Much of the NPT we see can be traced back to weak contracts and a lack of clearly defined functional, performance, and quality process requirements. A better-defined contract helps to ensure that vendors deliver their products and services according to best-practices software standards.

Athens Group can create software specification and quality assurance documents for newly-built and refurbished control systems, including hardware and software components. The specifications are designed to avoid unnecessary interference in the internal software development process of the equipment vendors, reducing friction in the supply chain while helping to ensure that:

  • Control systems software expectations and requirements are clear to everyone
  • Meaningful contractual goals are established, measured and reported
  • You have better visibility into and control of the software development process so that defects and issues can be identified and addressed earlier, resulting in reduced costs and fewer schedule delays
  • The asset you accept will meet your requirements and will be more reliable, safe, and marketable

We have worked with a major international Operator to develop software-specific contractual language to achieve the above goals, and they have asked us to make this language available to other Operators. We will also make our Drilling Contractor-specific language available to Drilling Contractors. If you are interested in acquiring this language at no charge, please contact Bill O'Grady, Vice President - Engineering, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

How We're Different

  1. In the drilling industry, experienced personnel are in short supply; our consultants average 20+ years of software, hardware, and network topology experience. We've seen what works- and what doesn't work.
  2. We wrote the book on software quality, literally - our CTO authored Quality Software Quality Management.

  3. We pioneered DTA services and have more experience in this highly-specialized area than any other vendor.

Failure Point Example *

An equipment vendor was installing a hydraulic power unit (HPU). The team had just delivered a similar kit to the same client so they decided to follow what had been done in the previous case, which was to bring the HPU down completely so that there was no hydraulic power available when communications were lost with the control chair. During commissioning, the driller complained that he wanted the HPU to retain some hydraulic power so that equipment could be moved to safe positions. Because they had no written requirements for what to do when communications with the control chair were lost, the vendor had to make major programming changes, thus delaying the operation of the vessel. Instituting sound software requirements in the contract stage with the vendor would have prevented this delay.

* All Failure Points are issues we have identified on multiple rigs on which we have worked