PRODUCTION • PROCESSING • HANDLING
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Weather data visualisation technology is being adopted by oil rigs
Jim Menard reveals how offshore rigs can boost performance by adopting hyperlocal weather forecasting technology
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lthough oil companies will never be able to control the weather, new technological advancements are fuelling a transformation in the industry.
Advanced technology can now warn rig workers of incoming weather systems well ahead of what their eyes can see. Tese new ‘intelligent’ capabilities allow platform crews to overcome three critical challenges: collecting localised weather data; processing data against historical context; and displaying forecasts in a digestible context that non-meteorologists can act upon. Building a reliable, on-platform
weather monitoring and forecast system is no longer just a possibility; it’s a reality. With oil price volatility here to stay, any opportunity to maintain predictable production is a welcome boost to profitability.
LIMITED OFFSHORE FORECASTS Operating an oil rig costs millions of dollars, which makes weather fluctuations a costly, unwelcome interruption. Erratic ocean currents, high winds, lightning, poor visibility and heavy rain can shut down operations; hundreds of thousands – even millions – of dollars can be lost during a single severe weather event. Unfortunately, at the majority of remote offshore platforms, accurate and timely weather-peril coverage is limited, if at all available. Despite the heavy burden of even temporarily shutting down operations, crew safety and the risk of equipment damage must always be considered. Although weather fluctuations do not account for every death or injury on offshore rig operations, weather certainly plays a key role in creating dangerous scenarios. With incomplete forecasts, the crew must err on the side of safety. Depending on the severity of the situation, when bad weather approaches, crews must react by shutting down operations or evacuating. Te situation can be frustrating. Although on-shore weather alert systems
do a good job of forecasting and notifying people about weather patterns on land, offshore platforms are not sufficiently covered. Tat leaves crews heavily dependent on what they see, relying on the on-board weather monitoring devices that only display current weather conditions. Teams can see a storm in the distance and measure current wind speeds at their location, but it is often impossible to know in which direction the storm is moving. Tese unsophisticated methods force an abundance of caution that can drive up costs. Improvements to critical radar technology installed on oil rigs are now providing a foundation for observing current conditions and effectively forecasting hyperlocal weather patterns.
BOOSTING PRACTICALITY WITH TECHNOLOGY Radar devices have often been too large and cost prohibitive to be installed on a rig. Now, advancements to the technology have considerably reduced this barrier to entry, making it less expensive and disruptive to create weather forecasting systems that are practical as facility installations.
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