​PDMS/E3D Plug-in improves quality of light planning for the Johan Sverdrup platform

The Glamox Plug-in PRO for AVEVA E3D and PDMS ensures efficient and precise light calculations. Using the tool with PDMS has saved Aibel time and money in the planning of the lighting scheme for the Johan Sverdrup drilling platform.

The Johan Sverdrup field is one of the largest discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf. The contract for the construction of the deck for the drilling platform on the field was awarded to Aibel in 2015. The contract is worth in excess of NOK 8 billion. Among the assignments associated with the project is the task of planning the lighting scheme for the three modules. For this purpose, Aibel has used the Glamox plug-in, which enables them to do the lighting calculations in a 3D environment created in PDMS from AVEVA. According to Principal Engineer for EiT at Aibel, Alf Einar Haugen, this has some significant advantages.

“When we do the light calculations based on 2D drawings we tend to misjudge how much shadow is created by equipment in the rooms. With Glamox plug-in we can see exactly where the shadows will be and where we have to place the luminaires to compensate for this. It also makes it easier to calculate the ambient light for each luminaire, which improves the precision of the calculation. This saves time out on the yard,” explains Haugen.

Aibels plant in Laem Chabang, Thailand were the main support frame for the Johan Sverdrup platform is constructed (Photo: Aibel)

Accurate planning

Haugen supervises the light calculations for the MSF (Main Support Frame) of the platform. The support frame module is where the wellhead area is positioned and the oil extracted. The module consists of three floors of approximately 5000 square metres each. The MSF module contains 1.273 luminaires, which will provide the lighting required to create a safe and efficient working environment. The whole drilling platform will contain 3.100 light fixtures (of these 257 are LED floodlights).

Haugen works in Asker, Norway while Aibel’s yard in Laem Chabang , Thailand constructs the Module. When the module is completed in July this summer; it will then begin its journey by sea to Haugesund in Norway, where it will be assembled with the other two modules. By the time the modules leave the yards, all the lighting should be installed and functioning perfectly. Precise calculations are important, as visits to the yard are costly. The same applies to errors.

“Statoil carries out inspections with lux meters. Moving and adding luminaires in the aftermath of such an inspection is costly. Glamox plug-in helps us to avoid this by increasing the precision of calculations to 99%”, explains Haugen.

257 LED floodlights are mounted in the main support frame of the Johan Sverdrup platform. Photo: Aibel

Saves up to 80% of the time spent on light calculations

With the new version of the Glamox Plug-in PRO for AVEVA PDMS and E3D, which was released in 2016, lighting planning is an integrated part of AVEVA E3D. Therefore no time is wasted time recreating a 3D environment in another tool before the light calculations can be carried out.

“Feedback from customers who have installed the Glamox Plug-in PRO for AVEVA E3D includes savings of up to 80% of the time they used to spend on lighting calculations,” says Project Manager at Glamox Odd Øyvind Fjørtoft.