Plant operators and maintenance personnel form a majority of the workforce for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Gas Processing. Ensuring their safety and competency is crucial. Over the past few years, ADNOC Gas Processing has observed that a great deal of resources are spent annually on conventional training methods that are inefficient in terms of time, cost, and knowledge retention. With the advent of many technologies, virtual reality (VR) is gaining ground; however, no clear guidelines exist on how to properly assess and select a one-stop VR option that is sustainable and fit for the future.
This paper presents a review of VR in the oil and gas industry through the development of prototypes. The objective was to establish a learning experience and knowledge about VR’s main features, hardware, software, and applications; evaluate the capabilities of various VR solutions in the context of field operator and maintenance training; and develop guidelines or minimum functional design requirements for implementing VR.
Although all VR options shared similarities, some key differentiators were considered success factors when selecting a one-stop VR option. Examples of such factors include the ability to seamlessly convert the computer-aided-design format to a VR environment with high-resolution graphics and visual effects. VR also should allow interaction with 3D objects in fine detail and render spatial sounds. Moreover, it should have a built-in or integrated learning-management system to record competency assessments of the trainees.
A VR field simulator is used by ADNOC in many applications and brings several benefits, including reducing training costs; improving competency; increasing efficiency; improving health, safety, and environment aspects; enhancing performance; and validating ergonomic design before commissioning.