ReturntoSessionDirectoryDonRossSIMOPS/OperationsPlanningandCommunicatingDDYNAMICPOSITIONINGCONFERENCEOctober9-10,2007SIMOPS/OPERATIONSPlanningandCommunicatingforConductingSafeSIMOPSDonRossPegasusInternational,Inc.ReturntoSessionDirectoryReturntoSessionDirectoryDonRossSIMOPS/OperationsPlanningandCommunicatingDPConferenceHoustonOctober9-10,2007Page1ABSTRACTEachdayaroundtheworld,inboththeoffshoreoilandgasindustryandothermarineindustries,thereareongoingSimultaneousOperations(SIMOPS).Thesecanrangefromsomethingascommonasacrewchangewithacrewboat,toamuchlargerscaleinvolvingmultiple,heavyconstructionassetsandpersonnel.WhilesomeoftheseSIMOPSaresocommonplacetheyareallbutvirtuallyoverlookedbymost,allmustbeaddressedifonlyoffshorebetweenthevesselsinvolvedforthesafetyofallpersonnel.WhenworkingonanyoffshoreprojectwhereapossibleSIMOPSsituationcanoccur,weshouldthinkofSIMOPSinthetermsof“SharingInformationMaximizesOurPersonnelSafety”.Withthisstated,aplancanbecreatedbyfollowingaprocessoutlinedasSIMOPS-Studytheproject,IdentifypossibleSIMOPS,MeetwithallPartiesInvolved,OrganizeaPlan,andSharetheplan/Information.Thispracticeshouldbeginatprojectinceptionandisrepeatedthroughouttheentireprocessuntilcompletion.ThusmakingtheSIMOPSplandynamicandcausescommunicationbetweenallparties,documentcontrol,tracking,anddistributionessential.ThispaperwillfocusonthestrengthsofcreatingandimplementingaSIMOPSplansforanorganizationaswellasthedownfallstonotincludingtheminyouroffshorestrategy.BylearningtoidentifypossibleSIMOPSsituationsforyourprojectearlyoninthedevelopmentphase,youwillbeabletodistinguishthosepossiblesituationswhichmaycausecostlydelaysorworse,causeseriousharmorinjurytoyouroffshorepersonnel.INTRODUCTIONSIMOPScanbeabroadtopicintheOILandGasarena;therefore,thispaper’stargetisvesselandseafloorSIMOPS,notplatformoperationSIMOPS.ThispaperfocusesonvesselSIMOPSattheDPlevel,andnotthebackdeckoperation’slevel,whichmostoftenislookedatmorecloselythantheDPoperations,becauseDPisviewedmostoftenasasecondarytask.DEFINITIONSForthepurposeofthispaper:VesselSIMOPS:Twoormorevesselsoperatinginthesameorsamegeneralarea/closeproximitytoeachother.SeafloorSIMOPS:Workinginandaroundhardware(trees,caissons,piles,pipelines,umbilicals,UTA’sPLETS,manifolds,etc…)ontheseafloor.Master/OIM/Officer:Licensedprofessionals,nottitlesassignedtoindividuals,assomeconstructionvesselsmaycallsomeoneanOIMwhentheyareinactualityaSuperintendent,andnotalicensedOIM.ReturntoSessionDirectoryDonRossSIMOPS/OperationsPlanningandCommunicatingDPConferenceHoustonOctober9-10,2007Page2LifeofProject:Conceptual,pre-construction/constructionandoperationstages.NotesIthasbeenintheauthor’sexperiencethatfundamentalproblemswhicharisefromSIMOPShasnotbeenfromthetechnicalside,ithasbeenmorefromtheplanningsidewhereavessel(s)wereunawareoftheothervesselbeinginthefield,eachotherintentions/dutiesandthatacousticswerebeingused.TheMasterisexpressedthroughoutthedocumentbecauseithasbeentheauthor’sexperiencethatthemastersareoftenthelastpeopletofindoutaboutanyofthedecisionsmadebyothersandatthelastminutetheyhavetomakedecisionsunderpressurefromothersaboutoperationsinvolvingtheirvessel.TheauthorisexpressingmanyMaster’sconcernsthathavebeensharedwithhimovertheyearsthroughoutthedocument.STUDYANDIDENTIFICATIONOFPOSSIBLESIMOPSTheconceptualstageofaprojectshouldbeenteredwiththementalityof:“Thea...
