The Future Lies in the Past: Embracing Brown Fields for Tomorrow’s Energy
A 2011 study by IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates reported that approximately two-thirds of global daily average oil production comes from brown fields and that the percentage is increasing over time. Indeed, it’s evident that mature fields have become a fundamental piece of the petroleum exploration sector, but what exactly are mature fields? According to Parshall (2012), brown fields, also known as legacy fields, are defined by years of production and aging infrastructure. Indeed, for a field to be considered brown, it had to produce more than 50% of its established proved plus probable resource estimates or have produced for [...]
Exploring the Depths: Understanding Offshore Oil Drilling
Until 1894, we didn’t know extracting crude oil from subsea environments was possible. This changed when the lure of offshore production enticed Henry L. Williams and his associates to build a pier 90 meters out into the Pacific — and assemble a standard cable-tool rig on it. Since then, oil extraction has evolved in unprecedented ways. In recent years, new technologies have emerged as powerful tools for addressing the inherent challenges of exploring previously unreachable resources. Indeed, subsea drilling still represents a complex operation that requires advanced techniques and skilled teams to achieve optimal efficiency and safety. And, despite the [...]
How to leverage the full potential of AI Predictive Maintenance
Industrial maintenance is a crucial but challenging aspect of large-scale process industries. Traditional maintenance methods result in expensive, risky, time-consuming, and often inefficient activities. This has led to a growing implementation of digital technologies to optimize maintenance, which made clear the opportunities that these optimized processes offered, like foreseeing anomalies with predictive maintenance for example. However, successfully implementing this maintenance approach requires the integration of different cutting-edge technologies. Despite the complexity surrounding the adoption of predictive maintenance, we need to understand its leveraged opportunities in industrial environments. Why industrial maintenance requires predictive care Industrial maintenance can be a [...]
AI-driven Hull Inspections: Streamlining Safety and Efficiency
Vessels are crucial parts of different industrial operations. Considering this, the ship's main body: the hull, must be regularly inspected to ensure high asset integrity, safety, and efficiency standards. Hull damages such as cracks can lead to oil leaks, which can implicate direct emergency costs that surpass USD 50,000,000 according to Brazil's National Petroleum Agency, which is 100x more expensive than the investment to repair the defects on time (before the accident) not including compensations, fines, and asset depreciation. In this regard, hull inspections are a maintenance procedure that helps energy companies and bulk cargo transporters maintain high safety, compliance, [...]
Smart Hulls, Safe Seas: How to keep O&G facilities efficient
Introduction: Tank and hull inspections are critical for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of oil and gas floating production and storage facilities and tanker ships. The challenges of maintaining hull integrity are numerous, including corrosion, fatigue, and structural damage. In this article, we will explore the challenges of hull integrity management, as well as emerging technologies and approaches that may help address the challenges faced by this industry. Challenges of Hull Integrity Management Managing hull integrity presents a multitude of challenges, particularly when dealing with offshore and remote locations. External and internal care of [...]
What is the difference between AIM and APM?
Asset Integrity Management (AIM) and Asset Performance Management (APM) are concepts that often get confused. Indeed, both focus on enhancing maintenance plans while reducing costs. However, it is necessary to understand which problems they specifically address to visualize the scope of their benefits. In this context, let’s learn about the main differences between these two vital concepts for heavy asset industries. The role of AIM As the name suggests, Asset Integrity Management focuses on the physical integrity of the asset, its purpose is to improve operational safety and maintenance planning. This strategy provides necessary outputs to industries about [...]
Why predictive maintenance isn’t always an answer
Intro Predictive maintenance has proven to be an effective methodology for enhancing the lifespan of valuable assets in the industrial sector, as it allows companies to predict when equipment is likely to fail or stop. This way, proactive measures can be taken to prevent downtime and reduce maintenance costs. Besides that, a November 2021 report from IoT Analytics estimated that the $6.9 billion predictive maintenance market would reach $28.2 billion by 2026. This showcases the immense potential this technology has, allowing companies to optimize their outcomes while reducing downtime. However, if this technology isn’t adequately implemented, [...]
What Digital Solutions are being a game-changer to industries
Intro In today’s rapidly evolving world, digital solutions are reshaping industrial standards for efficiency, safety and innovation. They’ve become a game-changer for facilitating multiple industrial and business related tasks such as process automation, anomaly detection, scenario visualization and decision making. This transformation is not merely a trend but a fundamental change that is rebuilding the landscape of industries worldwide. "Digital transformation is not about technology; it's about solving problems. It's about using technology to make our lives better." - Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google And, on the edge of Industry 4.0, Digital Solutions are [...]
La importancia de la gestión de integridad de activos para la industria
La gestión de integridad de activos, Asset Integrity Management (AIM) en inglés, representa la capacidad de un activo industrial en desempeñar su función con precisión y eficacia, con tiempo de vida óptimo y seguridad adecuada. La gestión de activos es necesaria desde la fase de diseño hasta el final de su vida útil. Hay que tener en cuenta todas las etapas del proceso para que haya una gestión eficaz para predecir posibles riesgos para el medio ambiente, las personas involucradas y la instalación industrial que forman parte. En este post, exploraremos los principales desafíos de la gestión de la [...]
Maximizing Efficiency and Cost Savings with Effective Coating Management
In today's highly competitive business landscape, maximizing efficiency and cost savings is crucial for any organization that wants to succeed. One area where this can be achieved is through effective coating management. Whether it's in the manufacturing, construction, or transportation industry, proper coating management can help businesses save time, money, and resources while ensuring high-quality results. From selecting the right coating materials to implementing a robust maintenance program, there are many steps that can be taken to streamline the coating process and minimize waste. In this article, we'll explore some of the best practices for coating management and how they [...]
