Systems Architecting for a Retrofittable Subsea System Application

Abstract

This paper highlights a model‐based systems engineering (MBSE) approach tailored to the unique complexities of developing a consistent functional and physical architecture for retrofittable subsea equipment used in offshore deepwater operations. A new architecture in this application must satisfy demanding requirements in safety, reliability, availability, maintainability, retrofittability, deployment timelines, and interface compatibility. Additionally, the new architecture must be defendable against the industry's decades‐long established regulatory, cultural and technological legacies. To objectively design within these constraints, a system model was developed iteratively using both bottom‐up and top‐down analysis to define a complete functional and physical architecture. Inconsistencies between the functional and physical models encountered are resolved through detailed functional analysis and product realization process. The hybrid bottom‐up, top‐down approach employed, supports continuous stakeholder validation and requirements verification. The tailored MBSE approach and conceptual functional and physical models are presented.

Application of a System Engineering Framework to the Subsea Front‐End Engineering study

“…However, there is a limited research on actual usage of MBSE in the industry. (Baker, Ferraioli & Pereira, 2016) gives one contribution which shows how to model a retrofit subsea system using a bottom up approach. (Muller, 2015) claims that attempt of introducing more formal methods in the subsea industry are often met by skepticism, and approaches that are more formal are perceived as time-consuming and not applicable.…”