Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units are important for offshore oil and gas production as they are designed to process & store hydrocarbons that are derived from offshore fields. They are critical for deep and ultra-deepwater operations. Therefore, selecting a design partner for your FPSO package is critical to the success of these complicated projects. Here’s what to look for.

Listed below are core pointers to help you choose the right design partner;

1. Industry Experience and Track Record

Proven Expertise: The design partner’s experience and track record in the FPSO business are critical. Look for organizations that have successfully executed similar projects and have a portfolio of their work. Experience in many conditions and regions, such as West Africa, Brazil, or the North Sea, can be a big asset because it demonstrates adaptation to different operational issues.

Past Projects and References: Inquire about past projects’ size, complexity, and client satisfaction. Request references from past clients to learn about their working relationships and project results. A design partner with a strong track record and excellent client feedback is more likely to complete a successful project.

2. Technical Competence

Multidisciplinary Engineering Skills: This vessel design necessitates knowledge of vessel architecture, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, process engineering, and electrical and instrumentation engineering. Ensure that the design partner has a team of trained professionals with experience across all capabilities.

Advanced Software Capabilities: The usage of advanced engineering software tools is critical for proper design and analysis.  Ensuring you look for a partner proficient in industry-standard software with their ability to combine various tools and ensure that data flows smoothly between disciplines is an important measure of technological proficiency.

3. Project Management and Communication Skills

Efficient Project Management: The capacity to oversee large, complicated projects is critical for designing the FPSO packages. It is important that you look for a partner with strong experience in project management with tasks, including scheduling, resource allocation, and risk management. It is vital that they assist you in keeping the project on track and within budget.

Transparent Communication: It is critical to check what mode of communication protocol the design partner follows and how attentive the client requests. Regular progress reports, clear documentation, and a single contact point can help minimize misunderstandings and keep the project running well.

4. Innovation and Flexibility

Embracing New Technologies: Ensure that your design partner invests in Research & Development (R&D) initiatives periodically. Most importantly, how willing are they to accept new methodologies and technologies, such as digital twins, advanced simulation techniques, and more.

Adaptability and Customization: You would agree that each project usually has distinct needs, and a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective. Therefore, it is important to choose a versatile partner willing to tailor their design approach to your individual requirements. This includes customizing designs to specific field conditions, production profiles, and regulatory contexts.

5. Quality Assurance and Safety Standards

Rigorous Quality Control: Quality assurance is essential for industrial design, and your design partner must ensure that their created design adheres to quality assurance processes, such as ISO 9001. It would help to check their processes & approaches around regular audits, inspections, and testing for design processes that guarantee that the finished product satisfies all criteria.

Commitment to Safety: The design partner must prioritize it across all project stages. It would include the creation of safe working environments, complying with safety requirements, and implementing safety elements. Look for a partner with a solid safety record dedicated to constantly improving safety measures.

6. Cost-Effectiveness and Financial Stability

Competitive Pricing: Cost is the central factor in deciding on a design partner who offers competitive prices without sacrificing quality. Obtain detailed cost estimates and ensure that all parts of the project are addressed, including any potential eventualities.

Financial Stability: The financial stability of your design partner is critical, especially for long-term projects like FPSOs that can last several years. A financially secure partner is likelier to weather economic volatility and continue providing services without interruption.

7. Global Presence and Local Knowledge

Global Experience: Such projects frequently require coordination across various nations and regulatory frameworks. A design partner with a global presence and expertise working on international projects will be better able to appreciate the difficulties of cross-border operations.

Local Expertise: A design partner with local expertise supports you in negotiating the hurdles of legislative, environmental, or logistical level challenges, thus ensuring that your project meets all local regulations.

Rishabh Engineering is well-placed to be your reliable design engineering partner. Our team combines years of experience with the right technical knowledge, as validated by our track record of producing complex engineering packages for diverse offshore oil and gas companies. This is made possible with our complete services across all critical disciplines required for project success.

Here are some of the highlights from this experience;

• Multidisciplinary Proficiency: Our team of highly skilled multidisciplinary designers & engineers across structural, mechanical, process, and electrical engineering disciplines ensure that all components within the design scope are seamlessly integrated, thus resulting in a unified and efficient solution.
• Advanced Software Competence: We use advanced software tools from Hexagon, Autodesk, Aspentech, AVEVA, Bentley Systems, and others that enable our teams to develop precise and optimized design packages that are suited to client’s individual project requirements.
• Commitment to Quality and Safety: Our team is well-versed with industry standards and is in sync with best practices to create high-performing, safe, dependable designs.

Read this blog to understand potential design challenges with FPSOs and how the Rishabh Engineering team can help address them.

Choosing the correct design engineering partner for the FPSO project needs holds the key to deciding the success of your project. An experienced design partner can assist you in designing the modular package(s) that suits your project needs while also contributing to the long-term success of your offshore initiatives. Our skid engineering services team can support you with their diverse industry expertise, technical competency, acute project management abilities, precise quality assurance, and global presence to enable you to make an informed decision that aligns with your project goals.

Our team of multi-discipline designers and engineers at Rishabh Engineering can ensure your project’s success.