UK-based TechnipFMC and independent verifier DNV GL have joined together to help set standards for a fast-growing industry digitalisation technology, the digital twin.

The duo entered into a partnership to develop the first methodology for qualifying the integrity of the technology, a move that aims to bring a level playing field to the sector’s varying technical definitions of, and expectations from digital twins.

The standards “will set a benchmark for oil and gas operators, supply chain partners and regulators to establish trust in digital twin-generated data for performance and safety decision-making in projects and operations”, the companies said.

Digitalisation of onshore and offshore operations has gathered momentum after a four-year industry slump raised the focus on boosting efficiency to cut costs.

Digital twins, a digital representation of a physical asset and their behaviour, have the potential to bring asset information from multiple sources together in a single and secure place and connecting 3D models with real time field data during operation phase.

Through digital twins, operators will also be able to get more insights and simulate the behaviour of the asset depending on operational conditions to facilitate the decision-making, the research partners said.

However, while novel digital technologies could lead to safer upstream operations, cleaner energy production and efficient oil and gas recovery - dubbed the fourth industrial revolution by some digitalisation experts – a lack of universal standards has hindered wide adoption.

The new methodology will be built upon DNV GL’s recommended practice (RP) for technology qualification, which is more than 20 years old and provides a common framework for the industry players to gain acceptance for implementing unproven hardware technology.

The digital twin technology qualification methodology will be piloted on a subsea field development project delivered by TechnipFMC starting early 2020. It is expected to be published as a recommended practice during the second half of next year.

“Digital twin technology results in quicker, better asset design, improved project delivery efficiency, and operation safety and performance during the whole asset life. As more digital twins enter the oil and gas sector, it is key for operators to know that their twin works as planned, and that its output is reliable,” vice president for subsea digital at TechnipFMC, Julie Cranga said.

“The major challenge with implementing new digital technologies in the oil and gas industry today is the same as when novel hardware technologies were introduced two decades ago...

"A team of domain and digital experts from DNV GL and TechnipFMC are collaborating to tackle a wide range of issues – from definitions to data quality and algorithm performance – to enable faster implementation of digital twins in our sector,” chief executive of DNV GL – Oil & Gas, Liv Hovem, said.

The industry has already seen some players embrace digital twins.

Earlier this year, Aker Solutions said it is building a digital twin of the subsea production system (SPS) to be deployed by German operator Wintershall - now called Wintershall Dea - at its Nova development in the Norwegian North Sea.

Field Development

TechnipFMC, DNV GL to set benchmark for digital twins