Allison Willardson and Ernest Pund, Sempra LNG, USA, consider the means of embracing innovation and leveraging technology for better project development. empra LNG made headlines last year as the company achieved a Final Investment Decision (FID) for its landmark Energía Costa Azul (ECA) LNG export project, a joint venture facility to be located on the Pacific Coast in Mexico. ECA LNG is the only LNG project in the world to have achieved this milestone in a remarkably complex year for the industry.
Also last year, the company celebrated the achievement of full commercial operations of its Cameron LNG export facility now in operation in Hackberry, Louisiana, US. As Sempra LNG works to advance its projects, the use of technology applications that could allow its facilities to perform with higher efficiency and provide safer and more reliable delivery of LNG to its customers becomes imperative.
Visualising field data for predictable project outcomes Sempra LNG is focused on moving from being a documentcentric to a data-centric company in an effort to improve forecasting, predictability, and project execution. Next to skilled and talented people, information is the company’s most valuable resource. By implementing new systems and developing standardised processes for collecting and aggregating data that is easily consumed, Sempra LNG empowers its people with valuable information to make informed decisions for the lifecycle of its projects. Adopting a new electronic document management system, digital asset visualisation tools and business analytics services have been essential in advancing this digital transformation. One particular tool that has greatly improved Sempra LNG’s efficiency is a field data collection application used to capture a broad range of construction, safety, quality and environmental project information, and deliver that
information into visually rich dashboards within minutes of being captured in the field. That speed and accessibility from remote locations has been particularly valuable at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has all but halted business travel, and hurricanes have threatened the construction and operation of large scale LNG export projects on the Gulf Coast. Some of the information collected automatically includes: field photos synced with GPS readings to provide more precise incident and condition locations; weather conditions that are collected and generated at the time a report is created, including rainfall, temperature and wind speed, among others; and date, time, and user information. So far, the Sempra LNG team has developed 20 standardised report templates to help collect information to build consistency between projects and allow for rapid deployment on future projects. Field personnel make a selection from a dropdown list of preset values, data is supplemented with photographs, and information is time-stamped. Field personnel can pull from a repository of site documentation and drawings to assist in assessing an issue and pinpointing observations. Overall, by having this field data more available, Sempra LNG is better able to dynamically work with multiple contractors, manage multiple projects consistently, and share information with team members across the globe.
Making the data visually accessible
Figure 1. Field personnel capture data and images at the ECA LNG project site in Mexico, which will be delivered into visually rich dashboards within minutes of being captured in the field.
Sempra LNG developed the default charts, tables, and other visuals in dashboards using a business analytics service. These features are filterable for users to uncover data and create their own savable and sharable perspectives. A tool chest of filters allows users to quickly customise the dashboards to focus on a certain time frame, discipline (including electrical and mechanical), or contractor. In some cases, users can locate and open a specific PDF report needed to explain a bottleneck in a workflow, troubleshoot an issue, or reveal the details of a positive trend in performance. Sempra LNG has taken this information a step further: � To provide a more applicable user experience, the company partnered with the Sempra LNG geographic information system (GIS) team and used GIS information and map imaging to visualise specific project areas within the dashboards and display collected field data, such as environmental or safety incidents, layered directly over the facility layout.
Figure 2. The ECA LNG liquefaction export project will be built
at the site of the Energía Costa Azul regasification facility in Baja California, Mexico.
Reprinted from March 2021
� To provide a more intuitive user experience, Sempra LNG developed an integration that will pull PDF copies of finalised reports from the field collection application and load them into an organised and controlled collaborative online platform. From here, the company integrated its dashboards with the PDF reports stored in the cloud, providing users with instant access to the documentation directly from the dashboard, eliminating the need to navigate multiple systems, and reducing costs associated with additional license assignments.
Currently, Sempra LNG teams have created the following dashboards from information collected using a field data collection application: zz Construction dashboard, including: construction activities; quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) issues; resources (including equipment) on-site; safety and security issues; as well as work stoppages. zz Environmental dashboards, including: field inspections; incident summaries; exception requests; and an area problem tracker. zz Health, safety, security and environment dashboards, including: multiple observations; job safety analysis; and stop work authority reports. zz QAQC dashboards, including: field observations; notice of inspection; surveillance discovery; and corrective action reports.
Standardised for consistent metrics
Key to the dashboard strategy, each set of dashboards is built on the same foundation of processes for data collection and aggregation, to help ensure that metrics are comparable between projects and to better assist in reviewing trends over time. In order to develop these standards, multiple project leads and field personnel came together to discuss and agree on best practices. The ability to see real-time metrics has made remote work possible by making information easily and instantly available while on the job site, in the office, or at home. Sempra LNG Construction Superintendent, Brad Livingston, said the use of the field collection application allows departments “to share and collaborate information in real-time without having to be in close proximity to the site, or even in the same location. Reports are generated in the field and shared immediately.” All the information is cloud-based, providing decisionmakers with visibility to trends, spikes, exceptions, and
other performance indicators within 10 min. of the information being collected in the field. Access is controlled to help ensure proper security, but once permissions are granted, access is available wherever and whenever permitted users are connected to the internet with a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone with a Windows, iOS, or Android operating system.
Path of information
Field personnel are assigned tablets to better facilitate capturing data in the field. The information is autosaved in the application as it is entered, so the field user never needs to tap a ‘save’ button. The information can be collected offline, allowing data collection to occur even in the most remote locations. Once the device is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service, the data is synchronised with the field application and pulled into a Sempra LNG centralised data storage repository. Data is retrieved and stored from the field application by way of an integration written by Sempra LNG experts. The team can utilise the field collection application programming interface (API) to extract data every 10 min. and copy it to the centralised repository. It is then consumed and displayed into drillable visuals of various performance indicators. No buttons or manual triggers are needed to extract the data – everything happens automatically. Having proper documentation and being able to utilise the data gathered in the field not only provides value during the project, but also allows for better record retention if historical data needs to be reviewed post-construction. Sempra LNG Senior Director of Environmental, Safety and Sustainability, Andrew Chartrand, said that “the application is particularly valuable for pre- and post-severe weather events. With a checklist on the field collection application for documenting hurricane-specific information, storing photos and recording more accurate data, we will be better prepared in the case of a force majeure situation.”
Conclusion
Figure 3. Brad Livingston, Sempra LNG Construction Superintendent, collects
and captures data on wick drain installations at the site of the Port Arthur LNG export project in Texas, US. The information will be automatically saved into a Sempra LNG centralised data storage repository.
Farewell to the times when decision-makers received field information days after it was collected in handwritten notebooks. Also gone are the days when that information was published in bulky binders of ageing summaries, printed charts, and tables. Now it takes only minutes for digital field data to reach decision-makers, dramatically increasing its value for forecasting and executing projects. Sempra LNG expects these changes in technology to accelerate, presenting new opportunities for the company on this digital journey. By investing in and embracing innovation and leveraging technology, Sempra LNG continues to advance its mission of being North America’s premier LNG infrastructure company and providing sustainable, safe, and reliable access to US natural gas for global markets.
Reprinted from March 2021