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were able to make. I am immensely proud of
the Shell Companies in Nigeria. The
contribution we make to this country is
outstanding. Not only in terms of the tax
revenue we generate for the nation but also in
terms of what we are achieving when it comes
to developing gas and increasing access to
energy for Nigerians.
Elohor Aiboni, Managing Director for SNEPCO,
said,
“The Bonga Main FPSO
heralded several innovative
‘firsts’ when it was built
back in 2004, so it’s fitting
that it’s the first asset of its
kind to deploy something
as advanced as a structural
Digital Twin.
We are very excited about the new capabilities
that Akselos brings and believe it will create a
positive impact on the way we manage
structural integrity. It is also a great example of
digitalisation coming to life.
“Our operational availability is on track. Our
safety record is good and we’re in control of
costs. We’ve got to ensure that our operational
availability remains high and that we stay
efficient and safe.
“The magic starts when you empower people.
My teams know the asset better than anyone,
so we ask them to speak up. We train across
multiple disciplines and use digital tools to
improve productivity. We keep safe by creating
‘family units’ that look after each other and
celebrate success.
“The Bonga field is prolific and we see a future.
It’s professionally satisfying to know that we
have the technology to get through our drilling
campaigns and our cost journey. With the right
investment climate, there could be more oil
and gas discoveries and the potential to expand
and create jobs and opportunities for people.
“We are very excited about the new
capabilities that akselos brings and believe it
will create a positive impact on the way we
manage structural integrity. akselos is a great
example of digitalisation coming to life".
Dr David Knezevic, CTO and Co-Founder of
Akselos said: “We are very proud to have
reached this important milestone, which
represents many months of complex
engineering work between SNEPCo and
Akselos.
“To have the opportunity to deploy our
breakthrough technology on a 300,000-tonne
asset is the kind of technical challenge that
“
Akselos was founded to solve.
Dr David Knezevic
I’d like to thank the
SNEPCo team and the
wider team within Shell
for sharing our vision and
for their commitment to
digital transformation.”
The Bonga Main FPSO, which became
operational in 2004, has a capacity of 225,000
barrels per day and weighs over 300,000
tonnes, making it the largest asset in the world
to be protected by a structural Digital Twin.
Shell has been working with Akselos since its
technology scouts were introduced to the
company as a start-up, as part of the MIT
Industrial Liaison programme in 2015. Since
then, the integrated energy company has
supported Akselos’ technology deployment on
many of its assets and become a minority
shareholder through its venture capital arm
Shell Ventures. The partnership has played an
important role in Akselos’ development to
become an international scale-up operating
across the energy sector.
SNEPCO's Bonga FPSO is becoming the largest
asset in the world to be protected by a
structural Digital Twin.
Elohor Aiboni, Managing Director
for SNEPCO
The SNEPCO's digital twin, developed by
Akselos, has gained recognition at the World
Economic Forum following Akselos innovative
approach to developing such technology that is
shaping the global energy industry. Akselos has
been listed among hundreds of companies as
one of the World Economic Forum’s
“Technology Pioneers”.
The World Economic Forum selected Akselos as
one of the most promising Technology Pioneers
of 2020, who are shaping major industries
including the energy sector among others.
Akselos, the creator of the world’s most
advanced engineering simulation technology,
the Digital Twin, made it to the selection for its
contributions to the energy industry.
Akselos’ Thomas Leurent said, “It’s very
humbling to be acknowledged as a technology
pioneer by the World Economic Forum. It’s an
accolade that confirms our technology is a
gamechanger, and that it can be used with great
purpose – to accelerate the energy transition.
Using breakthrough algorithms licenced from
MIT, our software will help make sure the next
generation of renewable energy assets are
designed and deployed at the speed and scale
required for the energy transition, as well as
being economically sustainable. We look
forward to working with fellow pioneers and
contributing to the Forum’s critical
conversations.”
Local Content Opportunities:
The SNEPCO digital twin stands as an
opportunity for indigenous companies to come
up with an innovative concept to develop a
replica of 'Made in Nigeria Digital Twin'
technology that will enhance deepwater
operation more efficiently - which is already
making a positive impact in the global offshore
energy industry.
At the fifth edition of the Sub-Saharan African
International Petroleum Exhibition and
Conference (SAIPEC) 2021, SNEPCO showcased
the digital twin technology at the event, which
is now enhancing the company's operation on
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