WHITE MAY

PAPER 2021

Normally Unattended Facilities

Acknowledgements
This document was prepared by the Normally Unattended Facilities Task Force.

About
Normally Unattended Facilities (NUF) are those where operations are either
completely automated or operated remotely, with no personnel typically onsite.
This paper examines the challenges (technological, logistical, financial, and
regulatory) facing a broader application of NUF approaches in the industry, and
how and when these challenges could be approached.

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 WHITE MAY
PAPER 2021

Normally Unattended Facilities

Revision history

VERSION DATE AMENDMENTS

1.0 May 2021 First release

Normally Unattended Facilities – White Paper

Contents

Introduction 6

1. NUF Vision 7
1.1 Definition 7
1.2 Opportunities 7
1.3 Design principles 8
1.4 Operating principles and nomenclature 9
1.5 Additional KPI: Site Working Hours 11

2. Challenges 12
2.1 NUF operation and maintenance challenges 12
2.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions challenges 12
2.1.2 Operation and maintenance tasks challenges 13
2.1.3 Maintenance campaign challenges 14
2.2 Design challenges 14
2.2.1 Installation design and layouts 14
2.2.2 Integrity and corrosion 14
2.2.3 Physical security 15
2.3 Equipment selection challenges 15
2.3.1 Robustness of equipment 15
2.3.2 Equipment removal 15

3. Enablers 16
3.1 NUF operation and maintenance enablers 16
3.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions enablers 16
3.1.2 Operation and maintenance tasks enablers 17
3.1.3 Maintenance campaign enablers 18
3.2 Design enablers 19
3.2.1 NUF installation design and layouts 19
3.2.2 Integrity and corrosion 20
3.2.3 All-electric facilities 20
3.3 Equipment Enablers 20
3.3.1 All-electric equipment 20
3.3.2 Simplifying equipment or packages 21
3.3.3 Equipment located in technical room 21
3.3.4 Measurement and analysers 21

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4. Brownfield quick wins 22

4.1 Operation and maintenance quick wins in brownfield 22
4.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions quick wins 22
4.1.2 Quick wins for operation and maintenance tasks 23
4.1.3 Quick wins for maintenance and maintenance campaigns 24
4.2 Quick wins for design in brownfield 24
4.3 Quick wins for equipment in brownfield 25

5. NUF compatible equipment and solutions 26

6. Conclusion 27

Appendix A: Challenges/Enablers/Quick Wins Summary 28

Appendix B: Successful NUF Cases and References 29

Abbreviations 30

List of Figures
Figure 1: Expected Cost Reductions vs NUF #T 8
Figure 2: Expected Reduction in Applicable Standards 9

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Introduction

Normally Unattended Facilities (NUF) are those where operations are either completely automated
or operated remotely, with no personnel typically onsite. Currently, NUFs tend to be relatively simple
facilities; the primary goal of this white paper is to explore how NUF operational principles can be
applied to more complex facilities.

Several value drivers support this move: the anticipated reduction in HSE risk exposure to
personnel, a substantial reduction in capital and operating expenditure, reduced greenhouse gas
emissions, and reliability equal to, or better than, Fully Attended Facilities (FAF). It is sometimes
thought, erroneously, that the cost of converting facilities from FAF to NUF is prohibitively expensive.
This document will demonstrate that converting facilities to unattended status does not require
‘gold plating’ the facility.

This white paper examines the design principles governing NUF, including the reduction of site
working hours and the removal of typical attended facilities equipment or systems such as living
quarters, helidecks, and life support. The paper identifies the anticipated challenges such as
remote operations, automation or elimination-by-design of routine maintenance, and equipment
reliability that will need to be addressed to allow the implementation of long duration NUF concepts
on greenfields. Although technical challenges remain, there are no “showstoppers” that prevent the
pursuit of Normally Unattended Facilities in the very near future.

The fundamental thoughts and concepts around NUF, identified by the IOGP NUF Task Force, as
well as the identified challenges and opportunities, are detailed here. Beyond the technological
challenges of NUF operations, there are opportunities for increased industry alignment and
collaboration (in harmony with existing initiatives, such as IOGP JIP33) and, ultimately, operating
companies will need to rely on the wider supply chain to deliver change.

This paper examines the possibilities of gradually implementing some NUF concepts to brownfield
facilities, to benefit from the safety, cost reduction and increased equipment reliability. The
brownfield implementation of NUF principles will also serve as real-world test lab for potential and
successful greenfield NUF design implementation.

At some point, strategic change has to be translated into delivery. This may mean that some
existing approaches may become redundant or even obsolete. This will apply across the value chain
including the skill sets required of staff and contractors. New skills, retraining, or repositioning may
be required. Moreover, the codes, standards and regulations need to be maintained to keep pace
with the industrial developments, including the wider use of NUFs.

To conclude, the document emphasizes the urgency of qualification of equipment for NUF application
and the need to investigate possible encumbrances within current codes, standards and regulations.

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1. NUF Vision

1.1 Definition
This paper defines a Normally Unattended Facility (NUF) as a facility or installation where
all process control and operations (including start-up and shutdown) are either completely
automatic and/or managed remotely, such that human personnel are not normally present
for determined periods of time and meets reliability, availability, and production efficiency
targets similar to a manned facility.

1.2 Opportunities
Normally Unattended Facilities (NUF) have existed in some forms for many years but
have generally been restricted to facilities of simple or medium complexity – that is,
facilities that are primarily drilling-focused with no or limited processing facilities onsite.
The industry recognizes an opportunity to expand this concept into more complex and
larger facilities to reduce risk exposure, reduce carbon intensity, and improve economic
competitiveness, as explained below.
• HSE exposure reduction: Injury and loss of life on exploration and production facilities
have many root causes, but the presence of personnel in or around production
facilities is a key factor.
• Improved economics for development projects: industry experience has that NUFs
offer a range of potential improvements. Scaled benefits are assumed to align with
the following metrics for long unattended periods (see Appendix B):
– Reduction of life-cycle cost by a range of 20 to 30%, which is dependent
on factors such as the complexity of the facilities, the unattended duration,
geographical areas, campaign mode, etc. (see Figure 1 below as an
illustration only)
– Reduction of topsides and hull weight by a range of 30 to 50%
– Potential to accelerate facility delivery due to smaller and less complex modules
– Reliability higher or equal to Fully Attended Facilities (FAF)

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Figure 1: Expected Cost Reductions vs NUF #T

Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: Moving personnel away from installations

and operations will create smaller facilities with fewer logistics, enabling a smaller
environmental footprint.

1.3 Design principles

The application of NUF design principles to simple facilities, such as basic wellheads/well
pads and facilities with limited processing capabilities, is an established practice. Currently,
the principles are being expanded to facilities of medium complexity – such as facilities
with more complex processing capability. Eventually, highly complex export facilities (such
as SPARs, Semi Subs, FPSOs, and FLNG facilities) could be converted into NUF. These NUF
would generally no longer contain:
• Living accommodation, laboratories, and services to support human habitation
• Helidecks and all supporting structure and infrastructure
• Traditional crane and lifting systems
• Traditional safety systems utilized for personnel evacuation, e.g., lifeboats

Figure 2 is an illustrative example of the reduction in applicable standards that govern the
facilities design between FAF and NUF with weekly, quarterly, biannual, and annual human
intervention periods.

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Number of applicable regulations and standards

Applicable Regulations
& Standards examples:
• Living Quarters Hot
• Temporary Refuge
• Escape and Free Fall
Warm
• SIL Assignment
• Soundproof Enclosure
• Layout and Distances Cold
• Other Existing Industry
Standards

FAF NUF 1W NUF 3M NUF 6M NUF 1Y

Period between human interventions and campaign mode

FAF = Fully Attended Facility NUF = Normally Unattended Facility

Figure 2: Expected Reduction in Applicable Standards

1.4 Operating principles and nomenclature

Many IOGP Member Companies use slightly different nomenclature to describe their efforts
and designs regarding Normally Unattended Facilities, including Unmanned or Unattended
Facilities, or Normally Unattended and Normally Unmanned Installations. IOGP’s preferred
term is Normally Unattended Facilities.

The minimum amount of time during which the installation would need to remain unattended
for it to be considered an NUF was also a varying factor. The variability of these terms and
concepts results in misalignment when companies deal with each other and with the broader
community including regulators, engineering contractors, and design firms. IOGP proposes
the nomenclature below for use in the development of future work and standards.

NUF #T – [Facility status; Expected campaign duration; Intervention method]

• NUF is Normally Unattended Facility as defined in Section 1.1.
• #T designates the time interval between planned human visitation. The character “#”
is to be replaced by a number and “T”, by the first letter of the time unit (e.g., “Y” for
year, “M” for month, and “W” for week).
It is important to observe that the chosen time between human intervention deeply
impacts the design and the operating philosophy of a given facility. Therefore, once a
design is set, it will be very difficult to change the frequency of the visits; converting
an NUF 1M to an NUF 1Y or an NUF 1Y back to a permanently staffed installation
would be very challenging.

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• [Facility status; Expected campaign duration; Intervention method] describe the

maintenance campaign mode that could also significantly impact the design of an NUF.
– Facility status is described by one letter: C, W or H
– Cold means that the production plant is stopped, and the units are
depressurized during the intervention. In some cases, nitrogen purge
in applicable compartments and equipment are also considered. This is
the safest scenario for intervention and is designated by the letter ‘C’.
It is to be noted that if the facilities are designed for cold maintenance
campaigns, safety measures would be significantly simplified. However,
depending on campaign duration and frequency, the overall production
efficiency could be impacted.
– Warm describes a facility in which the production plant is partially
stopped, depressurized, and adequately purged. The letter ‘W’ is used to
indicate this status during intervention.
– Hot refers to intervention during normal operation of the production
facility. The risk exposure in this scenario may be higher. For this scenario,
the letter ‘H’ is used.
– Expected campaign duration is the number of days during which the campaign
is supposed to last.
– Intervention Method refers to how the facility is accessed by personnel during
the human intervention.

The suggested notation is ‘P’ when the facilities are equipped with permanent facilities
related to personnel accommodation and personnel protection (e.g., active fire protection,
access/egress means), while ‘T’ is suggested for temporary facilities related to personnel
accommodation and protection. For example:
• P for Facilities equipped with accommodation and related safety functions, or
without accommodation and permanently fixed facilities for access/egress (helideck,
mustering facilities, firefighting and emergency evacuation means)
• T for Facilities without accommodation (W2W or jack-up rig accommodation or
temporary offices and camps onshore) and/or temporary facilities for personal
protection working on the facilities (standby safety vessel, temporary and externally
deployed alternate evacuation means)

The two examples here below illustrate the application of the defined nomenclature:
• NUF 1Y - C14T is a Normally Unattended Facility designed for one year (Y) between
human interventions. The intervention campaign is expected to be done on a Cold (C)
facility and last two weeks (14 days). Access to the facility during the intervention is
granted by a temporary method (T) such as a Walk to Work support vessel, which is
endowed with a gangway and where personnel are accommodated.
• NUF 3M – H7P is a Normally Unattended Facility designed for three months (3M)
between human interventions. The intervention campaign is expected to be done
on a Hot (H) facility and last one week (7 days). Access to the facility during the
intervention is granted by a permanent method (P) such as a helideck, and personnel
are accommodated onboard.

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1.5 Additional KPI: Site Working Hours

For NUF to be possible, especially with longer intervals between human intervention
campaigns, both the design and the operations must be designed to reduce the amount
of Site Working Hours. To achieve this, Site Working Hours should be used as a Key
Performance Indicator (KPI), alongside other already commonly adopted KPIs, such as
capex, opex and topsides weight. This should be done from the beginning of the facility’s
conceptual design and maintained throughout its lifecycle. It is expected that by adopting
a leaner installation design and suitable technologies, the Site Working Hours will be
reduced to a level that enables NUF.

Site Working Hours encompass hours worked between the planned interventions and hours
during the maintenance campaign. In both cases, the number of hours should be minimal.
However, each category will have its own characteristics:
• Hours between planned interventions: these hours will probably be done by
automation or autonomous systems such as ground robots or drones, as with ROVs
on subsea installations. They should be as simple as possible to match the robot’s
capabilities and they will be constrained by the number of available robots.
• Hours during maintenance campaign: These hours will be executed in a very short
time on a campaign mode by human operators. For this purpose, the use of plug
and play components and rotable (‘rotated’ at frequent intervals) modules should be
considered during the design of the installation. The main concern will be unplanned
repairs as they could very quickly be on the critical path to restart the installation.
– The main constraint for the duration of these interventions will be the
accommodation capacity and the ability to mobilize resources or means of
intervention like workers camp onshore or support vessel offshore.
– For example, and as an order of magnitude. Forty people or one hundred
working 24/7 for two weeks can execute only 13,440 or 33,600 hours without even
taking into account efficiency. Increasing the hours is still possible, it is a matter
of increasing the number of people with bigger logistics means or the number of
visits although it may have some possible impact on production availability and
risks with site co-activities. Therefore, the focus when designing a facility should
always be on minimising hours, even for human intervention on site.

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2. Challenges

This chapter identifies the anticipated challenges that will need to be addressed in order to
allow the implementation of NUF concepts on Greenfields. Sections 3 and 4 of this paper,
Enablers and Brownfield quick wins, will describe the possible solutions, technologies,
or services that would need to be further developed and how these solutions may already
positively impact Brownfields.

A summary of these three sections is presented in Appendix A.

2.1 NUF operation and maintenance challenges

Barriers to the spread of NUF strategies exist both in the internal understanding of the
requirements needed to enable NUF, as well as the cultural practices for operation and
regulation of the industry. A prevailing attitude in the industry is that attended facilities are
safer, and that the presence of on-site personnel is necessary to quickly respond to problems.

The regulatory system and standards governing design and operations requires, or is
interpreted as requiring, human staff present on the facility impacting elements such as
prescribed maintenance and testing requirements. Regulation globally is inconsistent. In some
regions, it will be easier to utilize a normally unattended strategy than in others where different
local value drivers (such as prescriptive regulatory regimes, job creation, security) exist.

New strategies for NUF operation and maintenance philosophies, including commissioning and
start-up phases, have to be developed since conventional philosophies may no longer apply.

2.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions challenges

• Data - Trust in the quality of data must be established during the design process,
construction, commissioning, and the entire operating life of the asset. Support teams
will be dependent on the data from design and construction phases and the live data
streaming back in every format (numerical, image, video, sound, etc.) from the facility
once it is operational. Data will drive decisions when operating and maintaining the
facility. Erosion of data quality, or erosion of trust in the data, will reduce confidence in
the ability to operate without personnel onboard.
• Telecommunications and cybersecurity - Operating and monitoring NUF implies an
increased transfer of critical data between the facility and the remote support centre.
These data transfer links may be intercepted, which may cause NUF availability
to be compromised and/or critical data do be exposed. Data link interception by
unauthorized personnel may cause the operators to lose control of the facilities or
the remote autonomous systems like robots. Besides transfer links, real time data
reliability is also a concern, since instrumentation and automation systems are
supposed to be active at all times.
• Analytics - Minimising the time onboard a facility is crucial for NUF realisation.
Decisions regarding maintenance and interventions will be made remotely based on
the interpretation and analysis of all field data (numerical, image, video, sound, etc.).

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2.1.2 Operation and maintenance tasks challenges

To have as few unplanned site interventions as possible, NUF installations are, by design,
lean, robust, and conceived with a real focus on limiting Site Working Hours between
planned maintenance campaigns. Some tasks requiring a physical interface with the
installations are still expected between planned site visits. These tasks are quite diverse
in terms of variety and complexity. Most of them like routine operations or regulatory
actions are very predictable and have a defined scope while some others could be linked to
unexpected situations and are unpredictable by nature.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of potential tasks to be done between maintenance campaigns:

• Routine Operation tasks:
– Starting/stopping equipment
– Turning manual valves
– Refilling of chemical or fuel
– Cleaning of process equipment
– Need of visual and sound check
– Pigging operations
– Offloading operations
– Operating chemical packages
– Testing and sampling
– Well testing
• Routine Maintenance tasks
– Calibration of gas sensors
– Replacement of faulty ‘plug and play’ equipment
– Cleaning of CCTV cameras
– Intervention in electrical and instrumentation technical buildings
– Use of inspection tools and installations of sensors, such as vibration sensors,
on demand
– Visual inspections
• Unplanned tasks
– Ability to remotely reset after process/emergency shutdown interventions,
startup, and black-starts
– Detection of leaks and fires
– Corrective maintenance with replacement of components
– Ability to gain situational awareness during an emergency
– Ability to respond quickly in the event of a poor reliability issue causing
production loss
– Ability to isolate and disconnect equipment

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2.1.3 Maintenance campaign challenges

Current approaches to campaign maintenance must be adapted to support the NUF
concept. The need to adapt extends to the supply chain through logistics, materials
management, and vendor support, as an NUF will not have a traditional store and
workshop. Equipment and personnel will be mobilized for short periods to undertake
intensive maintenance, with limited ability to react to change once onsite.

Maintenance campaigns on NUF facilities will need to be intensive, and will need to be
planned and executed carefully. An intervention on a NUF carries the dual burden of needing
to be thorough and extensive (as interventions may occur as infrequently as once per year)
as well as brief – as the facility will need to be of reduced operational status while the
intervention is conducted, the timeframe will need to be compressed as much as possible.

This approach changes the traditional approach to analysing reliability, availability, and
maintainability. The availability is now set by the planned visit time, and campaigns need to
be planned around this. Turnaround management will now potentially be driven by support
vessel availability and cost. Tight control of intervention campaigns will be required and
equipment may need to run for extended periods with very infrequent maintenance to
extract maximum value. To manage intervention durations, some maintenance tasks may
need to be conducted only every three to five years.

As the time between intervention campaigns increases, it will be essential to anticipate

maintenance needs for equipment likely to fail. Diagnostic information needs to be closely
monitored during unattended intervals so that a careful maintenance plan can be designed,
enabling the team to work as efficiently as possible.

2.2 Design challenges

2.2.1 Installation design and layouts

NUF presents an opportunity to redesign the layout of future facilities. The plant layout
and HSE philosophy should be consistent with the intervention method (see Section 1.4) to
enable an appropriate emergency response. Considerations for facility redesign include:
• If campaigns are undertaken whilst the facility is shutdown, then the design may be
considered differently to a facility where campaigns are undertaken on a live facility.
• With no need for staff onsite, the entire facility layout can be reconsidered, omitting
features that are designed for human use
• Facilities can be designed to optimize efficiency during maintenance campaigns and
unattended periods.
• Regulators should be consulted at an early stage to validate the proposed designs.

2.2.2 Integrity and corrosion

Repairs linked to corrosion or integrity issues are maintenance intensive and not
compatible with an NUF concept, unless the new design or the new operations philosophy
includes facilities that, from structure to process components, can last the field life without
being impacted by corrosion issues.

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2.2.3 Physical security

The absence of personnel at the production site makes NUF prone to unauthorized visits.
The challenge of physical security is aggravated due to the extended periods during which
the facility remains unattended. The longer the interval between human intervention, the
longer the period of facility risk exposure. Monitoring of unapproved access attempts,
design to deter boarding for offshore, and response when intruders are detected, are all
items that must be addressed.

2.3 Equipment selection challenges

Existing technologies cannot properly address all NUF challenges, and new solutions will
have to be developed. These technologies seem reasonably attainable from a technical
standpoint (see Section 3). There is, however, an urgency to have access to these solutions
as soon as possible since they are on the critical path to the development of NUF concepts.
Once the technology becomes available, it can take an extra five years to mature and qualify
fully operational complex NUFs.

2.3.1 Robustness of equipment

Any equipment deployed needs to be robust and compatible with the normally unattended
operating philosophy, with a similar level of robustness and reliability as that of subsea
equipment. Typically, the Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) should exceed the time
between intervention/maintenance campaigns. A general approach to increase equipment
reliability is to design limited systems with automated intervention solutions.

2.3.2 Equipment removal

Removal of equipment is achieved by focusing on essential production related equipment. If
the function cannot be eliminated, substitution or simplification should be considered. The
major challenge is to remove work-intensive equipment or operational procedures.

A non-exhaustive list of the most relevant improvements can be found below.

• Utility systems - Fluid Based and Combustion Driven (e.g. Air Systems, Chemicals,
Potable Water, Hydraulic, Pneumatic, Cooling Water, Fuel Gas, Diesel, etc.), HVAC
systems, etc.
• Permanent material handling (cranes, chain block, etc.)

Increased reliability of equipment could lead to a significant savings in terms of space and
weight by reducing the need for backup equipment and spare parts. This concept should
be applied to process, utilities, and safety systems. Use of more reliable high-quality
equipment and simplification in process design could reduce the number of units to the
minimum level necessary to grant safe production.

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3. Enablers

Enabling a Normally Unattended Facility requires a change in the approach to designing,

constructing, operating, and maintaining the facility. The mindset of the design team,
contractors, regulators, and vendors must adapt to comfortable with a new design concept.

Technology advancements allow remote control and analysis of the facility to efficiently
and effectively plan maintenance and optimize operations. Equipment and materials and
coating technologies have evolved to reduce maintenance requirements, while sensing and
automation technologies are emerging to proactively identify maintenance needs and take
action without onboard intervention.

3.1 NUF operation and maintenance enablers

Training and competency management will be undertaken remotely due to facility access
limitations. Technologies such as training simulators, virtual reality tools, remote camera
and sensing systems, etc. can be utilized to provide and demonstrate confidence in the
competency of personnel. Although widely available, these tools are not currently used
to their full capability. They will provide Operators and Regulators the ability to build
confidence while facilities are operating in a normally unattended mode.

3.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions enablers

Data
Data is one of the key enablers for Normally Unattended Facilities. Equipment located
on the facility and the facility itself must have sufficient data capture points from fixed
and mobile sensing to enable remote analysis and to replace local human situational
awareness. Required data should be determined by failure mode analysis for all elements of
the equipment and facility so that people are not required to attend the site to capture data.

The necessary data includes process parameters collected from analogue sensors, images,
videos, audio, point clouds, and thermal mapping. This may be done via utilisation of robust
high capacity communication networks, analysis capability, and consistent data formats.

A consistent format and robust storage solution for the data must be designed with
redundancy and security in mind. The format of data stored must be addressed to ensure
that the data is usable and transferrable, and that the integration of static data with real
time data is done to enhance analytics and decision-making confidence. Common time
reference points will be required to support data analysis.

Cloud based storage provides the option of data access from any location allowing remote
technical support. This uninterrupted access to information combined with visualisation
techniques will allow for full use of the digital capability.

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Telecommunication
• Facility monitoring and analysis from remote locations requires secure transfer of
the vast quantities of data in real time. Systems will be required within the facility to
retrieve data from distributed equipment and to transfer data to a remote support
centre. The communication components to enable such transfer should be high
bandwidth, stable, and redundant. They may include fibre optic cables to connect
the facility to the support centre, high penetration/high capacity wireless coverage
(e.g., Wi-Fi, LWAN, 4G/5G, UWB) across the facility that will allow field devices to
communicate with the network. The network may also allow on-site personnel (when
present) to communicate with off-site support personnel.
• Consideration must be given to the required redundancy of communication systems to
meet availability and reliability expectations and to the prevention of any cybersecurity
risks introduced.

Analytics
Remote operation enables engineering, operations and maintenance experts to rapidly
assess and decide on the required action. The ability to extend to autonomous operations
and perform high level problem solving without human intervention will allow for the
reduction of personnel requirements off-site. Expected benefits of analytics are:
• Reliable/precise predictive and corrective maintenance
• Alarm management through use of artificial intelligence
• Enhanced diagnostics for complex packages to enable short duration maintenance
campaigns

Contract models to provide data analysis and recommendations can be developed to

support NUF operation from any location worldwide.

3.1.2 Operation and maintenance tasks enablers

Since the NUF concept involves no human presence on site, a reliable means of remotely
activated intervention is required. These intervention means can be classified in several
categories: sensing and fixed or mobile automation, teleoperated or autonomous, and task
specific or multipurpose systems.
• Sensing is mainly used for site situation awareness. Many sensing options already
exist today. Improvements related to better site awareness, reliability, and availability
of the sensors are needed. Examples include:
– Multispectral cameras and sound detectors to identify gas leaks in large areas
and reduce the multiplication of fixed gas detectors
– Self-correcting (e.g., calibrating, cleaning) cameras and remote monitoring
systems
– Self-validating pressure, temperature, level, and flow instruments

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• Fixed automation would typically be dedicated to well-defined actions or tasks such as:
– Remote validation and self-testing of protective systems (e.g., fire and gas
suppression, safety instrumented systems, pressure safety valves)
– Remotely operated cranes
– Unstaffed pigging return and retrieval system
– Remotely operated or automated marine system management
– Remotely operated or automated offloading
• Mobile automation - this category includes robotic systems for mobile sensing or
physical interaction on site such as Unmanned Aerial Systems, Unmanned Surface
Vessels, Unmanned Ground Vehicles, and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, etc.
Most of them are currently used today.
• Ground robots offer the advantages of combining situational awareness with their
sensor payload and the capability to physically interact with the facilities, as long as
the installation is designed to use robotics. They can perform routine tasks and can
be an alternative to fixed automation. Since they are mobile and multipurpose, they
are a good intervention mean to manage unplanned operation tasks.
– To maximize the use of ground robotics, these robots, when operating outside,
must be autonomous (minimum 2 hours operational time, with recharge
time equal to operational time), certified for use in hazardous areas, water
resistant, mobile on all surfaces and stairs, very reliable (MTBF higher than the
unattended period), and remotely operated
• In-service inspections of pressure vessels and storage tanks would also need to be
further developed to optimize campaign duration and repair works.
• Since many robotic systems can potentially be operated simultaneously on a given
facility, a dedicated command centre is required to supervise their activities and
interactions to maximize their use.

3.1.3 Maintenance campaign enablers

Maintenance will likely change with less ‘on facility’ work enabled by plug-and-play
approaches, with maintenance mainly being conducted off facility. The logistics support
must contain or deliver all the necessary infrastructure for maintenance (e.g., workshops,
tools, materials, and spare parts) and potentially life support during intervention campaigns.

For offshore, W2W vessels equipped with heave compensated cranes are a clear enabler.
The timing and duration of maintenance campaigns will depend on the availability of these
vessels, the amount of maintenance crew they can carry, and, in some locations, the
vessel’s ability to operate in rough seas.

Staff working on a campaign are likely to work around the clock to minimize the
maintenance campaign duration. Since maintenance staff will not be onsite anymore, staff
will require training on digital twins to familiarize themselves with the equipment and
increase efficiency while on campaign. Maintenance teams will likely need remote support.

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NUF design is very lean by principle; therefore, during intervention campaigns, particularly
when starting or ending work, equipment such as safety devices, tools, spare parts, and
lighting will be transferred continuously from the support vessel to the facilities. Small
and large mobile handling devices, potentially exoskeletons, will be needed to optimize the
operator’s efficiency.

To maintain operational availability, fast response capability may be required to recover

from shutdowns due to unplanned failures or any other operational upsets that cannot be
resolved remotely.

Different means of responding might include robots or drones controlled by the onshore
control room, or a standby multi-skilled maintenance team that would need to access the
site. For such a team to successfully resolve the problem, detailed planning and the ability
to source replacement parts quickly will be necessary. Generally, this NUF operational and
maintenance philosophy requires a more agile and flexible way of working and responding.

3.2 Design enablers

3.2.1 NUF installation design and layouts

NUF facilities should be simplified as much as possible, to reduce the necessary Site
Working Hours. Layouts, operational practices, and selection of equipment (availability and
reliability) are studied to facilitate maintenance and operations during the whole lifecycle of
the facilities. Below are examples of recommended practices:
• Removal of all systems related to continuous human presence in accordance with the
chosen NUF concept
• Simple access and modularity to enable plug and play modularized equipment
packages with automated and simplified material handling solutions, reducing the
required time on tools.
• Designs that enable operation by robotic systems
• Simplified and robust produced water treatment, including seawater treatment and
injection
• Alternatives for refilling and storing chemicals, e.g., simplified logistics for NUF, or
reducing the need for chemicals
• Simplified cleaning of process equipment
• Removal of technical building requirements, in particular finding alternatives to
traditional HVAC systems
• The transfer of surface units to the seabed, in offshore environments, may contribute
to a simplification of the topsides. For example, subsea chemical storage systems or
treatment and injection of sea water units could be relocated to the seabed near the
wellheads.
• An inherently safe design is one that avoids hazards instead of controlling them

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3.2.2 Integrity and corrosion

Selection and application of high-quality or new materials and coating systems to reduce
or eliminate labour intensive maintenance is critical; correct selection provides a safety
benefit of reducing likely corrosion, and reduces the need for field personnel to undertake
remediation or repair activities.

A method to continuously monitor the overall state of the installation between maintenance
campaigns without the need to use scaffolding, open vessels, or removal of insulation, will
be required, as will methods to conduct repairs or paint outside the maintenance campaign.

Methods to postpone or eliminate regulatory visits for process and structural equipment by
selection of materials, design choices, sensing, and/or facilitating non-intrusive inspections
will need to be established; online approaches will need to replace planned inspection
interventions.

3.2.3 All-electric facilities

Traditional onboard power generation requires extensive maintenance and can have a large
impact on overall reliability and availability. Reducing the maintenance hours associated
with onboard power generation or removing direct main power generation from the facility
are potential approaches to reduce Site Working Hours. Power can be supplied from
onshore or nearby facilities. To extend the application of NUF to more complex offshore
facilities, large capacity high voltage cables and dynamic power risers will be required. The
use of renewables for the power supply should be considered.

3.3 Equipment Enablers

3.3.1 All-electric equipment

Adoption of electrically powered systems, as opposed to combustion driven (fuel gas, diesel)
or fluid-based (hydraulic or pneumatic) can enable NUF due to the higher reliability and
reduced maintenance associated with an electric power source. This also applies to subsea
assets, with the deployment of fully electric systems avoiding the need for hydraulics.

To maximize the benefits from this approach and replace all utilities, the conversion to
all-electric must be global, from the well downhole safety valve to well trees and rotating
machines. All-electric wells technology is becoming available for subsea applications,
but only with large completion diameters. Developing the same technology for smaller
diameters and dual completion could be a big enabler for more conventional assets.

Fail safe position functionalities have to be maintained on all-electric equipment like valves.

Extended use of new battery technologies (certified for hazardous areas) with significant
advantages in term of safety (zero emission, no need of dedicated battery room) and layout
reduction (less weight and space required) is another NUF enabler.

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3.3.2 Simplifying equipment or packages

Rotating Equipment should be simplified to have a minimal amount of auxiliaries.
Hermetically sealed compressors with magnetic bearings replacing traditional seal gas
compressors or deployment of canned pumps, avoiding additional systems with barrier fluids
and possible leakages are good examples of what is expected for all rotating machines.

Liquid tolerant compressors may avoid the need for scrubbers.

In general, the core component of a package like a compressor is well designed and
reliable; problems often occur on the secondary components surrounding the core
component, as these secondary components tend to be poorly designed. Better component
selection (and the use of simplified designs and higher-quality material) would help to
increase the availability of a package. As an example, water treatment units are often not
well designed and built with low-quality components.

3.3.3 Equipment located in technical room

Telecommunication technologies are today more driven by the public consumer market
and do not specifically address the needs of the oil and gas industry. For example, certified
equipment that could work in hazardous areas could guarantee a continuous transmission
of data between site and the remote control centre, and avoid the need for complex
technical buildings.

The same applies to instrumentation and electrical equipment. Some components are
already available such as mini-VSD (Variable Speed Drive) that can be located outside
technical buildings.

3.3.4 Measurement and analysers

Multiphase Flowmeters at wellheads are commonly deployed on subsea development
and high producing wells. However, the cost of this technology on more conventional
assets is too expensive to offset the cost of a standard test separator. Cheaper multiphase
flowmeters, with no gamma source or virtual meter technologies, and high diameter
flowmeters for production manifold are needed.

NUF will be further enabled by robust online analysers (e.g., oil in water, oxygen, hypochlorite)
for characterisation and monitoring, measured by reliable and precise in-situ solutions
(possibly calibrated remotely with self-cleaning capabilities or remotely operated robotic
systems). Other measurement and analysis design features that will help enable NUF include:
• Reduction of chemical sampling and testing of certain analysers, such that it is less
frequent than planned site visits.
• Longer life for wireless sensors through enhanced battery life or energy harvesting
• Enhanced reliability of monitoring system for flare pilot ignition
• Enhanced reliability of erosion, corrosion, spill, and leak detection sensors like audio
and multispectral cameras
• Nonintrusive sensors or transmitters, since this type of equipment is responsible for
nearly half the leaks on a facility.

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4. Brownfield quick wins

Common challenges that are faced by operators in the industry are described in Section
2. Many of these apply to both greenfield and brownfield operations, albeit with some
important differences: since the intent for the transition of a brownfield FAF to an NUF
is to gradually move select staff away from the field operations, some of the security and
emergency response considerations may be of secondary importance in the sense that they
are not roadblocks to a partial NUF adoption.

Because brownfield FAF projects generally do not affect the broader facility design
concepts, the NUF use is mostly focused on realising operational enhancements, rather
than fundamental changes in operations. However, an NUF approach may provide the
impetus to drive higher reliability and increased overall asset performance and result in a
more competitive business outcome.

Creative application of partial NUF can bring a different perspective to asset life extension.
Because they impact broader scopes of operation than just a single inspection or other
operational workflow, brownfield projects are also an effective step in developing a
workforce’s familiarity with NUF operations models. This helps with shifting the mindset
of the personnel involved. This experience will be valuable to fine tune NUF operational
philosophies in anticipation of greenfield NUF.

4.1 Operation and maintenance quick wins in brownfield

The overarching driver for brownfield operations is to gradually remove people away
from the site and reduce Site Working Hours. This effort has benefits from a safety, cost,
and equipment reliability perspective. An advantage of brownfield FAF to NUF migration
compared to a greenfield NUF application is that it is acceptable to progressively reduce
on-site staffing and that, unlike for greenfield NUF, there is no obligation to remove all
people from a facility. From this point of view, brownfield NUF becomes a model for fully
autonomous solutions.

4.1.1 Remote monitoring and remote site support functions quick wins

Collaborative environment and integration of new IT tools

Through extensive use of automation protocols, facilities can be operated remotely in real
time. This can introduce economies of scale where a smaller operating crew can oversee
multiple, physically distinct assets (e.g., a central control room overseeing multiple
facilities, or an onshore crew controlling and operating an offshore facility).

The use of digital twins (extensive use of 3D models, laser scans, photogrammetry, and the
like) during planning of maintenance and brownfield project work will dramatically reduce the
need for mobilisation and site visits in preparation of inspection, maintenance, and turnaround
work on brownfield projects. Other technologies that can increase workforce efficiency include:

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• Augmented and Virtual Reality environments, which can be used for project design as
well as daily operations.
• Phones, tablets, or other telecom products
• Automated restocking of consumables reduces the need for on-site crew and
simplifies logistics management

Telecommunication
A specific need in this space is the facilitation of adequate and robust communication
infrastructure at the site. This can be accomplished through a combination of last mile
connectivity (e.g., Wi-Fi, LWAN, 4G/5G, UWB) to facilitate reliable communication between
base and site. This infrastructure also typically requires fibre optics to provide the
necessary bandwidth for communication back to the remote support location.

Analytics
There will be a need for efficient data management and integration solutions that can
combine or connect static data (engineering design info, 3D scans and other models),
inspection and maintenance and cost records, operational process parameters, derived
quantities of interest (such as flow rates, stresses, etc.) and geospatial data (e.g.,
environmental emissions monitoring) to assess to health status of the facilities and
anticipate downgraded situations.

Advanced signal processing and analytics will be required to reduce the myriad amount of
data that is collected from the site into actionable intelligence. Solutions pioneered in other
industries can be leveraged for oil and gas applications, and have the capability to reduce
the necessary bandwidth. These reduced data sets can be directly accessed by remotely
connected operators.

4.1.2 Quick wins for operation and maintenance tasks

Sensing
Multispectral gas finding cameras and sound detectors fixed or embedded on mobile
systems can identify leaks in large areas and reduce the multiplication of fixed gas detectors.

Fixed automation
Automation to prepare for remote or autonomous operations: this enables relocation of
field personnel to a single, central site where they can oversee multiple facilities without
needing to physically move. This eliminates truck or helicopter travel and associated risks.
This includes HSE and economic benefits from the reduced drive time or reduced helicopter
movement (also relieves personnel on board pressures in offshore environments).

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Mobile automation
Remote surveillance of the facility (through mobile robotic systems or aerial surveillance
in both the visual, infrared and audible spectrum): scan for abnormal sights or sounds and
mimic operator walkthroughs. The control of such systems may be either autonomous or
remote. Such systems can be used for routine surveillance, maintenance, and inspection
duties, as well as during intervention in emergencies or following an upset condition or
incident. However, human detection capabilities are required if the robots operate on a
facility among humans.

Additionally, increased automation in maintenance can:

• Eliminate confined space or rope access work: various technology solutions are now
available. This can be complemented by non-intrusive inspection tools.
• Eliminate the need for scaffolding to do minor repair work; blasting and painting can
be completed robotically (tracked, wheeled, or over the air), and several technology
solutions are available (for larger surfaces) or nearing commercial deployment (for
smaller diameter piping and handrails)
• Eliminate further risk to personnel by using Unmanned Aerial Systems for
visual inspection at height and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for underwater
inspections

4.1.3 Quick wins for maintenance and maintenance campaigns

Widespread application of condition monitoring will enable executing the right maintenance
tasks at the right time and eliminate unnecessary maintenance associated with a strict
time-based scheme. To help achieve this, operators can:
• Implement regular maintenance campaigns with a dedicated mobile team and leave
only a minimum permanent maintenance team on site.
• Use of W2W vessels for periodic maintenance campaigns and reduce the need for
permanent accommodation on site.

4.2 Quick wins for design in brownfield

Design changes in brownfield are obviously limited. When dealing with brownfield
modifications, a pragmatic and piecemeal approach seems most sensible. It is not
necessary to solve all problems all at once. It is critically important that field operations
be included in the design of these solutions from the beginning. It is paramount that
these brownfield NUF modifications be driven by the business operations teams and that
engineering and IT play an enabling support role.

A facility’s power generation can be gradually electrified. While the more all-encompassing
power generation solutions in this space are certainly very capital-intensive, there is an
opportunity to migrate to electric motors and reduce the associated maintenance needs,
due to fewer moving parts and increased reliability. Elements that have enabled the
electrification of power consumption include:

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• Large power supply is now possible from very long distances.

• Fibre optic manufacturers have the capability to transmit power with Direct Current
for small power supply in the same cable
• Low-power circuitry and/or renewable power sources can reduce the carbon footprint
of production site
• Substitute site electricity generation with offsite generation

4.3 Quick wins for equipment in brownfield

• Use IoT sensors to limit costs, avoid refurbishing, and get data on demand
• Use modular cranes on wellhead platforms instead of fixed cranes
• Use electrical hermetically sealed compressors with magnetic bearings
• Use online analysers
• Use Unmanned Surface Vessels for surveillance or capability deployment for ROVs

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5. NUF compatible equipment

and solutions
The term standardisation has many uses and is sometimes confused with replication and
simplification. The industry has initiated several programs to address some of these issues,
such as IOGP JIP33, which aims to standardize and simplify procurement specifications
for oil and gas equipment. Leveraging JIP33 with the following actions will support the
NUF strategy, which may include additional consideration for reliability, availability, and
maintainability of equipment:
• Manufacturers or other companies should produce equipment with an “NUF
compatible” label. Operator procurement exercises might look for this type of
labelling so that procurement is aligned with common industry objectives.
• Equipment packages should be standardized and simplified to enable the use of
robotics within an NUF compatible setting: this could include specific tooling and
interface points (e.g., height, force, or torque to be applied) to enable consistent
maintenance procedures within the operating limits of available robots from different
manufacturers.
• Facilities should be designed with MTBF higher than one year (typically >2-3 times the
visit intervals) or certain SIL levels
• Reliability of the equipment should be proven by standardized qualification tests,
accepted by a wide array of operators.
• Standardize critical components to be ‘plug and play’, characterized as modular
equipment that can be easily maintained with minimally skilled or specialized
personnel and minimized specialized tooling, preparation, downtime, and HSE
exposure.
• Minimize and simplify any required maintenance activity should be to maximize
efficiency and shorten duration of activity.
• Material handling should be challenged and optimized to reduce the size and
scope of lifts, thus enabling a simple lifting solution and decreased maintenance
requirements.

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6. Conclusion

This paper has outlined several challenges to migration to NUF as well as some enablers.
The following next steps are advocated:
• While adoption of NUF philosophy and design principles may make many standards
unsuitable, several regulations and regulatory documents may need to be amended
or updated to enable NUF. At present, possible encumbrances within current codes,
standards, and regulations are being investigated by IOGP.
• Adoption of NUF concepts can be applied to any type facility (brownfield or
greenfield, onshore and offshore) and would be greatly facilitated by some level
of standardisation. Manufacturers could brand some of their equipment as “NUF
compatible” or “NUF ready”. This would create economies of scale for both the
qualification and fabrication of equipment and subsystems. Identifying a good set
of candidate equipment types for such an endeavor and obtaining the associated
qualification certification is envisioned to be a step that needs to be undertaken before
NUF can be widely adopted.
• Development of standards and protocols for “next generation” monitoring and
intervention technology (e.g., robotic systems and sensors) that allow the industry to
create interoperable systems and hence plug and play various solutions.

Although technical challenges remain, there are no “showstoppers” that prevent the pursuit
of Normally Unattended Facilities in the very near future.

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Normally Unattended Facilities – White Paper
Appendix A: Challenges/Enablers/Quick
Wins Summary
Challenges
Operation and Maintenance
Operation and Maintenance
Philosophy for NUF, Managing
Operation and Maintenance
Regulator expectations
Remote Monitoring and Remote Site
Support Functions
Data capture, analysis,
telecommunication and cyber security
Maintenance Campaign
Reducing Site Working Hours
Installation Design and Layouts
Optimize for NUF solutions:
lean and robust facilities
Design
Integrity and Corrosion
Material and Coating selection,
quality application
Physical Security
Preventing access to an NUF
Equipment Selection
Focus on essential production
equipment
Technologies
Robustness of equipment
MTBF exceeds maintenance
campaign interval
Equipment Removal
Remove excess utility equipment,
install reliable equipment
Enablers Quick Wins
•T
 raining simulators, virtual reality • Application of robotics and drones
tools, remote camera and sensing
• Mobile solutions for operators
systems, and artificial intelligence
• Application of intelligent self-
•A
 pplication of robotics and drones
learning algorithms
•C
 ollect all data type: image, video, • Wireless Solutions, connected field
sound, thermal, etc. Fibre Optics, operator
4G/5G
• Application of robotics and drones
• In service inspections
•C
 ondition based monitoring, • Regular maintenance campaigns
predictive maintenance with minimum permanent presence
on site
•W
 2W vessels
• Condition based monitoring,
predictive maintenance
• Incorporate inherently safe design • Laser scanning and
principles photogrammetry for anomaly
detection
•A
 ll-electric facilities with remotely
supplied power, simple and • Wireless installation for data
modular designs gathering
•R
 obot friendly facilities
•R
 obust new coatings and non- • Laser scanning and
metallic materials photogrammetry for anomaly
detection
•C
 ontinuous monitoring between
campaigns
•A
 ccess deterrent designs • Application of CCTV
• Intruder detection systems • Application of robotics and drones
•E
 xtensive use of electric driven • Wireless installation for data
equipment gathering
•L
 iquid tolerant compressors, self- • Utilising IoT sensors
calibrating analysers
•M
 inimize/remove fluid-based and • Gradual electrification
combustion driven systems
•H
 ighly reliable equipment preferred
to sparing
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Normally Unattended Facilities – White Paper

Appendix B: Successful NUF Cases

and References

Existing Normally Unattended Facilities

Oseberg H, an NUF 6M wellhead platform on the Norwegian Continental Shelf
https://www.equinor.com/en/news/october2018-oseberg-vestflanken2.html

Angel, an NUF 6W gas condensate process platform in Australia

https://www.offshore-technology.com/projects/angel_gas/

Erskine, NUF for 20 years in the North Sea

https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/north-sea/155253/pictures-chevrons-north-sea-erskine-
celebrates-20-years/

Anyadike, Nnamdi. “Could unmanned platforms provide the boost the North Sea needs?” Offshore
Technology. 21 November 2016. https://www.offshore-technology.com/features/featurecould-
unmanned-platforms-provide-the-boost-the-north-sea-needs-5674874/ (Accessed 03 March 2021)

Beckman, Jeremy. “Normally unattended platforms offer opex, capex reductions.” Offshore.
18 April 2016. https://www.offshore-mag.com/field-development/article/16754873/normally-
unattended-platforms-offer-opex-capex-reductions (Accessed 03 March 2021).

Publications
Thomassen Frostad AI et al. “Unmanned Full Processing Platforms; Using Subsea Technology as
Enabler.” Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, USA. May 2020. https://doi.org/10.4043/30905-MS

Munoz JM, Bartoli E, and Macrez S. “Operation Room: A Key Component for Upscaling Robotic
Solutions on Site.” Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
15-18 November 2020. https://doi.org/10.2118/202667-MS

Munoz JM et al. “Normally Unattended Installations, the New Frontier for Cost Reduction.”
Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 11-14 November 2019.
https://doi.org/10.2118/197513-MS

Nevin M. “Unmanned Facilities: The Way to $30bn Savings”. Abu Dhabi International Petroleum
Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 11-14 November 2019. https://doi.org/10.2118/197302-MS

Edwards AR and Gordon B. “Using Unmanned Principles and Integrated Operations to Enable
Operational Efficiency and Reduce Capex and OPEX Costs.” SPE Middle East Intelligent Oil and Gas
Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, UAE. 15-16 September 2015. https://doi.org/10.2118/176813-MS

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Normally Unattended Facilities – White Paper

Abbreviations

4G/5G Fourth Generation/Fifth Generation

Capex Capital Expenditure

CCTV Closed-Circuit Television

FAF Fully Attended Facility

FLNG Floating Liquified Natural Gas

FPSO Floating, Production, Storage, and Offloading

HVAC Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

IoT Internet of Things

IT Information Technology

JIP Joint Industry Project

KPI Key Performance Indicators

LWAN Local Wide Area Network

MTBF Mean Time Between Failure

NUF Normally Unattended Facility

Opex Operating Expenses

ROV Remote Operated Vehicle

SPAR Single Point Anchor Reservoir

UWB Ultra-Wide Band

W2W Walk to Work

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