimizing Deepwater Rig Operations With Advanced Remotely Operated Vehicle Technology

In order for capital-intensive deepwater prospects to remain at investment grade potential, it is important the industry achieve meaningful improvement in capital efficiency. Achieving this goal will require a multi-faceted strategy in which advanced new technology and digital transformation will play a determining role. This paper will address the optimization of rig operations through deployment of an advanced Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system that leverages precision robotics and automation technologies; reducing total cost of ownership (TCO) through increased rig productivity, operational certainty and overall utilization. Current ROV technology faces several key limitations which contribute to both schedule and cost variation. These inefficiencies are a combination of human skill variance, ROV system limitations and reliability. Advanced ROV systems have been deployed on two deepwater rigs to demonstrate that machine vision and precision robotics technologies will radically improve the predictability and efficiency of operations. Comprehensive metrics addressing safety, budget impact, cost avoidance & reduction, inventory reduction & non price TCO have been developed to capture the efficiencies and identify the net improvement to drilling and completion operations and yield outcome-based performance. An overview of the key deficiencies and limitations of legacy ROV operations will be conveyed, focusing on; i) High dependency on ROV pilot subsea task skills, ii) Worksite efficiency and ROV availability, iii) Restricted tooling capabilities per dive, iv) Rental tooling logistics and cost, v) Equipment reliability at depth, vi) Inefficient tooling changes, and vii) Dive duration and lost time efficiency launch/recovery time. An overview of how the advanced ROV system resolves these issues will be explained. In addition, an explanation of the productivity metrics will be conveyed, supported with data from the active offshore projects. Key conclusions from the data identify that enhanced robotics will achieve the objectives of i) Reducing schedule and cost risks which improve total cost of ownership, ii) Enhancing capability and improved wellsite efficiency, and iii) Increasing subsea data. The performance issues of legacy ROV operations and associated project cost impact is currently not widely recognized by the offshore drilling community. The realized limitations of such ROV operations and lack of useful performance metrics to identify non-productive time will be explained. The progression in robotic design that drives a new era of subsea robotic efficiency will be conveyed with results from offshore operations, combined with robust metrics that enable significant operational value and cost savings to be attained.