AGITO TECHNICAL DYNAMICS: Reliable Subsea Systems Through Comprehensive Simulation

In the oil and gas industry, where there are big risks for big rewards, safety has become not only a priority, but a value and a culture. It is instilled not only in businesses but at the very forefront of the mind for anyone operating in the industry. Technology is increasingly deployed to support safety efforts, and the working practices and principles are now governed by safety above all.

But risks remain. Collisions, falls, fire, wind, rain, explosions, and high-pressure leaks or bursts are all real dangers in today’s industry. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), oil and gas has a fatality rate of seven times that of the total of all other industries. Working in the field is serious.

However, when it comes to high-pressure equipment – including hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, and flow technology – there is a way to mitigate. Modern software, developed and perfected by industry professionals, specifically for use with control systems and subsea production, is now utilised to protect personnel and the environment.

Agito Technical Dynamics, based in Norway, with offices in the UK and USA, is one of the key players in the delivery of specialised software, allowing operators and contractors in the oil and gas industry to detect problems before they arise.

“Visualise the solution, remove the risk, reduce the cost,” is the company’s motto.

DYNAMIC ANALYSIS

CEO Knut Erik Myren tells Energy Focus that there is so much to be had from a dynamic software that can provide effective analysis and verification of designs and systems. Because of this, many of the world’s major oil and gas players utilise Agito to provide surety.

“We are a provider of a particular software, SimulationX, developed in Germany – a system software where you can utilise multiple components in the subsea environment, with different equations and mathematics for each system. The software links these components, allowing you to run dynamic analysis,” he says.

SimulationX can be used across various engineering disciplines. The software was developed to meticulously analyse interaction between system parts, components, and assemblies.   Agito partnered with developers, ESI, to build subsea libraries between 2010 and 2014. The result was the product quickly became the software of choice for complex dynamic analysis in the offshore/subsea industry. The latest version, version 4.4, of the software was released in August 22.

“We are building virtual models of systems and running those systems to see how they behave,” says Agito EVP Sales & Marketing, Kjell Skar. “We are then able to verify if the requirements are met – for example, that a valve should be able to close in maximum 45 seconds – are met. We can play around with the system and see the different outcomes instantly.

“It offers verification of a system prior to companies even starting to build the system,” he adds. “That offers a significant advantage as when you build something there might be mistakes and you have to start repairs while you are a still building – and that is costly and time consuming. If you are able to reveal mistakes in a virtual model of the system, prior to the start of your build, there are significant cost savings to be made.”

With many of the newer oil and gas discoveries coming in harder-to-reach areas, at significant depth along with challenging temperatures and environments, components used in systems will come under significant strain. Virtual testing is imperative to ensure reliability. SimulationX offers users the chance to not only test models, but also enhance.

“The other big advantage is optimization of the system. You can play with the parameters of a system and see where the breaking points are in terms of pressures and fatigue. You can then optimise your system in the design phase, prior to building anything, using this analytical tool,” explains Myren.

The ultimate result here is safer and more reliable oil and gas operations, with confidence in the workforce, and certainty for engineers and owners. Agito calls on a long list of big-name clients when demonstrating its effectiveness. Even some of the world’s most high-profile organisations have realised the benefits of SimulationX and the other software on offer from Agito. The company can work as a sales outlet or provide a much more comprehensive partnership, training engineers to use the software effectively, embedding knowledge into client culture.

“Verification of a given design is the core part of what we do,” states Myren. “Providing the software as well as training companies to use it, or taking on the complete job for companies who don’t have skilled people to utilise the software. This is typically something we do for bigger oil companies as they don’t normally have a team of analysts in this particular area. They come to us after buying subsea production capabilities from other companies and they ask us, as a third party, to run a verification of that system. We have completed this type of work for BP, Shell, Petrobras, Hess, and most of the major companies.”

RELIABLE CUSTOMERS

Auxiliary work around the industry helps Agito to stand out further, drawing on a range of different experiences that others cannot. Post-Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, the company was contracted by bp to test and verify systems that led to the infamous valve blowout. This type of accident investigation is only something that could be handled by a company with years of experience in dynamic system simulation and will of course lead to ongoing improvements in the software.  

“They return to us all the time, whenever they have something. These majors are all very reliable customers for Agito,” says Myren.

Improving efficiencies and ensuring optimisation in oil and gas operations are extremely important in an environment where costs and incomes are challenged thanks to macroeconomic conditions. According to KPMG, the industry is facing a lack of talent, diminishing consumer demand, crippling price fluctuations, and growing uncertainty as issues in Russia, Ukraine, China, the USA, and the EU combine to create an uncertain atmosphere. But Agito is strong and stable and its services are vital because of the underlying safety concerns they address.

“The past few years have been challenging,” admits Myren. “We have experienced the results from the reduced oil price in 2016/17. As the market came back, the pandemic then hit us. It has been five or six tough years with a reduced amount of work. There has been a slowdown and people have been putting projects on hold. Many are now coming back, slowly but surely. We also expect that the reduced export of gas out of Russia will have an impact in the medium-term.”

But this small company is highly specialised and can overcome challenges by going back to its core – delivery of world-class, high-quality simulation software. SimulationX is universally regarded as the best computer-aided engineering (CAE) software available and is a must for companies operating in the HPHT environment.

“We have the software and system knowledge, and we share specific analytical knowledge on given projects with our clients,” says Myren of the company’s leading position, comparing to Agito in its nascent form.

“The company started as a one-man operation back in 2001. The founder was from the oil and gas subsea application sector, and that is the basis for the foundation of the company. We work with the best software in the oil and gas industry for hydraulic subsea control systems. Subsequently, we have approached the oil and gas market – everyone from OEMs, systems suppliers, and operators – working with them as a partner before eventually selling the software to them,” he concludes.

By investing in partnerships with Agito, players in the global oil and gas industry – small, medium and large – are spending on safety; virtually testing and verifying their systems, removing risks before they arise, promoting a culture of protection. With costs in the sector expected to increase further, it is now paramount that organisations do not double up on outgoings. It is unacceptable to be rebuilding systems midway through the development process because proper verification has not been achieved. Optimisation, reliability, efficiency, and above all, safety, is Agito’s business, and these elements are more than ever so hard to come by. Thankfully, Agito is open and ready to partner, problem solving with each interaction.