Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Funny how when you are waiting for a project, 4 come along at once.

While the work all seems quite bitty, there is a common theme running through everything and all of the systems that I have worked on are interconnected in some way. I’ve found that while I am developing my understanding of how the assets work I am simultaneously trouble shooting issues and developing my ability to use the BP project management systems. I’ve built up a good network of contacts in my previous project work and am starting see the fruit of this as I now know who to go to when I need to discuss a particular issue with a project. 

All in all it has been a challenging few weeks and I am really looking forward to my site visit and intend to get a lot out of it. Not least 5 clear days for phys and TMR work! 

Clair Coolers

As I mentioned in my last post, this TAR job is now on the critical path thanks to the ineptitude of the piping fabricator (SeaFab). Despite now being directly managed by both WGPSN and BP, with the BP North Sea head of Procurement making weekly visits, Seafab are still falling futher behind schedule! They are running a truly farcical operation with spools being sent for NDT with the wrong documentation, the office being too disorganised for the  3rd part verifier to be able to sign off on the release of apparently completed spools. Unfortunately I have had to take a step back from the daily management meetings due to other work, but I still get the feedback when the project engineer returns each day.

I am still chasing up the IVB process with Lloyds Register, but this really doesn’t account for much of my time.

Clair Manifold Piping Support Bracing

This is part of a project that was executed last year. The main thrust was to standardise the pipe supports on the gas production manifold skid. As a platform develops new wells, it also develops new production lines and for some reason there is no set method for arranging the supports for near identical piping configurations. This project set about to standardise the supports on the 8 production flow lines. I have been given the final part of the project to execute which is to add lateral bracing to the new pipework to eliminate vibrational effects. Everything is fabricated and the work packs are complete, the project just requires organising to take off shore. The show stopper I have found is that because of the of the new bracing, 8 temperature sensors need to be removed and replaced with slightly longer ones. The asset can’t flow these lines while the sensors are removed and this will result in a 3.5 days lost production. The project won’t go ahead with this metric, so I need to find a solution whereby the instruments can be replaced one by one, this would effectively reduce the outage to 0.5 days. I have 10 days to find this solution or the project hits the 12w gate and stalls. Such fun. 

Bruce Caissons

This is still chuntering on in the background, but I am still awaiting input from a couple of sources. On a far more interesting note, I may be taking on this whole scope as SPA (i.e. the £26m programme). It wouldn’t mean much for me as the C13 project goes cold at the end of this year (seeing as I made the case for the deferment), but it means that the next two secondees might well be in a position to pick it up when it comes back on line. I need to discuss this with BP, but the Caissons SPA seems to see a lot of possibility in the idea. It would provide some real continuity to a programme that sorely needs it.

Bruce P60 Bridge

Not much to say here other than I will be flying out to the Bruce on Monday for the construction survey. I am very much looking forward to getting off shore for a week, especially as the Bruce is the subject of my next TMR! Winner!

Bruce LPBC Exhaust Mods

You may recognise this project from other well known SPAs such as Capts. Adrian Ishwaria and Warner…

…’you’ll just need to read through the files and close out the project’ he said as he walked out of the office. To be fair it is not much more than that, but the electrical workpack was missing, unbeknownst to everybody involved it seems. However, after some searching Woodgroup have found it and so I will review and sign it off if everything is in order.

Magnus Fire Main Overpressure Protection Mod

I have spent most of the last two weeks writing the Decision Support Package (DSP) for this projects. Despite it already being in Execute, the DSP needed producing to retrospectively prove that it has been sanctioned. You really can’t make this up. I’ve reviewed the project information and submitted my first draft of this document. I look forward to getting some feedback.

In short, the project aims to replace some manual butterfly valves with automated ones that will open when the fire main is brought up to design pressure from its normal operating pressure. The new valves need to open in such a way as to negate about 7 bar of overpressure caused by the pump start up. The DSP breaks down the financial, technical and safety aspects of the project so that the budget holder can sanction it. It feels a little nugatory to be writing a DSP after the decision has effectively been made, but at the end of the day it needs doing and I am hoping that it will raise my profile with this particular Asset Program Lead.

Magnus Cold Boot Relief Upgrade

This is a brand new scope to me and so I will be reading up on it whilst I am off shore. Again this is a project in execute with no DSP, but this time I really have to work the DSP up from scratch. There is certainly more opportunity to get involved in the project engineering too as quite early in the execute phase.

In Other News…

I gave a presentation to Engineering Services today outlining who I am and why I am working at BP. I got some nice feedback and I quite enjoyed getting into barracks dress and wandering around BP.