Maintenance, inventory, and logistics operations are challenged by offshore exploration. Some rigs, especially those moving, are not always connected to headquarters. When the rigs are connected, some current solutions suffer data synchronization problems causing important data packet loss making it more difficult to support operations.
AssetPoint has introduced a solution - TabWare EFX Offshore - that supports maintenance activities onboard rigs whether connected or disconnected to shore. Data synchronization is automatic with a company’s headquarters and onshore operations when communications are established or re-established.
AssetPoint works with the extremely low bandwidth - high latency networks commonly used to communicate with offshore rigs. Data is synchronized by TabWare rather than a database replication service to ensure efficient and accurate data integration.
AssetPoint has configured TabWare EFX Offshore and its Intela-Tablet mobile maintenance and inventory equipment to keep the rig maintenance staff working regardless of communications connectivity. AssetPoint’s Intela-Tablet is a ruggedized tablet computer with a simplified, multi-lingual user interface that can be used in harsh environments and in a wireless mode.
At headquarters, the staff manages the platform’s master equipment list, PM programs, item master, employee master, and rig purchasing. Purchase orders are generated from TabWare to suppliers and freight forwarders. Freight forwarders receive the items, record the receipts in TabWare, and then ship the items to the individual rigs.
On board the rigs, maintenance managers plan and schedule work orders and assign workers. Spare parts are managed in both staffed and unstaffed storerooms with inventory issues recorded in TabWare. Requisitions are entered onboard the rigs. Approved requisitions are forwarded to headquarters for purchasing if the required materials are not available from the onboard stock.
Maintenance workers receive their work assignments via printed work orders or wireless via the Intela-Tablet.
AssetPoint’s SyncSentinal module monitors the status of the communications link with headquarters and signals TabWare to operate in either connected or disconnected mode on the rig without impact on the rig’s operation.
