An application and subsequent benefits of digitalisation to pipeline engineering using a 3D pipe-in-pipe bulkhead design project case study

Abstract

Digitalisation of design processes is being rapidly accepted as a major step-change in engineering of pipelines and components. Incremental digitalisation of best engineering practice, analytical portions of industry codes and iterative optimisation tasks enable multiple advantages over typical project execution models. These include (a) maintaining flexibility throughout the design process to deal with changes particularly at critical interface points, (b) utilising computing power to drive an optimised solution, (c) cost and schedule advantages and (d) development of platforms to implement in future projects. These benefits are demonstrated by detailing an application of Genesis’s small-scale digitalisation strategy, as implemented on a pipe-in-pipe (PiP) bulkhead design in the Edvard Grieg Tie-Backs engineering, procurement, construction and installation development in the North Sea. The application of this strategy involved initial scoping and production of a design platform consisting of three Python modules. The platform enabled full parameterisation of a 3D end-bulkhead finite element analysis modelling process and post-processing criteria. The flexibility of this digitalisation strategy enabled simulations of (a) multiple material configurations, such as the application or removal of corrosion resistant cladding and (b) streamlined execution of highly iterative design processes. Through this platform, parallel execution of detail design and procurement was optimised, leading to achievement of material cost savings while minimising schedule and variation impact. This example of small-scale digitalisation establishes a philosophy for the future execution of PiP design and aligns both strategic and incremental steps towards a larger digitalisation initiative.