Assisting oil and gas operators with managing their operations
A specialist in industrial technology explains to Louise Davis how a digital toolbox of solutions can assist oil & gas operators with both managing and futureproofing their operations.
According to Sue Quense, Chief Commercial Officer at AVEVA, digitalisation is key to achieving decarbonisation for energy companies and the energy ecosystem. “Our solutions are already helping minimise emissions, manage carbon use and support the transition to a lower carbon future,” says Quense. “For example, by providing real-time energy data and supporting improved operational and design decision-making, we are helping hundreds of companies cut their energy consumption and emissions.”
Quense says that oil & gas customers choose AVEVA’s software to optimise existing operations and lower the current carbon footprint, but also to be ready to incorporate future changes. “Key solutions include engineering software, the PI system and our open data platform, Connect,” Quense explains. Expanding on these solutions, she adds: “Our software tools enable oil & gas customers to improve production planning for refineries and petrochemical plants; deliver higher asset utilisation and reliability from critical assets; introduce or improve carbon-aware planning that allows visibility and management of Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions; and collaborate better with partners, customers and suppliers through robust data management using Connect.”
REFINED THINKING
When asked about real-world applications of AVEVA’s solutions, Quense describes how they are being deployed to improve both everyday operations such as refining tasks, and longer-term emissions reductions goals. “Among our oil & gas customers, Neste, the leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel based in Finland, uses AVEVA Unified Supply Chain software in the cloud to provide international teams with central data intelligence. In this way, the company reduces emissions from conventional refining and also optimise production of renewable diesels (biofuels). Our solution works across 80 sites to support optimal decision-making around supply and distribution, production planning and scheduling – saving €3 million,” cites Quense. “Another example is Fortescue Future Industries, which uses our digital design and simulation tools in the cloud to optimise the performance of new hydrogen production plants.”
Many software vendors are selling products into the oil & gas sector, but Quense feels there are several ways that AVEVA is a unique presence here. “Our customers can count on us all along the lifecycle of their industrial assets: for the design phase, our engineering tools have been proven in the rigorous, complex environment of oil & gas for decades; our SCADA systems are solid allies to run operations efficiently; and finally, for asset optimisation, our customers trust PI systems for data management and use our simulation and asset performance management software,” she states. “Having worked in the oil & gas sector for decades, we know the industry well, which positions us to innovate and develop software tailored to the needs of the industry. We are a pioneer in industrial AI with our predictive maintenance software used in oil & gas for almost 20 years now.”
Quense attributes part of this success to the fact the firm sees the bigger picture: “We provide industrial intelligence through Connect, our open and agnostic cloud data platform, to facilitate the transfer of information throughout our customers’ ecosystem. With advanced analytics and real-time visibility and insight tools, we empower customers to optimise their operations while transitioning to sustainable practices. Connect demonstrates our commitment to innovation, enabling the radical collaboration needed for industrial transformation and the energy transition. Our global partner ecosystem ensures a seamless implementation and support throughout the customer’s asset lifecycles.”
DIGITAL DATA DELIVERY
All of AVEVA’s work centres around data, and in the oil & gas market, collecting accurate and reliable industrial data has always been critical to assess and measure petroleum volumes and quality in real-time, and to satisfy the demand in a timely manner with real-time inventory status updates. “Now that the sector has a crucial role to play in contributing to a lower carbon world and in facilitating the switch to lower carbon energy, industrial data is even more prominent to help benchmark, measure and improve sustainability metrics,” believes Quense. Most sustainability challenges demand new technologies, scalable solutions and partnerships to drive change at a systemic level: “This all converges on digitalisation, which explains why the sector invests significantly to leverage the full potential of data. It’s the best way to ensure the optimal use of the world’s resources and for organisations to achieve both sustainability and profitability goals,” she observes.
Like most industrial sectors, oil & gas is also gradually embracing the application of AI. Commenting on this, Quense says: “Energy companies use AVEVA AI-infused solutions for many things: 3D modelling and process design to accelerate and optimise engineering cycles, operators’ support, predictive maintenance aimed at reducing planned and unplanned downtime, process optimisation, and to drive safety and cost reductions.
“We’ve observed that AI can increase productivity up to 25%, enable 10x faster decision making and generate millions of dollars in productivity savings. Overall, machine learning, AI and predictive maintenance are used in the oil & gas sector to extend the life of industrial assets.”
Quense also points out the merits of AI when it comes to sustainability efforts, saying that it helps drives carbon efficiency and efficient use of resources. Proffering two key examples here, she says: ““In Spain, REPSOL has used software optimisations (Romeo + AI) to cut emissions by 20%. In the US energy sector, Duke Energy saved US$1 billion in 10 years through better preventative maintenance of its turbines using just one type of AI. US$25 billion could be saved in the next decade in North America if all energy actors do the same.”
A BIG DEAL
Quense reports that some big-name energy players are taking the lead when it comes to efficiency and sustainability. “Recently, ExxonMobil, one of the largest integrated fuels, lubricants and chemical companies in the world, selected AVEVA to work on a project that contributes to tackling the global challenge of meeting the world’s energy needs for sustainable fuels,” she reveals. “Indeed, although the necessity and urgency of climate action is intensifying, the need to transport people, goods, and services isn’t vanishing. The global population will continue to rise and with it so will the need for transportation and the demand for energy. That’s why Exxon Mobil is charting a new path with Exxon Mobil Renewable Diesel (EMRD), a proprietary process technology designed to help biofuel producers enhance renewable diesel production while meeting stringent product specifications.”
Quense explains that the production of biofuel has different constraints than for the fossil fuel: “For instance, sustainable fuel producers must meet advanced cold flow specifications while maximising yield, they need to optimise different variables in the renewable diesel production process such as operating temperatures which requires advanced, customisable simulation tools. The design and optimisation of each phase of the biofuel production process is incredibly complex and requires sophisticated simulation technology. That’s why ExxonMobil chose AVEVA Pro/II Simulation to develop EMRD.”
Detailing this solution, Quense says that AVEVA Pro/II Simulation is a steady-state simulator that optimises plant performance by improving process design, running operational analysis, and performing engineering studies. She notes: “Using this simulator, ExxonMobil had the advanced simulation tools it needed to simplify the process. The company reduced model-building and computation time and improved its fundamental understanding of how the model works and how its components interact while ensuring that the renewable diesel it produces meets the properties of conventional fuel.”
ExxonMobil plans to invest approximately US$17 billion in lower-emission fuel initiatives by 2027 and will incorporate the EMRD technology into Imperial’s Strathcona renewable diesel unit. “The refinery will use locally sourced canola oil as feedstock to produce an expected 20,000 barrels of fuel a day, which will make Strathcona the largest renewable diesel facility in Canada. Once operational, estimations suggest this new facility could help the Canadian transportation sector reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 3M metric tons per year,” Quense says.
And what about AVEVA: where will the software giant be setting its sights next? “Our product roadmap includes automation control, design reliability, visualisation of complete value chain and capital project lifecycle through different lenses such as sustainability or profitability. We will also continue to infuse Gen AI in our software for design, predictive and prescriptive analytics, to support the workforce of the future,” confirms Quense.
DRIVING DOWN EMISSIONS
The oil & gas sector doesn’t exactly have a great track record on emissions, but Sue Quense feels that digital tools can make a big impact in cleaning up the energy industry. “As a technology partner to some of the world’s largest oil & gas leaders, we work in diverse ways to help drive lower-carbon strategies,” states Quense. “This means helping them ramp up on renewables and realise their full GHG emissions abatement potential through operational efficiency gains and pioneering carbon capture and sequestration design,” she adds.
