Athens Group News

Crew shortage & integration issues identified as major contributors to control systems-related NPT (Non Productive Time) in Athens Group report. Athens Group has published its fourth annual international benchmarking report on control systems software-related non-productive time (NPT) in the oil & gas industry. The report, subtitled Focus on Metrics, is based on the results of Athens Group’s annual industry surveys. Athens Group maintains that the high rate of non-productive time (NPT) and project delays on today’s highly-automated offshore assets is unacceptable! From topsides to subsea, they promise to ensure that integrated systems are effectively designed, developed and tested, and remain compliant with the customer's performance, reliability, and safety requirements.

Athens Group published the first set of results, focused on industry collaboration and safety-related Non-Productive Time (NPT), from “The State of NPT on High-Specification Offshore Assets: Third Annual International Benchmarking Report.” Highlights from the report include: Drilling Contractors and Operators believe industry collaboration has resulted in safety training progress (84%), and identified the following as top opportunities for industry collaboration: standardization of equipment interfaces (74%); industry wide adoption and greater oversight of software quality processes (65%); and the implementation and reporting of an industry standard calculation of NPT (61%).

Athens Group announced the launch of its industry survey The State of Non-Productive Time on Highly-Automated Offshore Assets: Third Annual International Benchmarking Study. Each year the survey dives deeper into one or two specific topics. This year it focuses on industry collaboration opportunities to reduce NPT and safety incidents, and builds on the momentum created by the industry task forces investigating ways to help prevent incidents like the Gulf of Mexico spill. To date, task forces have been focused primarily on subsea well control and spill containment. Historically however, most safety incidents and equipment failures resulting in NPT happen on the drill floor. This survey covers both well control and the drill floor.

Athens Group made three announcements: the opening of their office in Geoje, South Korea, two management promotions relative to their geographical expansion, and a major hiring initiative designed to meet the growing demand for their risk mitigation and problem remediation services for control systems on offshore assets. More high-specification assets are under construction in the Keppel FELS, SemCorp, Daewoo, and Samsung shipyards than there have been at any other time. The Geoje office was established to enable Athens Group to provide their customers who are located in Asia and working in the region’s shipyards with faster, more tailored, and more cost-effective Drilling Technology AssuranceSM Services for control systems.

Athens Group announced a 103% increase in year-over-year revenue for the first half of 2010, as well as a significant increase in booked business for the balance of 2010. Due to the newbuild spike and an increase in drilling regulations, the company is experiencing a growing demand for its Drilling Technology AssuranceSM (DTA) Services for highly complex and integrated control systems on high-specification offshore assets. In particular, Athens Group has seen a dramatic increase in demand for software configuration management audits, as well as for newbuild and refurb full lifecycle engagements from Design through Operations. This demand is expected to continue as Drilling Contractors and Operators seek continuous improvement in reducing non-productive time (NPT)…

Athens Group announced a 64% increase in year-over-year revenue for 2009 as well as a 225% increase in booked business for 2010. Athens Group is experiencing a growing demand for its Drilling Technology Assurance (DTA) Services on newbuilds and existing fleets as drilling contractors and operators become increasingly aware of the need for control systems and software engineering expertise on today’s high-specification assets. In 2010, Athens Group’s Proven Practices Methodology will be used by a growing base of customers to reduce Non-Productive time (NPT) and improve safety during all phases of the rig lifecycle including construction, operations, annual audits, and refurbs.

Athens Group and ModuSpec announced their co-sponsorship of the industry survey The State of Non-Productive Time on Highly-Automated Offshore Rigs: Second Annual Benchmarking Study. Per last year’s survey, lack of the right skill set was the number one organizational barrier to reducing non-productive time challenges. Scarcity of qualified resources will become an even more critical issue in 2010 and 2011 as more newbuilds undergo commissioning than in any previous two year period. So this year’s survey has been expanded to gather more benchmarking data on what drilling contractors and operators are doing to address this challenge. The 2nd Annual Benchmarking Report will also compare the state of NPT 12 months after the first survey…

According to ODS-Petrodata, the cost of operating a highly automated rig in the Gulf of Mexico has almost tripled in the last four years. Accordingly, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) recently funded a three-year Joint Industry Project (JIP) to determine the historical failure rates (and resulting non-productive time) associated with subsea Blowout Prevention Equipment (BOPE). Athens Group CTO and drilling technology expert, Don Shafer will be presenting the findings of that study at the AADE 2009 National Technical Conference March 31 in New Orleans, LA. “With an understanding of the causes of their failure, BOPE and control systems reliability can be increased,” said Shafer. According to the study, many stack configurations exceed minimum requirements and are redundant.

Athens Group, an independent consulting company that specializes in software-related risk mitigation and problem remediation for drilling and rig control systems, announced a 66% increase in year-over-year sales during 2008 and a significant increase in booked business for 2009. New customers included Stena Drilling, Ocean Rig, Eni/Saipem, Total Nigeria, Encana, Anadarko and Nexen Energy. Repeat customers included Transocean, BP, Maersk Drilling, Total, Parker Drilling, Ensco, Repsol and Hydril. This customer activity indicates a strong understanding of the benefits of Drilling Technology AssuranceSM Services (DTA). “Drilling contractors and operators are too often forced to take rigs before they are really ready,” said Mike Haney, CEO at Athens Group.