Abstract
The digitalization of oil and gas facilities is becoming a new theater of operations. Effective solutions can be employed to convert data into information and knowledge, which can then be used to improve maintenance operations. Wear and tear can be discovered before faults occur, which enables cost reductions and safety improvements. All relevant data can be made securely available in cloud repositories, and big data techniques can be used to analyze failure patterns and failure modes for equipment categories, and identify the performance characteristics associated with particular manufacturer or equipment types.
This paper describes some technologies employed in digitalization, ranging from the basic connectivity infrastructure to data-gathering and storage and techniques for extracting new information from big data. We also discuss how organizational form affects the ability to realize value from integrated operations and digitized assets.
One main issue for these facilities is data "lock in", in the sense that data availability across departments, to other systems and external experts is limited by proprietary data models and systems. However even if a cloud type repository is desirable, this also gives challenges in cyber security and protection of proprietary data. A second challenge in the implementation and deployment phase is to underestimate or even neglect the need to change work processes, including operation model. We present the "8 steps to a maintenance plan including CBM and PBM" developed as a result of these experiences.
In normal situations, even fractional improvements in plant uptime is by far the largest contributor to improved earnings. About 40% of production loss is related to preventable operator errors. In a normal plant, this could account for 1-2 % of total plant production capacity. The second contribution to plant uptime comes from elimination of unplanned shutdown. Condition based maintenance systems assist the operator in correct response to possible malfunction e.g. by shifting to redundant equipment or reduce load on equipment until maintenance action can be performed. In-operation failures can be reduced by over 90% and contribute an additional 2-3 % points to plant availability. Critical safety events are often the result of multiple maintenance safety issues, each non-critical, developing into an unmanageable situation. Finally, the actual cost of maintenance is reduced by 15-40%. In typical projects the total cost of maintenance operations is equivalent to half the EBITDA of the plant and so is a significant contributor to financial performance.
