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EyebrowProduction including data management and inspec- need it to plan how to avoid an incident information and the good answers only tion schedule and the VeriSTAR HLC or downtime.

produce a better and longer-lived struc- ture if they are understood and acted (hull life-cycle) geometrical model for The tools and systems available to upon by the operators.

corrosion assessment and inspection enable operators to know the condition management. RBI plans are also being of their asset structure and to monitor What new technology can do for AIMS developed for a complete feld of fxed and predict how that condition is chang- is save time, improve traceability and platforms in Asia. ing over time are what we call AIM and reduce errors and omissions by reduc-

AIMS and SIMS track ageing. Aging SIM systems. ing the human input. For example, the is not a matter of how old the equip- thickness measurements are today done

More than an engineering tool ment is, it is a function of what you manually by a surveyor who writes down know about its condition, and how The most important single thing about values on a sheet of paper and then back that is changing over time. Indicators AIMS and SIMS is that they are not in offce populates the thickness values of ageing are many. There are frequent simply engineering tools for engineers. on a geometrical model or in an Excel or recurring defects and failures, an They are a cluster of software tools, table. Bureau Veritas is now testing new increasing incidence of unplanned inspection techniques, data manage- methods by using ROVs for the thickness maintenance, repairs and breakdowns ment and data sharing platforms and measurements, linked with computers and signs of degradation. The plant may good organizational practices. Each part which automatically update a geometri- be down-rated or it may require increas- alone provides only part of the solution, cal model.

ing inspection and testing frequency to and to be effective all parts have to be The challenge for AIMs providers is manage degradation. embraced by the management of all the to further develop the tools so they are

The diffculty for operators, especially parties involved. coupled through each phase of the AIM

That is the diffcult part of imple- of older units, is that these indicators do system, open to connection at any stage menting an AIMS and SIMS process. not present themselves in a uniform or with company and operator in-house

There is a tendency to look for black coherent manner, and the consequences systems and work in the same way for box technical solutions. Good techni- of these indicators may fall into the dif- each area of the unit. That has to be done cal solutions such as 3D modeling ferent areas of responsibility of different in the face of a cost squeeze and in a race and fnite element modeling analysis areas of the company or project. The data against time as assets pass their design are vital, but these tools only produce about the indicators may be available, life. good answers if used by people willing but it may not always be available to the Jonathan Boutrot is Offshore to seek out and collate the right input people who can make sense of it or who Development Manager at Bureau Veritas.

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