SECTION SPONSOR
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Richard Pargeter
The corollary is that without active intervention, 170 days are easily lost, often at an unacceptably high price.
However, real losses may not end there. When vessel time is lost, the activities they support are lost too. In the case of neglected maintenance and repair work, the knock-on risks of failure or poor performance can multiply up quickly. GMS’ response has been to manage the cost of not only weather but all other planned and unplanned delays out of the equation, a popular development with contractors.
“As wind operators, we understand the capabilities of vessels, the state of the sea and where vessels can and cannot operate safely,” explains GMS Operations Director, Richard Pargeter. “We use this knowledge, coupled with the skills of our expert teams in all areas of O&M, to save clients time and money,” he adds.
“We welcome searching questions from clients, just as we ask many fundamental questions ourselves. A lot of what we offer may sound new but is a very logical development whose time has come. Asking the right questions is the key to unlocking serious potential. But each project is different.”
WIND OF CHANGE GMS’ strategic O&M reappraisal has turned what used to be a Cinderella activity into major opportunities for greater productivity in an industry that urgently needs to cut costs. Its innovation is a holistic view of what is really needed to keep wind farms running at peak efficiency.
With client approval, the company replaces old rigid scheduling systems with an extremely versatile approach that puts prioritised tasks, vessel availability data and manpower skills into a moving matrix which is constantly matched against forecasts, incidents, accidents and unforeseen events.
When conditions do then change, O&M teams are ideally-positioned to move quickly onto other jobs, boats, locations, and even to other clients and contracts, to make productive use of lost time. The company believes that extra business value can always be created somewhere.
This philosophy was developed during the successful construction phases of several east coast offshore wind farms, including Greater Gabbard. GMS is currently applying it to increase O&M efficiency on C-Power’s Thornton Bank wind farm operating off the Belgian coast. Ben Colbrandt, of C-Power HSE, believes GMS’ O&M thinking brings a crucial new QHSE and commercial perspective. This commercial emphasis is proving to be the correct route for reducing risks, costs and ultimately giving C-Power invaluable project control that benefits everyone, he says.
LUMP-SUM PAYMENTS
A key benefit is the payment structure. Because it routinely minimises lost work time, the company confidently offers a lump-sum payment system to replace costly day-rates.
From a client perspective, this removes many risks and uncertainty. It also means that no vessel trips are wasted. Where previously three, four or five costly turbine shutdowns were needed, these are often replaced by one single well- planned downtime period. Everyone wins.
GMS starts projects with a detailed desk review, followed by a comprehensive on-site audit. All data goes into the O&M solutions matrix. Twelve different work packages with interlocking scopes are then matched carefully to the results.
Green Marine Solutions Click to view more info
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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HULL & HUMBER SPOTLIGHT ON
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