With the industry growth in DP vessels, technology advances with more complex designs, along with a decline in experienced and trained operators, means that often the DP redundancy and fault tolerance is defeated by the operator by incorrect application of the operational design criteria.
Establishment of structured operational limits criteria are very important to support incident free and efficient DP Operations and is now in use globally with outstanding results providing reduced DP incidents.
In addition to providing structured limitations, there is a requirement to share the information/limitations to all users and invested parties. When an operational limitation occurs, the information must be communicated to all parties, by applying the successful ASOG/WSOG/CAMO, it ensures that all parties are provided with the live and current fault tolerance.
The risk management methods that have been increasingly used through the offshore industry are the CAMO, TAM and ASOG/WSOG.
IMCA M220 establishes clear definitions on such tools, as follows:
CAMO – Critical Activity Mode of Operation: sets out the most fault tolerant configuration for the DP system and associated plant and equipment. For DP Class 2/3 vessels usually defines the most robust fault tolerant configuration of the DP system ensuring that a single point failure does not exceed the vessel’s identified worst case failure. CAMO is applied to all critical activities.
TAM – Task Appropriate Mode: Risk-based operating mode in which the DP vessel may be set up and operated, accepting that a single point failure could result in exceeding the vessel’s identified worst case failure (IMCA M220, 2012). TAM is applied to less critical activities where position loss is found acceptable before the project/operation.
ASOG – Activity Specific Operating Guidelines: sets out the operational, environmental and equipment performance limits for the location and the specific activity the vessel is undertaking (IMCA M220, 2012).
WSOG – Well Specific Operating Guidelines: Same as the ASOG, for a vessel/rig undertaking drilling operations. Developed for a specific well or drilling activity.
The ASOG and CAMO has an important role for the Engineers, as they make very clear the correct configuration and limits of the machinery systems for DP operations and also provide the proper response to faults and failures.
Medea is specialized in DP Vessesls and provides ship-specific DP Operation Manual which can be issued into two versions:
- DP Operations Manual basic;
- Dp Operations Manual Advanced, (including main Off-Shore Standards & Risk Management Tools CAMO-TAM-ASOG/WSOG).
Our research and develop team is preparing a digital version of our DP OPS Manua with all relevant procedures and forms in app.
Risk Management Tools (CAMO-TAM-ASOG/WSOG)
