Hot on the heels of a new Recommended Practice (RP) for subsea lifting, DNV GL has now published an RP providing guidance on how to establish, implement and maintain an integrity management system (IMS). The aim is to help operators carry out maintenance activities at the most cost effective intervals, increase confidence in the condition of the subsea equipment and ensure an unified and reliable reference for both authorities and the industry.

The need to manage the integrity of subsea production systems, including those being operated beyond the original design life, is becoming more significant and technically challenging as maintenance demands increase and the industry as a whole looks to drive down costs. “In many cases, offshore infrastructure and facilities are operating way beyond their original design life,” says Bente Helen Leinum, DNV GL business development leader subsea.

The RP (DNV GL-RP-0002 ‘Management of Subsea Production Systems') is the result of a two year joint industry project (JIP) involving DONG Energy, FMC Technologies, GDF Suez, Norske Shell, Statoil, Talisman, Petroleum Safety Authority and Norwegian Oil and Gas. The JIP work explored the typical failures of existing subsea equipment and how the integrity of subsea equipment could be controlled.

Tags: DNV GL Oil & Gas