For more than 30 years, the oil, gas and chemical process industries have successfully used virtual design and construction to ensure engineering and procurement specifications are in order, and all clashes are resolved before construction begins on the enormous, complex and expensive facilities the industry requires. But VDC, as a planning and construction management tool made necessary by the high stakes and great risks involved in the creation of the plants, turns out to be not enough. Plants are undergoing constant maintenance, refurbishment and change. Keeping on top of the activity and associated data is of vital importance to keep disasters, such as 1988’s Piper Alpha offshore platform explosion, from happening.
Simply collaborating and coordinating around design geometry for construction doesn’t solve the problem, say sources. Bi-directional data flow and access from one application to another, capabilities associated with building, maintaining and running the facility, are required. Data about plant design, operational requirements, maintenance schedules, installed equipment, standby equipment and inventory needs to be readily available. And information needs to move back and forth between engineers, vendors, contractors and owner/operators, regardless of software platforms or products in use.