Page 50: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (May/Jun 2019)

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Class & Regulations

Is more widespread industry collaboration needed of the most important elements to this work is the manage- to tackle new or persistent challenges? Please give ment of safety during the transition and afterwards. Decar- an example. bonization will mean radical changes for the way the industry

TREMBLAY: If there is a particular opportunity for en- operates, and our priority is to help industry maintain safety as hanced collaboration it is around the challenges in application these changes take place. of new technologies, a particular example being the concept We are undertaking several initiatives that will make a major of the digital twin, where a successful and accurate outcome contribution to a more sustainable industry moving forward. We requires the input and agreement of designers, operators, own- are working across a number of categories including the use of ers and regulators, in order to deliver the potential bene? ts. digital technology which will be a key enabler as well as the pro-

The only way to realize the bene? ts from a digital as- motion of greater ef? ciency, the use of alternative fuels and new set management tool like the digital twin is to have all these energy sources. Each one of these categories has multiple proj- stakeholders aligned with the intended outcomes and objec- ects within it and includes timelines and pathways to adoption.

tives of the technology, whether that is performance optimiza- HOVEM: A key development, without question, is the UK tion, environmental impact or survey and inspection planning. decision to leave the European Union (EU). Article 50 was

TIPPING: Collaboration has always been important and enacted in 2017 and the government has rati? ed the European historically differentiated the best from the rest. However, Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, which will remove the power collaboration is now a hygiene factor necessary to manage of EU law over UK domestic law following the UKs with- complex issues that bridge multiple stakeholders, deliver high drawal from the EU, subject to adaptation as required.

levels of ef? ciency required to remain competitive within the From a regulatory perspective, it is unlikely that Brexit will industry and innovate to continually improve performance. have any impact on the structure of UK upstream oil and gas and

So, what is meant by widespread collaboration? The pool- its governing legal regime, including the licensing system. The ing of information and insight from a wide group of stakehold- regulatory framework applying to the to the upstream industry, ers for the general good. We do see leading companies sharing particularly the environmental and health and safety regulation, insights and coming together to improve safety, the environ- is highly developed independently of EU law, and at this stage, ment, human rights and society. A good example of this is the the industry’s view is that any impact is likely to be minor. The

Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) which UK offshore safety case model was used as an exemplar by the over many years has implemented a framework that addresses EU when it considered the development of offshore directives the safety of ship staff, terminal staff and the environment post Macondo, so it is very unlikely to change. leading to signi? cant industry-wide improvement. Downstream, the impact will largely be determined, de-

HOVEM: Yes. We cannot work in separate silos anymore. pendent on whether the decision is taken to participate in the

Technological leaps often require industries that were previ- single European gas market.

ously separate to work more closely together and learn from There is no doubt the situation in the UK leads toward a each other. We have to think differently about collaboration period of uncertainly weakening investor con? dence, and the and system integration. probability of exposure to charges and restrictions on the import of goods and services. There is also the possibility of Scottish

Please discuss a particular regulatory development un- referendum being reinstated following the UK exit from the EU. derway globally that you see as especially important.

TIPPING: The offshore industry by its nature has a more In terms of offshore focused R&D, what tops the fragmented regulatory makeup. A more interesting dynamic agenda at your organization? within the industry is decarbonization of production. Discus- TREMBLAY: One of the areas that tops the agenda at ABS sions with numerous companies have shown a deep awareness is the development of new inspection technologies, including of the need to address the carbon issue which may seem at remote inspection technologies and the use of Machine Learn- odds with a hydrocarbons industry. However, all energy mod- ing and Arti? cial Intelligence tools in our inspection and sur- els show hydrocarbons as being a major partner in energy pro- vey processes. vision well into the future, hence the need to demonstrate a re- In particular, we are currently completing feasibility studies sponsible model for the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released. into the application of AI to image recognition in order to bet-

Many companies are looking to ensure minimum CO2 release ter identify corrosion in marine and offshore assets.

in production. In fact, many organizations believe that future The use of technologies such as drones is being developed sanction of projects may indeed need to demonstrate this or to reduce the risks of manned entry to tank spaces, togeth- carbon offsets to get regulator approval in the future. er with technologies such as LIDAR image scanning, all of

TREMBLAY: ABS has been active in helping companies which contribute to enhancing capability and increasing safe- understand, prepare for and comply with numerous environ- ty in structural inspection. mental regulations and/or core priorities long term are making ABS has undertaken numerous trials of remote inspection the necessary preparations for the low carbon economy. One technologies, including an inspection using a UAV, the results 50 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM 50-64 OE MayJune 2019.indd 50 6/10/2019 10:26:05 AM