The VÅV project is successfully completed on time and on budget

This was necessary in order to improve the quality of and access to life-cycle information. To achieve this goal, the project first developed a new, common technology based on the POSC/CAESAR product model for an asset information 'warehouse'. The project then found and developed tools to make it possible to bring data from a legacy system into the new warehouse.

The POSC/CAESAR initiative was started in 1993 by the Norwegian Research Council, Aker, Kværner, Det Norske Veritas and the three oil companies. The purpose of the project was to develop a common language for sharing and exchanging information across all phases in the life- cycle of oil and gas facilities ­ engineering, construction and operation.

Shortly after VÅV started in January 1997, IBM and Intergraph were invited to develop the integrated data-management solution with a completion deadline of August 1997.

IBM was responsible for designing the overall solution, finding and testing necessary software components for mapping and translation, and developing a new generic tool-set for mapping a legacy database into the POSC/ CAESAR structure. The mapping tool, 'Mapping Magician', hides the complex-ity of the product model and assists the user by incorporating interpretation templates. A toolkit, from EPM Technology in Norway, is used for translation. The interim version of the mapping tool was released on schedule and more functionality will be added before a final release at the end of the year.

Intergraph developed the data warehouse where the POSC/CAESAR product model is implemented. The core technology of their solution is based on the Intergraph Asset Information Management (AIM) system. The new system, NOTIA®, integrates components such as the POSC/CAESAR product data model, POSC/CAESAR reference library, Part 21 load, an API, a browser, and query functions. Technology from EPM is included in the import mechanism. This portion of the project was also tested, accepted, and delivered on target.

The total solution will be implemented as part of Statoil's Åsgaard B project, a USD 1.1 billion offshore oil and gas field development. Saga Petroleum and Norsk Hydro will soon be following with similar implementations in their own projects.

EXPRESS Data Manager - a powerful set of tools for mapping data

According to Hans Øivind Slettebø, project manager for VÅV, one of the main issues in VÅV was to verify that the POSC/CAESAR standard really could solve the problems of exchanging and sharing data between the different applications interfacing with a life-cycle data warehouse. "I am pleased to report that we have, indeed, verified this," he says.

"In this process we used EPM Technology's EXPRESS Data Manager software. This system has proven to be important and powerful, especially when it comes to using EXPRESS-X to map (convert) existing systems to POSC/CAESAR."

EPM's tools and technology show vividly that Norwegian research and development is in the forefront in this area, drawing attention internationally." Slettebø concludes that, "Even if the first and most important part of the VÅV project is in its finishing phase, we are looking at new projects such as implementing a shared product database for the oil and gas industry."