IBM, Dassault Systems involved in collaborative platform design

Offshore staff

(International) - IBM and Dassault Systems (DS), a 3D and product lifecycle management (PLM) solutions provider, say that PLM solutions from IBM and Dassault Systems are driving a multi-national collaborative global design and manufacturing oil platform project that includes China-based Yantai Raffles Shipyard, Norwegian offshore technology company Sevan Marine, and Petrobras.

The complex Sevan Stabilized Platform (SSP) 300 project, wherein Yantai Raffles builds the Sevan Marine-designed oil platform, utilizes CATIA, ENOVIA, and DELMIA from Dassault Systems.

The Yantai-built SSP 300s will be deployed by its customer Petrobras.

Etienne Droit, executive VP PLM Sales & Distribution, Dassault Systems, says, "3D and V5 PLM fundamentally alter the design-manufacturing business equation, enabling innovation and rapid adaptation to changing market needs and fluctuating market conditions.

"The SSP 300 project is an example of an innovative solution, in a market where nearly 80% of all projects experience catastrophic cost overruns and overwhelming delays."

Until recently, the offshore industry opted for retrofitted oil tankers as offshore storage and production facilities.

But a shortage of available tankers available for retrofitting has changed the competitive landscape in the FPSO market.

The SSP 300 FPSO is a large circular, floating platform used to store and process 300,000 bbl of oil in an on-board processing plant.

The SSP 300 project uses IBM PLM solutions to facilitate concurrent design engineering and construction.

The tight integration of the V5 architecture enables real-time validation of the FPSO design against analysis requirements and construction processes.

This simultaneous validation of design and manufacturing minimizes the revision common in the energy market.

"CATIA V5 has been used in the design process of the SSP, and we are currently moving quickly forward in our design methods by reengineering this business process for the SSP Offshore FPSO/FSO," says Tom Erik Smedal, project manager, PLM Technologies, Sevan Marine.

Simulation of the SSP 300 manufacturing process with DELMIA, Dassault Systems' digital manufacturing solution, enables the interchange between manufacturing engineers and design engineers.

"3D is the communication medium for business today and tomorrow. Our young engineers, managers, and other executives all see the virtual world as real and are completely comfortable with 3D," says Brian Chang, CEO, Yantai Raffles Shipyard.

"Seeing a digital model of a ship or a platform before production begins is an unforgettable experience for our customers."

02/10/06