Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 54 | Page 74

INDUSTRY WATCH such as reactors, polymers and specialties. Digital connectivity can advance the production process continually and incrementally, while accelerating start-ups after plant turnarounds and debugging application design. With process design information centralised into a digital repository in the cloud, it becomes easier to superimpose this data with complementary information and drive the enterprise towards a completely digital planning and operations model. In such a situation, process innovation becomes seamless and efficiency is significantly expanded. Mohamad Awad, Regional VP for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at AVEVA software helps process operations realise their full potential by moving the process closer to active constraints – reducing process variability while raising profits. 2. Cloud-based process design: Cloud computing offers several opportunities to reduce process design expenditure. By TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES, COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO OPTIMISE MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS AND MAKE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS TO POSITIVELY AFFECT THEIR BOTTOM LINE. 74 INTELLIGENTCIO leveraging the almost infinite processing power and storage available through cloudbased architecture, process design can be accelerated while capital investment costs for modelling and training are reduced. Cloudbased architecture can offer an open model writing environment, extending simulation benefits to areas not well covered today, 3. Digital planning and operations: Integrated petrochemical production networks are highly complex and difficult to visualise for planning and operations. At the same time, increasing demand volatility in feedstock extends opportunities for margin improvement. A unified supply chain model connects historically disconnected silos and maximises profitability by overlaying real-time economic and market data with current plant and production status information. This complete 360-degree view of the digital value chain allows all aspects of the enterprise to be visualised, analysed and optimised so that the impact of uncertainties and data changes can be evaluated and understood in real-time. In the long run, digitalisation will have a profound impact on every aspect of the oil and gas business. As the industry has consistently demonstrated, early movers reap the sweetest gains. In today’s economic environment, capital budgets and overhead are constantly being cut. Oil and gas producers are faced with rising manufacturing costs, global competition and soaring energy costs. To meet these challenges, companies are forced to optimise manufacturing operations and make performance improvements to positively affect their bottom line. Digital Transformation offers new toolsets that enable oil and gas producers to increase their competitive levels in their market and industry. • www.intelligentcio.com