The Opportunities of Digitalization for the Oil & Gas Industry 

Oil and gas companies are facing major disruptions. Political and economic crises are affecting markets and pricing structures. New policies and targets, such as the European Green Deal, require adjustments and restructuring of businesses.  

Climate change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are also overarching issues. Their direct and indirect effects also have a lasting impact on the oil and gas sector.  

Against this backdrop, the fact that digital strategies are becoming essential to business success is not a prediction of the future, but a real economic fact today. Digitalization has long been a stabilizing factor for oil and gas companies. For example, leading players in the industry use digital picture archiving and communication systems for automated asset inspections.

In the upstream, midstream and downstream segments, intelligent networking enables low process costs. By digitizing the supply chain, oil and gas industry players are minimizing risk and exploring new business opportunities.

Why does the oil and gas industry need digital solutions?

Compared to other industries, the oil industry has a low level of digitalization on an international average. Awareness of the need for digital solutions is only now beginning to spread throughout the industry. Past economic successes have also contributed to this.   

Another, perhaps more important, reason is the enormous complexity of material handling and delivery processes. These cannot be digitally mapped and networked with off-the-shelf concepts.  

EU emissions trading and the goal of climate neutrality are forcing a rethink. The ability to measure processes is becoming a prerequisite for doing business. At the same time, there is a secure market for raw materials in the coming decades. If companies in the oil and gas industry want to successfully implement digitalization, they need to answer the following questions: 

• How can digital tools help meet valid guidelines? 
• How can production and extraction costs be reduced? 
• Which solutions support economic stability and minimize risks?  
• What other opportunities arise from the availability of data? 

Best practices for the digitalized energy industry

Putting the digitalization of the energy industry into practice requires cutting-edge technologies. There are many examples of products that can help: Robust sensor technology on offshore platforms and in refineries ensures that data is collected safely. AI-based algorithms identify risks by analyzing large data sets. Compatible software interfaces simplify an ERP integration.  

A key benefit of digitalization is the streamlining of business processes. Successful digital strategies from other industries can serve as models for the energy industry. The transfer of competencies helps compensate for the lack of IT standards in the oil and gas industry. This approach is particularly attractive for processing inspection orders, as inspection processes are still largely analog or involve many media discontinuities. 

DIMATE stands for best practice methods to optimize processes in various industries. We meet the challenges of digitalization in energy supply companies with a broad range of experience. We implement proven software concepts in compliance with data protection regulations and are at your side as a service partner. 

Digital structures for supply chains and internal processes

As experts in industrial digitization, we offer customized solutions for asset monitoring and quality control. Our PACS system implements digitization in the oil and gas industry on demand. For example, we automatically capture and transfer data for non-destructive testing (NDT). You always have an overview of all processes. 

We are able to intelligently accompany the global supply chain. PACS lets you start at the key points of oil and gas production. Equipment- as well as modality-independent inspection systems give you a decisive advantage: You can easily capture and re-link data. This allows you to improve quality management, risk assessment and save costs in the analysis and management of test data. 

It is also possible to digitally map the entire life file of a test object. Whether you want to monitor the component or part over time or determine the corrosion rate with all associated information, DIMATE PACS gives you the flexibility you need. 

The open DICONDE IT standard allows you to integrate NDT data sets into ERP and RBI systems. With DIMATE, you can easily build on your company's existing digital structures. 

Digital networking works in practice with DIMATE

BP, a leader in the oil industry, is already using our PACS system for intelligent plant inspection. The software is saving more than €300,000 per year in the inspection process at just one refinery. 

Analog administration is a thing of the past. Evaluate inspection images from anywhere and access archived inspection results. Our software helps you make important decisions with reliable data. Online data transfer facilitates team communication - worldwide. 

Contact us now to find out how your company can benefit in detail from our digital tools. Our experts will be happy to provide you with a no-obligation consultation on digital NDT solutions. With technologies from DIMATE you are on the way to sustainable success.

Would you like to learn more about the DIMATE PACS and its many advantages?
Request a demo and we will show you how you can digitize your inspection processes and thus save time and money.