Predictive Digital Twins for structural integrity management and asset life extension – JIP concept and results

This paper presents a Digital Twin concept aimed at assets in the oil & gas and wind industry, that provides an accurate estimate of the true fatigue life of these assets in order to unlock potential fatigue life and ultimately extend the life of assets. This concept is divided in four tiers that allow to unlock remaining fatigue life one after the other. The first tier consists of using a high-resolution finite element model of the asset, delivered by Akselos unique RB-FEA technology. The subsequent tiers consist in using data from a few strategically placed accelerometers, as well as wave radar recordings, in order to calibrate the model and estimate the real loading on the asset. This concept delivers a true digital twin of the asset and offers a compelling and cost-effective method for offshore assets that are facing life time extension beyond what current methodologies can provide. The concept is being implemented on one of Shell’s platforms in the Southern North Sea.