Page 32: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Sep/Oct 2025)

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FUTURE TECH DIGITAL TOOLS

Operators now view private networks as critical infrastructure for enhancing connected workers, digital workflows, improving safety, and enabling advanced automation.

Image courtesy of Tampnet struggle to account for these dynamic factors, especially Akselos’ SPM software is also being used for life-exten- during preloading or storm conditions when structural sion analysis. The system changes the scale of sensor and loads can peak. strain gauge monitoring by providing a high-fdelity, near

The Light Structures system involves installing fber op- real-time structural twin of an entire FPSO. This has been tic sensors in each jacking house. These sensors measure made possible by a new, faster patented RB-FEA calcu- the strain in the structural members that transfer loads lation method the company developed. By combining into the legs. The system then converts these readings into inspection records, metocean conditions, and cargo op- sectional loads and stress values using a digital twin that erations into one dynamic model, operators gain a live, adjusts for operational conditions like water depth and continuous view of structural performance. This allows seabed stiffness. This provides real-time feedback on leg for real-time monitoring, identifcation of stress concen- balance, structural stress, and proximity to critical limits, trations, and on-demand fatigue analysis to support data- which enables operators to intervene early if asymmetry driven maintenance and risk-based inspections.

develops or a leg becomes overloaded. Dr. Claus Reimers, Chief Product and Technology Of-

One of the system’s advantages is its ability to shift op- fcer at Akselos, cites the case where the Bonga FPSO was erators from calendar-based maintenance to condition- close to end-of-life. “They could not model the whole based strategies. When a rig experiences a storm, a diffcult structure in one go, so they made very conservative as- jacking sequence, or preloading operations, the system sumptions. That could have meant retiring the asset way captures exactly where and how hard the structure was too early. For Bonga, we helped them unlock a signifcant worked. This allows inspections to be targeted and justi- life extension.” fed, avoiding unnecessary downtime while still addressing Amine Boumnijel, Product Owner for Offshore Struc- risk. Over time, this also supports more accurate life-ex- tures at Akselos, explains that during the design phase, tension decisions based on actual fatigue data. many assumptions are made about how an asset will be 32 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM