According to Swedish simulation specialists Cell ITS (Interactive Training and Simulation), there are increasing numbers of operations being carried out offshore that could be replicated on a computer. This creates the opportunity to improve training and operational skills in a secure environment, without the risks and high costs that can arise when inexperienced personnel are used for critical tasks offshore.
Schlumberger Geco Prakla is one of the first companies in the offshore industry to take advantage of the benefits available from Cell ITS simulation technology. The seismic exploration specialist has acquired a Cell ITS package that simulates the behavior of streamers being towed by its new ship, Geco Eagle. This enables the crew to develop their skills in winch operation and cable handling and achieve a good standard of expertise in safety before applying this knowledge at sea.
The key to the potential growth of Mandator simulators is a software package that makes it possible for the company to create training scenarios relatively inexpensively. Explaining the breakthrough Bert Ohlsson Marketing Manager for Mandator said; "With traditional simulators it could take 600 hours to create 1 hour of interactive training. Because our software eliminates the need to repeat tasks, it is not expensive at all."
Rig shutdown, evacuation scenarios, firefighting, and containment are among the many applications that Bert Ohlsson believes could benefit from simulation as they would enable dangerous or difficult tasks to be repeated in perfect safety so that the responses needed would become instinctive if called-for in a real-life situation.
Easy upgrading
The software designers at Mandator also believe that modern simulation technology could render the instruction manual obsolete. By creating an interactive program the user could be taken through the operation of a piece of equipment and allowed to see the result of a particular action. The trainee could also be shown uncommon equipment behavior and instructed on how to respond to it, thereby improving his confidence in using it to its full potential.
"It is important that a simulator can be upgraded in response to changes in hardware," says Bert Ohlsson. He believes that the size and experience of Cell Network is an important benefit in this respect as customers can be assured of a long term commitment to their products. As one of Scandinavia's largest suppliers of IT and Internet products and services, the company employs around 1,800 people in 13 countries. Many of Cell ITS' products relate to military applications such as artillery fire control, radar operation, and tank handling but there are now a corresponding number of civilian applications. These include incident control for emergency services, air traffic control simulation pulp and paper mill operation.
For more information contact Bert Ohlsson, Cell ITS. Tel +46 13 24 09 88, Fax +46 13 24 09 99, Email: [email protected]
