Lausanne, 11th September 2023: Akselos is delighted to announce that our digital twin technology has been selected as a finalist in the inaugural Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards 2023. We are nominated in the “Best Digital Transformation – Midstream” category for our project building a structural digital twin of the Adriatic LNG regasification terminal.
The Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards – a combination of the respected World Oil Awards, Hydrocarbon Processing Awards, Petroleum Economist Awards and Pipeline & Gas Journal Awards – recognize and celebrate cutting-edge technological developments and exceptional leadership in the energy industry.
Our Pioneering Project with Adriatic LNG
Last year, Akselos partnered with Adriatic LNG to use digital twin technology to revitalize the operations of the Adriatic LNG regasification terminal, which has a regasification capacity of 8 billion cubic meters of LNG per year and is vital for Italy’s energy mix – supplying over 10% of the nation’s natural gas consumption.
The Adriatic LNG terminal houses four critical components for regasification – Open Rack Vaporizers (ORVs). The seawater flowing through heat exchanger tubes in the ORVs vaporizes LNG, often stressing the pipes due to temperature differentials. Unaddressed, this can lead to ORV breakdowns and significant asset downtime, as a single ORV can take up to two years to replace Unfortunately, operators did not know which pipes were most stressed and, therefore, likely to fail. To help, Akselos used its RB-FEA simulation software to build a digital twin of an ORV using input data from drawings, inspection data, and load history.
After the Digital Twin was built, Akselos undertook a Fitness for Service (FFS) assessment of the ORV on the digital twin, including elastic and plastic analysis, validated by Bureau Veritas. While the ORV passed the FFS assessment, operators discovered that certain pipes were under more stress than others and would need maintenance much sooner. Akselos displayed the results on an easy-to-digest dashboard, allowing operators to rank the tubes based on their fatigue life.
With the Akselos digital twin, Adriatic LNG operators can undertake continuous FFS assessments instead of the typically large intervals between each assessment. Moreover, the operator now has an insight into each ORV tube down to the millimeter level and can undertake predictive maintenance to catch issues before they arise, avoiding asset downtime, reducing costs and securing the flow of natural gas to the mainland.
Looking beyond ORVs, digital twin technology has enormous potential to help advance the industry. Firstly, most LNG terminals contain ORVs which can be analyzed similarly to Adriatic LNG’s ORV. Building digital twins and undertaking assessments of all these ORVs would further allow operators to identify issues before they worsen, improving performance and extending asset lifespan Also, additional opportunities exist in the border LNG value chain to utilize digital twin technology. Virtually all LNG import terminals have additional components prone to stress issues, including piping and loading arms, while the technology could also improve the operational efficiency of LNG export terminals and tankers.
Forging the Future of Energy with Digital Twin Technology
Akselos’ nomination as a finalist in the inaugural Gulf Energy Information Excellence Awards 2023 for “Best Digital Transformation” is a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence. This recognition, coming from a conglomerate of some of the most esteemed awards in the energy sector, underlines the transformative impact of our digital twin technology.
By integrating our RB-FEA simulation software with real-time data, we’ve pioneered a strategy enabling proactive asset management, ensuring energy operations’ efficiency, longevity, and cost-effectiveness. And while our achievement with the Adriatic LNG regasification terminal is noteworthy, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. We envision a future where our digital twin technology becomes an industry standard, enhancing operations across the global LNG value chain.
The award nomination has bolstered our determination to push the boundaries of technological advancements in the energy sector. It inspires us to believe in the boundless possibilities that the future holds. Reach out to an Akselos expert today to delve deeper into our award-nominated project and discover how we can elevate your operations to new heights of excellence.
