Ultimate TetRis(k): Modularity for the next LevAl

Probably everyone above the age of 30years has played once in his lifetime Tetris. It was the ultimate game selected to be in the ‘Gameboy’ package. Instead of prioritising the ‘Gameboy’ launch with their flag game ‘Super Mario’, Nintendo selected a game developed in the Soviet Union. Why all the hustle for this game, which was based on rotatable falling blocks with different shapes to strategically clear levels? It served as an analogy of a circular economy. Tetris was already ahead of our mindset and shaped our thinking too. Utilising a minimum of resources, which are reutilised & reduced waste simultaneously, just on a digital level. It also connected the old generation with the young generation. Many different ages have played this game, as it embodies the transition from one level to the next by always using the same bricks. It is for this reason why sales of the Gameboy were so successful with Tetris, as it was a game for all ages.?

The automotive industry has embraced the modularity principle excellently, allowing the exchange of parts easily, ensuring a long life-cycle, whilst increasing safety and reducing sub-suppliers costs. Modular products require identical interfaces for various products, such as motor controllers, suspensions, airbags and gear systems. This product conformity leads to a multitude of affordable car models with long lifetimes. Each car model offers cost-efficient customisation to client’s preferences through a car configurator software. Same concept has been used by the electrical industry, in particular microchips, such as in computer/control technology. Why haven't we been able to implement this method in the petroleum and offshore industry? Maybe no one was considering deconstruction and re-purposing as part of the asset lifecycle??

There are plenty of opportunities for a paradigm change. We are now in a new energy transition from petroleum to alternative energy, the old guard has a great understanding covering all eventualities/ uncertainties derived from their operational experiences using one so-called Swiss army knife asset. This insurance policy drives costs exponentially, as many parts will be not utilised efficiently or at all. The drilling contractors are keen to operate multipurpose equipment to increase their fleet utilisation, on one hand this raises their breakeven point to pay off the additional mobilized equipment they are not using in the campaign. From this point, the platform operators have to offer larger crane, platform load bearing and footprint capacities stipulating higher platform manufacturing and running costs. At the same time platform processing capacities have been designed for an optimised early ROI, making the majority of the capacity obsolete after a short time frame. Finding a multi modular approach, adaptable to production rates, enables the reutilisation of assets, which can be attached and detached to the platforms for peak production .?

At this stage, we are jeopardizing our wealth and health continuing blind folded through an energy transition agenda, without changing our mindset to be truly sustainable and efficient in the use of our available resources. A circular economy lives from a responsible mindset of continuously transition on the blocks of our community and ancestors. In particular, raising energy prices due to cost-inefficiency impact worldwide our complete value chain from fertilizer production to food products taking the food/ opportunities from the plates of other countries. Reconsidering community support by local expert groups thinking about a regional circular economy will increase independence making the right choices for the people. This attitude will also positively impact on a global scale by stopping exploitation of vulnerable communities.?

So, what can we learn from the automotive or microchip industry to accelerate cost-efficiency in the energy transition? Modular packages serving a specific work scope enable a standardisation and customisation that allow for easily transported/installed/utilised and re-utilisation elsewhere. The project requirements through this flexibility of various configurations is how to keep operations lean with a high scope, with specific components of modular packages aligned to one another, where installed or not. Once we have identified which sub working packages are similar and different for all applications in the energy transition we will understand how we can think in a holistic Tetris philosophy. The identical working packages can be served with a multi modular core product based on exchangeable modules, which allow upgrades to cover the variations in the applications.?

?

Our gratitude to Alexey Pojitno, the Soviet software engineer of Tetris and digital pioneer of a circular economy.?

#LeanMachine #circulareconomy #energytransition #decommissioning #tetris #sustainability