The maintenance of blowout preventers (BOPs) has significant financial, logistical and safety implications for drilling operators and rig owners. DNV GL has now established a Joint Industry Project (JIP) to develop a risk-based maintenance methodology with the aim to deliver more effective and cost-efficient BOP maintenance. Several BOP manufacturers, operators, rig owners and shelf state regulators have already joined the JIP, and others may still come on board.
BOPs have traditionally been subject to time-based maintenance, which can create critical challenges, such as unstructured maintenance management, reduced reliability and equipment overhauls, which consequently may lead to increased operational downtime.
Current regulation proposes the use of alternatives to time-based maintenance. The Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway, in particular, has focused on the drilling operators’ maintenance functions, and this has increased industry understanding of risk-based maintenance.
The work will be conducted by DNV GL and supervised by a steering committee. A kick-off meeting will take place on 25 September 2014 in Norway and industry partners are welcome to attend this.
