Shell Brasil Partners with MODEC Brasil and Unicamp to Enhance Offshore Safety with AI

Shell Brasil, a subsidiary of the UK-headquartered energy giant Shell, has teamed up with MODEC Brasil, an affiliate of Japan’s MODEC, and Unicamp to leverage artificial intelligence in boosting the safety performance of offshore units.

The collaboration aims to create a methodology utilizing AI to monitor risks and prevent operational failures in offshore units. This initiative is based on Shape Reef, an operational process safety tool developed by Shape Digital.

Olivier Wambersie, Director of Technology and Innovation at Shell Brasil, emphasized the importance of safety, stating, “Safety is a non-negotiable asset for Shell Brasil. Investing in technology and innovation to enhance risk management in offshore units is a key part of our operational excellence strategy.”

“Partnerships like this enable us to predict failures, minimize uncertainties, and enhance the protection of people and the environment. This is how we progress responsibly and ensure operations are increasingly safe.”

The tool, by providing real-time visualization and supporting decision-making, aims to identify safety barrier degradation in offshore units, systems, procedures, and equipment designed to prevent operational risks.

Felipe Baldissera, CEO of Shape Digital, shared, “We will develop and test new methods for managing safety barriers on offshore units, making the tool even more robust. This project aligns with our vision and strategy of generating intelligence based on data and AI to support decision-making towards operational excellence.”

Funded by the ANP’s RD&I clause, the project will work on risk estimation approaches using data-based techniques for two contexts over 36 months. MODEC will contribute operational expertise from its FPSOs in Brazil to support tool development.

Leonardo Santoro, MODEC Brasil’s Technical Management Manager, expressed, “The initiative underscores MODEC’s dedication to innovation and technology adoption for enhancing safety and operational excellence of offshore units.”

“We are committed to sharing expertise and providing technical data to drive solutions that ensure safer and more efficient operations.”

The technology, stemming from a previous project at Unicamp led by Professor Sávio Viana, has already yielded innovative products. Phase II will further enhance the solution’s technological maturity by integrating computational fluid dynamics data and AI models.

Shape Reef, operational in Brazil, Mexico, and Africa, can be applied to various industrial plants in the oil and gas sector, offering solutions for risk mitigation and operational efficiency. Shape Digital also offers Shape Lighthouse for intelligent asset management and Shape Aura for energy efficiency and emissions reduction.