The opportunities of digitalization for the oil & gas industry 

Oil and gas companies are facing major changes. Political and economic crises are influencing sales markets and price 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 industry.

Against this backdrop, the fact that digital strategies are becoming essential for business success is not a prediction of the future, but already a real economic fact. 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 - PACS for short - for automated plant inspection.

In the upstream, midstream and downstream segments, intelligent networking enables low operating costs. By digitizing process chains, players in the oil and gas industry minimize risks and save time and money during plant inspections.

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 developing more broadly in the industry. The economic successes of the past also contributed to this.

Another, perhaps more important reason is the enormous complexity of operating and inspection 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 change in thinking. Being able to measure processes is becoming a prerequisite for doing business. At the same time, there is a reliable sales market for raw materials in the coming decades. If companies in the oil and gas industry want to successfully implement digitalization, they should answer the following questions in the process:

• How can digital tools help meet valid guidelines?
• How can operating and inspection costs be reduced?
• Which solutions support economic stability and minimize risks?
• What other potentials 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. The examples of products that prove to be useful are numerous: Robust testing technology on offshore platforms and in refineries guarantees that you collect data safely. AI-based algorithms identify risks based on analysis of large data sets. Standardized software interfaces make it easy for you to integrate with ERP and inspection management systems.

A key benefit of digitalization is the streamlining of business processes. Successful digital strategies from other industries offer themselves as a model for the energy industry. The transfer of competencies helps to use proven IT standards also within the oil and gas industry. This approach is particularly attractive for processing NDT test orders, as test processes are still largely analog or involve many media discontinuities.

DIMATE stands for best practice methods to optimize NDT processes in various industries. We meet the challenges of digitizing inspection processes in energy plants with a versatile experience. We implement proven software concepts in compliance with data protection regulations and are at your side as a service partner.

Digital structures for inspection processes

As experts in industrial digitization, we offer customized solutions for asset monitoring and quality control. Our DIMATE PACS implements digitization in the oil and gas industry according to demand. For example, we automatically record, analyze and transfer data for non-destructive material testing (NDT). You maintain an overview of all processes at all times.

We are able to provide continuous and intelligent support for inspection processes. DIMATE PACS can be applied at the key points of oil and gas production, transportation as well as processing. The equipment and manufacturer-independent data management gives you a decisive advantage: you can easily capture and evaluate test data and link them to the correct component in a structured manner. In this way, you improve integrity management and plant availability 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 it is to monitor the component or part over time or to determine the corrosion development with all accompanying information - DIMATE PACS makes you flexible.

The international IT standard DICONDE allows you to exchange NDT data sets with all inspection systems and service providers as well as ERP and RBI systems. Build easily on existing digital structures in your company with DIMATE.

With DIMATE, digital networking succeeds in practice

BP, a leading company in the energy sector, is already using our PACS for intelligent plant inspection. The software realizes savings in the inspection process of several hundred thousand euros per year in just one refinery.

With us, analog administrative effort is a thing of the past. Analyze inspection images independent of location and access archived inspection results. Our software supports you in making 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 and project experience. Our experts will be happy to advise you on digital NDT solutions without obligation. With technologies from DIMATE, you are on the path to sustainable success.

Would you like to learn more about DIMATE PACS and how it can be integrated into your processes?