LOG904-116 Offshore Upstream Logistics (Autumn 2022)

About the course

The seminar gives an outline of the offshore oil and gas supply chain, and an overview of typical offshore upstream logistics activities, including their planning and operations, on example of two largest offshore energy operators in Norway and Brazil. The main focus of the seminar will be on the development of decision support tools for planning of cargo and personnel transportation from onshore supply bases to and from offshore installations using specialized vessels and helicopters, and the design of the offshore emergency response system.

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Master of Science in Logistics
• Experience-based Master in Logistics
• Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Logistics
• Exchange programme - Master's level
• Master of Science in Sustainable Transport and Urban Mobility

Recommended requirements

Optimization modelling, vehicle routing, discrete event simulation, own working experience in offshore oil and gas supply logistics planning

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the students will know about offshore oil and gas supply chain, historical development of offshore oil and gas logistics infrastructure at Norwegian Continental Shelf, upstream part of offshore oil and gas supply chain, and various offshore upstream logistics activities. The students will have knowledge of typical logistics planning problems in offshore upstream oil and gas supply chain, such as cargo and personnel transportation planning from supply bases to and from offshore installations by vessels and helicopters, planning of emergency response system and rescue resources positioning. The students will know about supply vessel planning, helicopter personnel transportation planning and emergency response system planning on strategical, tactical and operational levels, on examples of offshore operating energy companies, and which decision support tools they use. After completing the course, the students will have knowledge how to formulate supply vessel planning problems, helicopter personnel transportation planning problems, and emergency response system planning problems on different planning levels as optimization and simulation models, to use as decision support for planning and analysis.

 

Skills:

After completing the course, the students will be able to apply the knowledge achieved

• to define the parts of the offshore upstream supply chain, the supply chain logistical infrastructure and resources, the types of offshore upstream logistics activities

• to identify the types of supply vessel planning, helicopter personnel transportation planning and emergency response system planning problems on strategical, tactical and operational levels

• to formulate supply vessel planning, helicopter personnel transportation planning and emergency response system planning problems as optimization and simulation models

• to implement formulations of offshore upstream logistics planning problems with standard modeling language software (AMPL/CPLEX) and simulation modeling software (Arena), and use the software to obtain solutions

• to interpret/visualize solutions and perform analysis of constructed plans and logistics system performance

General competence:

After completing the course, the students will be able

• to apply knowledge of offshore upstream logistics activities and identify types of planning problems arising in upstream logistics networks in research and work contexts

• to perceive process structure, logical relationships, assumptions and limitations to formulate real planning problems arising in offshore upstream logistics as optimization/simulation models

• to apply skills to find solutions to modelled practical planning problems with standard software

• to apply skills for analysis of plans built and ability to respond in an optimal way to novel situations

• to be able to derive managerial implications of the derived plans, criticize advantages and disadvantages of the developed planning tools

Forms of teaching and learning

Lecturing full days from Monday to Wednesday (including guest lectures from industry), working on examination assignments from Monday to Thursday (full day), examination on Friday.

Examination

• Form of assessment: oral examination

• Proportion: 100 %

• Duration: TBD

• Grouping: Individually or group

• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)

• Support material: published research works, AMPL/CPLEX and Arena software