Automation in Oil & Gas Industry

In the Oil & Gas Sector, Process Control is an important aspect which faces the challenges of implementing newer automation technologies, disparate systems and others across both upstream and downstream processes. While achieving this, they need to meet the safety, operating and product quality standards. "The Investment in oil & gas automation by the Industry will be strong and is forecasted to grow through 2013 "as per ARC's 5 year Market & Technology forecast through 2013.

Oil and gas producers are focused on production optimization and increasing reliability of their processing operations. Automation is needed right from offshore production, onshore production and transportation and processing. In all these processes there is a constant pressure to help control performance, reduce downtime ,improve safety increase productivity & perform diagnostics.

Plant automation & Intelligence has been streamlining and synchronizing manufacturing operations in real-time thus optimizing the production activities. In typical environment, there are plethoras of systems that work in isolation. Organizations want to keep their investments intact and need solutions that will CONNECT – INTEGRATE – ANALYZE their processes and give management Key performances Index (KPI's) that help take informed decisions.

Plant Intelligence solutions facilitate flexibility, reduce production costs and enhance profitability by:

* Improves visibility to expose hidden bottlenecks.

* Connects disparate systems within the plant hierarchy for better integration.

* Reduces material waste, which directly reduces cost and shortens cycle time to increase productivity.

* Cuts downtime to enhance OEE.

* Offers real-time information on customer orders across multiple plants.

* Data Acquisition from current as well as legacy systems at a centralized location

* Generate KPIs, real-time visibility, and comprehensive reporting

* Manage and optimize your productions processes with Manufacturing Execution Systems

* Manufacturing Intelligence & Integration with SAP MII adaptive manufacturing capabilities.

The industry demands intelligent control solutions across iron, steel, aluminum, precious metals, coal including Hot/Cold rolling mills for iron & steel, Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF), Steel Sheet Making Process and Oxygen Coating for Steel Line, Coal Preparation Process, Coal Beneficiation process and also Platinum Extraction Process.

These intelligent control solutions deliver immense business value:

* Automate processes reducing cycle time

* Minimized resource and energy consumption

* Improved operational efficiencies across the value stream of the enterprise

* Maximum capital asset utilization

* Cost saving through innovation and off-shoring

* Improved Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) compliance