Maersk Drilling, GE to expand digital partnership to nine drilling vessels

Maersk Drilling and GE recently expanded the scope of a digital pilot project partnership that utilizes GE’s SeaStream Insight Marine Asset Performance Management solution to reduce overall well cost and increase enterprise-wide productivity in drilling operations.

The 2016 pilot project, titled one vessel, one asset, one year, will now be expanded to nine vessels and will target a total of 110 equipment assets such as the top drive, draw works, thrusters, and main engines. The project will feature a multiyear contract that will begin later this year.

“By scaling from one pilot project to fleets, it helps drive consistent drilling excellence at a global level, and this is how digital solutions will bring a multibillion-dollar impact to the industry,” Tim Schweikert, president and CEO of GE’s Marine Solutions, said. “…Moving forward, we will continue to deliver measurable outcomes through the program and help Maersk Drilling and our partners better perform even during this period of industry downturn.”

The two companies also developed virtual representations of key rig equipment for major drilling and marine systems equipment, called digital twins, which will enable predictive maintenance and reduce unnecessary costs. Combined with GE’s zonal analytics, the digital twins solution will assist in detecting anomalies that could potentially result in an equipment breakdown.

Maersk said in a release it is targeting a 20 percent maintenance cost reduction by implementing the solution to nine vessels.