Light Structures, a prominent provider of fiber optic condition monitoring systems utilizing Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology, has secured two significant contracts with YANTAI CIMC Raffles Offshore, a Chinese company. The contracts involve the supply of SENSFIB hull stress monitoring systems for two cutting-edge Floating Production Storage & Offloading (FPSO) units commissioned by Petrobras, a major Brazilian energy company.

The contracts were facilitated through Light Structures' agent, China Merchants Hoi Tung company, following the company's recent order for SENSFIB systems for eight LNG carriers. The FPSO units, designated as P-80 and P-83, are expected to have a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and will be deployed at the Búzios offshore oil field in Brazil. These FPSO units are anticipated to be among the largest in the world upon their completion.

Light Structures aims to deliver the first SENSFIB system to the yard by the end of November 2023, with the second system scheduled for arrival by April 2024. The company emphasizes that both the P-80 and P-83 FPSOs will incorporate pioneering technologies, including carbon reduction strategies and digital twins. These innovations are designed to offer Petrobras high-fidelity virtual replicas of the FPSOs, allowing for comprehensive remote simulation and testing, thus ensuring operational safety, reliability, and efficiency.

With an emphasis on providing accurate and real-time data for the engineering teams at Petrobras, the digital twins will be linked to live data from various sensors on the FPSOs, including the SENSFIB hull monitoring system. According to Goetz Vogelmann, Sales Director at Light Structures, the scale and intricacies of offshore operations demand continuous availability of structural monitoring data for both operational efficiency and safety purposes.

The collaboration between Light Structures and YANTAI CIMC Raffles Offshore marks a significant step forward in the realm of advanced hull monitoring systems, reinforcing the commitment to cutting-edge technology in the offshore energy sector.