There are several difficult obstacles that engineers and project managers must overcome when attempting to integrate subsea and topside concepts.
The fact that the objectives of these designs differ is one major obstacle. The strength, durability, and effects of water on submerged components are the main considerations in subsea design.
Conversely, topside designs are more concerned with functionality, security, and ease of use for surface utilities.
Subsea and topside designs may approach safety and robustness differently, even when their goals are the same in terms of potential hazards. This discrepancy may require designers to modify their planning and failure analysis methodologies for both topside and subsea components.
Distinct guidelines to adhere to
Another difficulty arises from the possibility that topside and subsea designs must adhere to distinct laws and regulations.
While topside designs may be based on regulations from a particular nation or region, such as NORSOK, ASME, or BS, subsea designs frequently adhere to international standards like ISO, DNV, or API.
The degree to which these regulations are rigid, the extent to which they are flexible, and the conditions under which the subsea-topsides connection is accepted might all vary.
Preparing ahead of time and ensuring quality
Those with experience in this field have discovered the need of early planning for welding techniques, double-checking acceptable results from non-destructive testing, and ensuring the proper certifications are in place.
Hiring a welding expert with subsea experience can assist prevent delays and ensure that all requirements, including ASME, AWS, ISO, EN, NORSOK, and API, are met.
Through careful planning from the outset, projects may ensure that they select skilled personnel and suppliers and develop high-quality plans that are tested.
Generating a collaborative document
To manage the subsea-topsides connection, using a common interface document (CID) is one of the best approaches.
This document outlines the tasks that must be completed, the objectives, the requirements, the presumptions that must be made, the standards, and the allocation of responsibility for each task in the connection.
It is imperative that all parties, including the operator, topside and subsea contractors, and regulators, concur on and adhere to this document for the duration of the project.
Last remarks
In conclusion, there are difficulties in linking subsea and topside designs due to their disparate objectives, regulatory frameworks, and methods of maintaining robustness and safety.
To address these issues and ensure that topside and subsea components of offshore projects operate together seamlessly, careful planning, adherence to quality standards, and the use of a single interface document are crucial first steps.
