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DNV GL has developed a new unmanned floating LNG concept that overcomes many of the challenges related to remote offshore gas fields, according to a company statement.
Called Solitude, the concept uses technological advances to offer a 20 percent reduction in annual operational expenditures, adding only a few percentage points in capital expenditure while increasing overall safety. Power that would otherwise be generated by high-maintenance gas turbines can, for example, be generated by fuel cells — improving power generation reliability and reducing the unit’s environmental footprint, the company says.
"Solitude has been developed with maintainability foremost in mind," says Elisabeth Tørstad, CEO of the Oil and Gas division of DNV. "By changing the focus from maximum efficiency to maximum reliability, and selecting robust processing options with built-in redundancy, we were able to develop a solution that ensures production levels and boosts
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the economic viability of FLNG projects."
Equipment throughout the FLNG is modularized and monitored from shore with much of the routine maintenance and fault correction carried out by self-programming inspection and maintenance robots. The topside has a system of rails that run along each process train, providing these robots with access to all the equipment.
Wireless sensor networks act as eyes, ears and noses, feeding information to a condition monitoring system that overseas fault detection, proactive maintenance and repair planning.
According to DNV GL, since there will be no one living on board or working on the topside during normal operation, the associated personal safety risks are eliminated. When people do enter for large maintenance campaigns, the topside would be prepared for a safe working environment.
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