Worth a thousand words : exacting visual imagery trims costs, speeds construction of complex plants

This article presented the newly developed Plant Design Management System (PDMS) software that allows engineers to plan, build and maintain nearly any type of plant, from refineries to pulp and paper mills. British-based AVEVA developed the software to help lower installation costs for complex oil and gas projects by 3 per cent. Unlike computer-aided design (CAD), AVEVA used the concept of data-centric plant design whereby engineers initially enter data for use in multiple applications. Different groups around the world can work in real-time on the design via an Internet connection. Calgary-based Tri Ocean Engineering has used PDMS since 1999 on more than 24 projects, including a floating gas processing facility for Shell's Niglintgak field in the Mackenzie Delta. The full 3-D modelling software can be installed in a day at client sites. Once a design is finalized, the system creates prefabrication drawings with precise details of pipe size and length that needs to be cut. It also performs cost estimates for materials and procurement protocol. In addition to saving money on design and manufacturing, the software helps significantly in accelerating construction time. The software has already been used for several years in Canada's east coast offshore sector. 3 figs.