We all consume energy every day with almost everything we do. And like energy companies, we need to ask ourselves – can we be more efficient?
This week, our SIMUILA UK team has been exhibiting at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen, the second biggest oil and gas trade show in the world. There are several hundred exhibitors and over 30,000 visitors at the week-long conference.
While protecting the environment is on everyone’s mind, the slump in oil prices means it’s more critical than ever for energy companies to tap into energy resources more cost effectively.
BP and BG announced massive new oil field projects prior to the conference. But while they must contain exploration and production costs, they can’t cut corners on safety, especially when extracting oil from greater ocean depths.
How do these companies and others know their equipment will work reliably in harsh offshore conditions without overspending and causing delays by relying solely on physical tests?
By innovating with Realisitc Simulation.
SIMULIA is helping Oil and Gas companies like Weatherford improve the design their Expandable Sand Screens and Prospect to virtually test their latest products before making a prototype. Abaqus FEA is used to analyze realistic performance of many critical parts and systems for energy exploration including filters, pipelines, foundations, pressure seals, and more. By trying out their designs virtually, they are able to evaluate structural integrity without wasting time, cost, and energy on multiple physical prototypes.
These savings can have a big influence in the price you pay at the pump when filling up your vehicle.
A topic crucial for our environment is moving oil through pipelines while preventing leaks or spills.
JP Kenny has used Abaqus on many projects including evaluating the best way to lay underwater pipelines in the Arctic while preventing them from being damaged by iceberg gouging. You can check out their case study at Offshore Magazine’s website.
It’s also worth remembering that Offshore Energy is not all about oil – with E.On launching Scotland’s first offshore wind farm this week – it seems all energy, even oil, can be green as well as black.
What do you think?
Cheers,
Tom
