Diving System FMECA

A diving system FMEA/FMECA aims to ensure a systematic assessment is carried out on all diving system equipment and the support vessel interfaces. This will identify any areas where the system or vessel interfaces may fail due to equipment operational reliability, inadequate operational procedures, lack of redundancy and critical spares required for safe operation.

The FMEA/FMECA of a diving system shall assess the effects of different failure modes on the diving system operating equipment and, where required, the vessel interfaces. The resultant quantification may highlight deficiencies in design, lack of redundancy and failure to maintain the recommended critical spares to ensure safe and efficient diving operations, emphasising divers and operational personnel safety.

The FMEA/FMECA shall consider the failure of electrical, mechanical and control systems hardware as well as all supporting documentation and will identify any Codes of Practice that should be followed during the assessment, such as International Codes and Legislation, Class Society Rules, Industry Standards and any Company Management Systems.

The FMEA/FMECA of a saturation diving system is now considered a mandatory requirement within the industry and is highlighted as such in the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) Diving Recommended Practice Report No: 411, as well as the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) guidance note IMCA DESIGN. Furthermore, it is also considered a requirement under the classification of a diving system and will be submitted to the classification society for review before the award of class notation.

Guidance of how a diving system FMEA/FMECA should be carried out is identified within IMCA guidance note IMCA D039, FMEA Guide for Diving Systems, dated November 2005.

IMCA D039 is intended to offer examples of a typical methodology used in specifying, performing and maintaining an FMEA/FMECA for a diving system. It is designed to be reasonably short and concise, thus enabling all levels of management dealing with the ownership or operation of a diving system to understand their needs and responsibilities with respect to the FMEA/FMECA process.

The guide is also intended to offer examples of good practice to the FMEA/FMECA practitioners and to provide references to other relevant documentation which may assist them in performing a diving system FMEA/FMECA.

Namaka Subsea has developed a FMECA application to assist our team of competent individuals who possess the technical and operational knowledge and experience to provide the industry with the support required to carry out and review FMEA/FMECA assessments.

The process transformation not only assists the practitioner but also simplifies the process and stores the data in a central location, which allows Namaka Subsea to identify common failure modes within diving systems, to pre-empt failings and assist with ensuring divers safety and continued life support operations.