Objectives/Scope
Systems engineering techniques, particularly requirements management, are critical to realizing the value of digital transformation to improve capital project delivery. Drawing on the results of a case study, this paper will demonstrate the value of using digital requirements management to exchange information through a project lifecycle, specifically showing benefits in the integrity of data transfer; more efficient procurement lifecycle; more robust deviation management; and bidirectional traceability of requirements, including full visibility and end to end verification and validation.
Methods, Procedures, Process
A requirement is a capability to which a project outcome (product or service) should conform, and the purpose of requirements management is to ensure that an organization documents, verifies and validates these capabilities. In this case study the operator provides their technical specifications in the form of requirements. These requirements are then imported into the EPC's PLM platform, where they are supplemented with additional information from the EPC's engineers to create a requirements-based requisition package. This is then transmitted to the equipment supplier, where it is reviewed and, for the purposes of the case study, reviewed for completeness. To test the ability to identify changes and deviations, the EPC engineer modified the requirements and the file was transferred to both the operator and equipment supplier to ensure the changes were transferred and were identifiable. The case study also demonstrates how verification activities (testing, commissioning, etc.) can be linked to requirements; passed through the supply chain and be modified to capture changes to the status of the activity (such as test results).
Results, Observations, Conclusions
The case studies described show how requirements can be exchanged between operator, EPC and equipment supplier without any loss of data. It will also show how this approach allows a data driven approach, as opposed to a document driven approach, to be deployed in the requisitioning process, which could facilitate substantial reduction in the procurement lifecycle. This is achieved by removing extraneous information exchanged between the companies; the removal of swivel chair solutions, where data is extracted from one system and transferred to another; and expediting the bid evaluation stage. Finally, the case study will demonstrate how this approach could be extended beyond the purchase order to provide a direct link between specific requirements and testing (FATs) or commissioning activities, which facilitates a more efficient process for verification as well as ensuring a digital record of the entire lifecycle of a package. The case study highlighted the importance of aligning data model and developing workflows, these findings are captured in the lessons learned section and have been shared with the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) Requirements Digitalization Task Force (RDTF).
Novel/Additive Information
The paper will also include a vision of requirements models can be used to establish a holistic requirements model of a project, including the interdependencies of different system components. The case study will also demonstrate how the adoption of a common data standard for requirements allows a software agnostic solution that can be adopted by all.
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