Omega up for final exam with Edvard Grieg
In 2011 Swedish oil company Lundin was preparing for their largest development project on the Norwegian shelf. The Edvard Grieg project would require both solid systems and experienced personnel, and the relatively new operator needed expertise. They called Omega.
Saturday November 28, the production started on Edvard Grieg.
"The production start was our exam. That was when we really got to see how well we have contributed to Lundin's success. On the Edvard Grieg project, we got the opportunity to make Lundin better. That was our goal," says Tor Erling Lunde, Completion Manager from Omega under the offshore completion.
The platform was complete in the middle of June, after the different modules were connected, and the project followed the intended schedule all the way to production start.
"At sail away in July, we barely had any checklist items left. We were as good as punch free, thanks to the systematic and strategic use of Omega's systems since the start of the project, and in close cooperation with Kværner as the contractor," says Lunde.
Tailor-made key functions
The Edvard Greig field was discovered in 2007 and approved for development and operations in 2012. As early as 2011, Omega was contacted to assist with systems on the project.
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“At that time, Lundin was a relative newcomer on the Norwegian shelf, and faced one of its largest development projects. Back then they had no systems to manage the project, and were recommended to use Pims CMS, Omegas system for Completion,” Lunde says.
Lundin chose Pims, and from there on the utilization of Pims systems on the project escalated. The following years Lundin implemented Omega systems for almost all project phases
“It was an amazing opportunity for us, and we had the chance to deliver a lot. Approximately 95 % of all systems utilized on the project come from Omega. That makes Lundin one of our largest system clients,” says Lunde.
Today Edvard Grieg is run with the help of more than 20 different Pims modules. Many of them are standard products, such as modules for Risk Management, Completion, Document Control, Status Reporting, Cost Control, Contract Management, Work orders and Logistics, while several others have been custom made by Omega personnel for the project alone.
“We have for example created a web portal to ensure close cooperation between contractors and companies involved in the project. Here, all information can be shared among those involved. Personnel from Aker, Kværner and Lundin are working in the same web area. This has been a key to success. In this Pims Portal all personnel on the project have real-time access to all systems used on the project and therefore have an overview of the work, and progress, and at the same time share information. Thus we have been able to gather all information from the involved parties in one area, making sure they can cooperate and thereby ensure a seamless process,” Lunde says.
Omega team all over the country
In 2008 Omega was awarded a consultancy service frame agreement with Lundin. In 2011 Lunde started his assignment with Lundin as the first consultant from Omega on the Edvard Grieg project. During the next four years, close to 40 Omega consultants have been on assignment for Lundin on Edvard Grieg. The Omega expertise has worked on most of Lundin’s and contractor Kværner’s locations: on Stord and in Egersund where the modules have been produced, at the operational center at Lysaker, and on Fornebu: location for project management, engineering and support.
Omega consultants with extensive experience have been a factor for success
The consultants have had assignments within most disciplines, from Document Control to Project Management.
The experience from the Omega team has been important for the entire process, says Gunnar Winge, Construction Manager for the Edvard Grieg module production.
“Omega has supplied us with a lot of skilled people along the way: consultants with extensive experience who have participated in similar projects earlier. That has been a factor for success,” Winge says.
A new benchmark
The platform jacket was installed in the beginning of May 2014. Mid-July 2015, the main deck module, process module, flare tower, the utility module and living quarter were lifted on to the jacket. More than 22 000 tons were installed in the operation. Two production wells were already drilled and ready to be connected to the processing facility on the platform.
“Few, if any, topsides ever delivered to a North Sea development have been more complete at this stage than the Edvard Grieg. The level of completion at sailaway has set a new benchmark for the industry,” Lundin writes on their home page.
Winge underlines that the progress has been all according to plan
“In projects such as this it is not unusual to be behind schedule, but with Edvard Grieg we’ve hit the bullseye during the entire process. From all locations, Stord, Egersund and Poland, everything seemed to be very much completed at sailaway,” Winge says.
Lunde explains that from the very beginning, the project has had a strong focus on solving all challenges and potential problems continuously. This strategy has ensured as little outstanding work as possible before assembly, to keep up with the schedule and avoid cost overruns.
“We have been very focused on cost and been very aware of the areas where we might meet challenges. We’ve had a strategy where we continuously checked out tasks as early as possible in the process and this is something we have been able to do using Pims systems. Thus we have detected problems on the way, solved them immediately, and avoided having extra carryover with us to the North Sea.”
An important milestone was reached when production personnel moved into the living quarter, 28 days after arrival of the flotel.
Check out Lundin's film of the platform as it is preparing for sailaway