Interface Specification Tool for Maritime and Oil & Gas

01/07/2015 by Johnny Troset Andersen

Genus is proud to announce a software interface specification tool developed using Genus Application Framework®, as part of a joint industry project (JIP) with DNV GL, Statoil, Fred. Olsen Energy, Dolphin Drilling, Rolls-Royce, PanAsia, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and IBM.

 

For advanced ships and Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs), several systems from many different suppliers are integrated. To increase safety while reducing downtime and commissioning delays, it is important that a system integrator (typically a shipyard) and suppliers specify and follow up interfaces more efficiently. This will enable suppliers to build and configure their systems consistently and thereby ease integration of systems from the different suppliers. Currently, suppliers and the system integrator specify and exchange interface information mainly through Excel or Pdf files. Such practices make it is difficult to exchange and coordinate interface information. The inconsistency of interfaces can cause project delay and control system quality problems.

 

The Genus tool helps operator, owner, suppliers, class society, and integrator exchange and coordinate interface information in newbuilding. The tool is also expected to be feasible to be used in operation, when interface information is transferred to owners and operators after newbuilding.

 

IBM has set up an alternative tool as part of the same joint industry project.

 

The attached report compares the Genus tool, the IBM tool and a spreadsheet-based tool, and concludes that the Genus and IBM tools can outperform the spreadsheet-based tool. The report proposes and discusses how to integrate Genus or IBM tools into newbuilding and operation practices of Maritime and Oil & Gas industries.

 

The report lists the following key success factors of using Genus:

 

• Flexibility. Genus Application Framework is a business process model-based development environment. It is therefore faster and cheaper to develop new functionalities, and to extend and modify existing functionalities of business and information management systems than traditional ways of coding. Genus joined the JIP at a very late stage. However, by using model-based development, it took the company very limited number of person-hours to develop an interface management tool in a short time […]. The Genus Application Framework® is easy to learn and requires only limited programming knowledge to master. It is therefore easy for end users to add or revise interface specification tool functionalities themselves when needed.
• Tailor made. As the Genus tool is based on a model-based development environment, customers can ask for tailor made functions and cover only those functions that are needed, and not unnecessary ones. The tool can also easily be adapted to project specific requirements, processes, and concepts (terms), due to the flexibility mentioned above. […]
• Solid security. The Genus Application Framework has been used to develop applications for The Norwegian Police and The Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Public Security. As a result, the security model in this Framework is strong. It can provide strict access control and make sure “no access to wrong data.”

 

As the Genus tool is tailor made, it can provide an affordable solution with a possible high return on investment.

 

The Genus tool is a full-feature working solution. The report concludes with a recommendation of pilot-testing the tools in real projects.

 

Genus Application Framework is a cost-effective alternative for most custom- or tailored software projects, and is not restricted to a single type of solutions. Given the current situation in the oil- and gas industry, we believe that Genus could be applied to a range of digitalization projects to improve business processes. The industry cannot stop investing in software solutions. Now is the time to make sure the investments are as smart and efficient as possible.

 

Download the article to read the full report (45 pages).

Download full article