Session: 01-08-01 Digitalization, AI/ML, Digital Twins - I

Submission Number: 156456

Optimizing Operational Efficiency: A Digital Twin Solution for Realtime Dynamic Watch Circles on Dynamically Positioned Rigs 

The development, deployment, and operations of a digital twin system for dynamically positioned (DP) drilling vessels is presented. The primary objective of the digital twin is to generate dynamic watch circles by predicting the vessel's drift-off behavior based on real-time environmental conditions. The dynamic watch circle output provides crew members with maximal operating envelopes based on actual conditions while ensuring safe operations and wellhead protection.

The Neosight software platform was used to develop the digital twin system, incorporating a drilling system model and integration with external data streams such as vessel position, riser tension, and environmental data (wind, wave, and current). Also, the system provides the following capabilities:

On-Demand (forecasting) watch circle analysis

Realtime operability analysis for purposes of optimizing flex joint angles and vessel position

On-Demand (forecasting) operability analysis for purposes of optimizing flex joint angles and vessel position

The system output includes a local user interface on the vessel and an output data stream to the operator's real-time data center via the WITSML protocol.

The deployment and utilization of the digital twin system on a dynamically positioned drilling vessel operating has been successful. The system helped protect the wellhead in the challenging environment and enabled the operator to gather correlated data streams that monitored weather, vessel status, and dynamic watch circle estimation. The system ensured safe operations, improved uptime, reduced costs, and wellhead integrity.

Presenting Author: Kenneth Bhalla Stress Engineering Services, Inc.

Presenting Author Biography: Kenneth is presently the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President at Stress Engineering Services in Houston Texas; where he oversees the entire product and service portfolio and leads the effort in developing a long-term technology strategy as Stress furthers its commitment to bringing innovation to the marketplace. Prior to this Kenneth led the upstream drilling practice.

Kenneth holds a B.Sc (Eng) and M.Sc (Eng) in aeronautical engineering with fluid and structural mechanics with mathematics, from Imperial College, University of London. He also holds a PhD in theoretical and applied mechanics from Cornell University.

Kenneth has more than 20 years of experience in technology, software and hardware development solutions, business intelligence and corporate strategy, together with technical sales and marketing.