Abstract The objective of this paper is to explore the benefits of using the Interactive Epoch-Era Analysis (IEEA) methodology for evaluating architectural changes in a tradespace exploration study. A subsea tieback offshore Brazil was used to investigate this premise from a full field development perspective.
An automated concept exploration tool is employed. It applies meta-heuristics to generate different offshore facilities concepts with varying building blocks. The interaction between reservoir behavior and facilities design is accounted for in each concept differently. These concepts are ranked in terms of economic performance indicators, and each run with a given set of boundary conditions covers what is called an Epoch. This process is iterated for the whole life of field with a set of different commercial boundary conditions generating what is called an Era. The whole data set is evaluated in an interactive platform thru the Humans-In-the-Loop (HIL) process.
Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is being employed successfully in other engineering fields such as the aerospace and automotive industries. While digital tools have been identified as a potential key contributor to the future of O&G performance and further cost reductions, that is yet to be shown. This work intends to provide backing for that argument in one potential application during early concept phases by showing that quick assessments following an MBSE approach may be carried out, once significant effort has been put into proper development, verification and validation (V&V) of such digital tools.
SE provides a rigorous and proven method of dealing with complex systems that is highly applicable to offshore field developments. MBSE is the current State-of-the-Art for capital intensive projects such as space exploration spacecrafts and rovers. Learning from successful use cases and applying these methodologies in the development of digital technologies may provide a new set of tools in the belt of operators.