By Rogerio Vieira, ABS Consulting
As an increasing number of aging wells and mature assets approach end-of-life, offshore operators must contend with safety-critical and costly decisions about whether to decommission infrastructure, extend service life or modernize through digitalization.
Offshore’s evolution to drive down costs and complexity through advanced technology enablers like smart monitoring tools has revolutionized how the industry approaches asset integrity management (AIM). AIM solutions must go far beyond traditional maintenance protocols to meet tomorrow’s demands for safety, reliability and integrity.
The end of an era or fit for the future?
While intelligent technologies are advancing rapidly, a growing number of offshore assets are set to idle and soon require a decision to determine their fate.
However, facilities, platforms and subsea infrastructure face unique technical challenges due to corrosion and extreme environmental conditions. Such factors necessitate robust AIM practices grounded in engineering expertise working in tandem with modern techniques. As it stands, thousands of wells and hundreds of platforms must be decommissioned globally, according to industry analysts, requiring comprehensive AIM services to prevent premature failures and manage end-of-life transitions properly.
The continual challenge for offshore operators and facility managers undergoing this process is a balancing act—from maintaining the safety, efficiency and longevity of assets to navigating replacement or P&A costs across the asset lifecycle. To meet these demands, it’s imperative to address such integrity challenges using a data-driven approach.
Aging infrastructure meets digital integration
Operators are presently navigating a complex landscape where aging infrastructure intersects with accelerating digitalization. Platforms designed decades ago now require integration with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors, autonomous monitoring systems and advanced analytics—all while maintaining safety standards in increasingly harsh and remote operating environments.
The financial imperative at all times is to avoid downtime. According to Deloitte's 2024 oil and gas industry outlook, a 200,000-bbl/d offshore platform experiencing just 12 hours of unplanned downtime can result in deferred production worth up to $8 million. The substantial cost of failure underscores why proactive AIM has evolved from operational best practice to business necessity.
Answering the call, innovative digital technologies are on a fast track to help lower offshore risk expenditures. AI-driven predictive maintenance solutions and IoT-based monitoring systems help engineers assess equipment health in real time to prevent critical assets from running at risk, safeguard integrity and ultimately avoid catastrophic failures.
The challenge is particularly acute for offshore owners and operators managing mixed fleets—balancing legacy platforms requiring life-extension strategies with new digital-native assets demanding cybersecurity and data management capabilities. This complexity must be met with AIM strategies that bridge generational technology gaps, all the while maintaining operational excellence.
With real-time monitoring systems featuring interconnected sensors and cameras providing eyes on the ground and detecting potential problems before they escalate into emergencies, assets can be evaluated continuously. This not only decreases risk exposure but also supports proactive and predictive maintenance plans.
Cybersecurity as asset integrity
The digitalization of offshore operations also introduces cyber risk, and cybersecurity has become a critical component of AIM. As operational technology (OT) networks become increasingly interconnected with IT and intelligent tools, cyber threats are evolving and escalating to disrupt both operational safety and asset performance.
Operators must double down on OT and IIOT cybersecurity to combat advanced threats, addressing the critical gaps between traditional and emerging technologies with 24/7, human-in-the-loop monitoring and vulnerability management specifically designed for offshore operational environments.
Transferring knowledge to support the energy transition
Meanwhile, the energy transition requires adapting traditional offshore safety and asset integrity expertise to new technologies and operational models.
Safety study work conducted for RWE's flagship 1.4-GW Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project demonstrates how knowledge transfer from traditional offshore safety and risk expertise in this environment to the renewable sector is vital. ABS Consulting, an independent, third-party team, performed a major accident hazard design risk assessment for the 100-turbine project, which represents one of the world's largest offshore wind developments slated for operations by the end of 2026. The assessment helped identify significant hazards related to design, construction, operation and maintenance procedures, so emergency response arrangements are put in place to address any residual risks.
Risk management remains a crucial aspect of HSE regulatory guidance traditionally applied to the offshore oil and gas industry and extended to offshore renewable energy to maintain safety levels.
