Digital Twin for CP Maintenance and Life Extension of Marine Offshore Structures

Abstract Data retrieved from Cathodic Protection (CP) surveys of offshore marine structures cannot always anticipate imminent failures, neither they can help estimating the timescale for repairs or for the introduction of retrofitting. Even when potentials measurements are retrieved within an accepted range there could be detrimental interaction or excessive anode wastage that can't be inferred from the survey data. A 3D digital twin of offshore marine structures together with computational modelling can assist in detection of future risks, like anticipated wastage of anodes, coating degradation, loss of continuity, interference, etc. and predict timescales for repairs or maintenance, as well as aid in the design of an effective retrofitting systems to extend their service life. This paper illustrates the use of a CP 3D digital twin in a complex scenario for which there is interaction between different structures and CP systems. Current survey data is used to calibrate the numerical model and historical survey data to evaluate numerical trends. Finally, forward predictions under different scenarios help determine whether retrofitting would be needed to extend the life of the asset and when. Different retrofit alternatives can be assessed allowing to select the best cost-effective option.