Extending subsea asset life using data and tech-driven transformational intelligence

Data and technology innovation will intersect at this year’s Subsea Expo. The Viper Innovations team is showcasing our latest asset life-extending tools for owners and operators, PlatformVi and V-LIM2. We’re predicting that transformational intelligence and technology evolution are shaping the future of subsea asset management.  
 
That future is happening already atSubsea Expo in Aberdeen in February. Join us and learn directly from the team that developed these solutions which enable you to maintain your subsea cables and assets at optimal performance levels.    
 
How data has become an enabler and a predictor for asset managers
 
First on our development roadmap has been creating an ecosystem that captures and transforms data into actionable insight and, ultimately, into a predictive operating and maintenance tool for operators and asset managers.   
 
What do we mean by that? Insulation resistance (IR) in electrical system cables is the subsea equivalent of the canary down a mine – it warns of problems and possible electrical system failure. When IR is fluctuating, and in the real world it is constantly changing, what does this mean?
 
A statutory requirement for monitoring the types of electrical systems used subsea, most existing, integrity, or line insulation monitors (LIMs) simply tell us when IR changes, and if that’s a steep fall, it probably means something bad is happening to the cable.
 
This has been a useful indicator used in the industry for decades. If the LIM’s IR reading shows a significant loss of integrity, an operator probably has time to act, make repairs or replace the umbilical, electrical flying lead, or other system components. Do this before the cable fails and causes a loss of production and an expensive subsea intervention.      
 
This basic yet valuable functionality is the first half of the challenge, but it is largely reactive. What if deeper insights were possible? What if almost undetectable patterns in the voltage, capacitance and IR revealed the nature of the fault so it could be resolved much earlier? This would enable asset owners to make more accurate strategic maintenance and capital expenditure plans.  
 
Data as a Service (DaaS) for subsea asset management – PlatformVi
 
Viper Innovation’s PlatformVi does just that, with several additional steps. Having operated LIMs for a decade, across oil and gas, rail and industrial, Viper Innovations has accumulated huge volumes of electrical measurement data that is correlated with events and actual performance.  
 
Suddenly, the LIM that has been with us for many years monitoring IR could be transformed into a core element of a DaaS platform. Add data extraction, analysis tools using machine learning, user centred design to identify relevant insights, and you have data-driven decision making for areas such as:      
 
•    Proactive and predictive maintenance
•    Enhanced safety, by predicting and indicating potential and developing issues
•    Operational efficiency
•    Equipment service life extensions
•    Quality control  
 
PlatformVi fully integrates our V-IR condition monitoring technologies such as V-LIM and V-SLIM, and draws on the patterns detected from correlating our data with real events.
 
V-LIM2 evolved: the fusion of data and technology
 
The humble LIM has also evolved. Like any data analysis tool, the ‘GIGO’ principle applies – garbage in, garbage out. So, the partner to DaaS is the data gathering tool that gathers high quality information. Our technology roadmap includes evolving our existing line insulation monitoring technology, V-LIM, into V-LIM2.  
 
The evolved V-LIM2 does everything V-LIM currently does and includes genuinely exciting new features that provide multiple benefits to operators and asset owners. Firstly, like the V-LIM, our evolved technology is PlatformVi compatible, so as soon as an installation goes live, users can benefit from everything that PlatformVi contributes.
 
It is also easy to upgrade existing V-LIM and other IMD installations to V-LIM2. Being connected to PlatformVi means intuitive and easy configuration, regular firmware upgrade notifications and real-time remote monitoring, with the operator always in complete control.   
 
Enhanced IR, IC and power monitoring capabilities  
 
There are several other upgrades in the roadmap, such as expanding the IR monitoring range to 10GΩ, insulation capacitance (IC) to 500uF, and enhanced line power monitoring capabilities through reliable measurement of line voltage, current and frequency. Some of these features are unique and incredibly powerful, enabling asset managers and operators to proactively manage their subsea electrical systems to minimise downtime and optimise performance and output.  
 
But rather than reading about Viper Innovation’s technology roadmap that currently includes PlatformVi and V-LIM2, why don’t you come and talk to the team that developed them?  
 
To learn more about PlatformVi and V-LIM2, visit us on Stand 69 at this year’s Subsea Expo, 20-22 February 2024 in Aberdeen.
 
If you can’t contain your excitement and want to know more now, visitwww.viperinnovations.com/new-tech or email enquiries@viperinnovations.com for more information on how you can almost predict the future using our advanced data and subsea products.  

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