Response Forecasting

Details and Specifications

StormGeo has state-of-the-art technologies to forecast weather-influenced motions and provide decision support.

Predict rig movements

Undesirable movements in floating offshore installations can be the origin of potentially dangerous situations and expensive shutdowns of operations.

StormGeo’s Response Forecasting is designed to predict the movements of the rig and drilling deck by combining accurate weather information with detailed knowledge of the predicted response of each floating unit. This increases the accuracy of operational planning and logistics, reducing risk and drilling costs.

Hydrodynamic analysis and modelling forecast

Advanced hydrodynamic models forecast motions of offshore floating units to improve performance and ensure cost-effective operations.

• Rig and Drilling Deck Forecasts predict heave, sway, surge, pitch and roll motion tailored to each floating structure.
• Helideck Motion Forecasts predict the helideck’s heave, pitch and roll movements, then give the appropriate green, red or yellow light to support planning a more optimal helicopter schedule.
• Forecasted Modelling optimizes positioning of a flotel, by forecasting the relative movement of the flotel and the gangway stroke to the attached platform. It simulates multiple headings in a predefined sector, ensuring maximum availability of the gangway connection.
• Information is available in a customizable online portal for both onshore and offshore users, supported by a 24/7/365 team of forecasting specialists at StormGeo.
• StormGeo’s forecasts increase HSE performance, using SIMO or MIMOSA models, which receive information from ECMWF wave models and allow operators to make knowledge-based decisions to save costs.

Availability analyses

Availability Analyses reduce the uncertainty of downtimes caused by rig motion, resulting from weather (wind and waves) interaction with the drilling rig. StormGeo uses hydrodynamic analysis together with high-quality hindcast weather data to calculate the probability of a defined rig motion occurring or the likelihood of breaching a certain motion limit criteria.

The results are used to estimate the operational availability of a specific drilling rig in a specific location when considering rig motion limitations, e.g. heave amplitude limitations due to heave compensating system.

Forecast of critical responses

Response Forecasting minimizes the need for using over-conservative limits based on wave height only. It allows for planning around a more accurate prediction of when heave compensation systems will no longer cope with weather conditions.

The basis of the technology is to combine the advanced hydrodynamic models of the vessel with weather forecasts. The result is accurate forecasts of rig motions for the planning of drilling and helideck operations.

Flotel and gangway continuous decision support

The system uses StormGeo’s high-quality weather information, in combination with advanced rig dynamics modelling (from Deep Sea Mooring), to simulate and forecast the relative movements of the flotel, gangway and attached platform. It simulates multiple headings in a predefined sector, allowing for the easy planning of optimal positioning of the flotel, which ensures maximum availability.

In situations where a disconnect cannot be avoided, the system allows users to plan and schedule to disconnect according to procedures.