New ARC Advisory Report Examines Oil and Gas Industry Trends; Highlights Strategies to Improve Business Performance
A new report from ARC Advisory Group examines the oil and gas industry, focusing on strategies needed to improve reliability, flexibility, agility, uptime and machine safety. Titled “Rockwell Automation Builds a Business Value Proposition for the Oil and Gas Industry,” the report summarizes the technology necessary to produce tangible business value. A free copy of the report is available at http://www.rockwellautomation.com/industries/oilgas/.
The report targets major trends within the oil and gas industry including those related to remote operations, supply-chain integration, space conservation and energy efficiency. ARC cites that real business value propositions in the oil and gas industry fall into three fundamental areas: increased flexibility and agility, enhanced safety, and increased reliability and data availability.
Coverage includes a review of the recent Rockwell Automation acquisitions of ICS Triplex and Pavilion, and the role these served in helping the company significantly expand its portfolio into essential technologies for the oil and gas industry.
"ARC believes that the oil and gas industry will continue to be the highest growth market in the process industries for the foreseeable future,” said Larry O'Brien, research director, ARC Advisory Group. “Suppliers with the most innovative solutions for this industry will have a considerable competitive advantage. Rockwell Automation has developed a strong offering for the industry with its Integrated Architecture, integrated drives and motion control capability, and recent acquisition of companies like ICS Triplex and Pavilion Technologies. It’s clear that Rockwell Automation will be a force to be reckoned with in this industry.”
The 35-page report details the emerging technology allowing oil and gas end users to react quickly to changing conditions and demands. End users find more advantages with the Rockwell Automation combination of control and power solutions. Intelligent Motor Control and Integrated Architecture give customers a foundation to help them reach their operational excellence. Background shows the benefits of combining Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) network-enabled electronic overload protection relays, soft starters, variable speed AC drives and turnkey, pre-engineered motor control centers for a more intelligent oil and gas production and distribution.
One emerging technology cited is the “Transformerless” direct-to-drive configuration. The report notes that an isolation transformer can represent 30 percent to 50 percent of a drive system’s size and 50 percent to 70 percent of the system’s weight. Transformerless technology reduces space and weight, which is crucial on offshore platforms where real estate is at a premium.
Regarding safety issues, the report states that according to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the inability of control systems and operating personnel to control critical conditions costs the U.S. economy at least $20 billion a year. It details key performance indicators, such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and strategies to mitigate safety concerns including techniques for remote operation, integrated asset management and interoperability testing.
“ARC is a strong advocate of the philosophy that increased safety results in increased productivity,” according to Craig Resnick, research director, ARC Advisory Group. “Oil and gas companies that invest in solutions that advocate workplace safety, asset monitoring and management will see returns on investment and assets that can be immediate based on one incident avoided.”
The ARC report also covers aspects of energy management. Strategies detailed include emergency load shedding and monitoring. The report states that end users need real-time monitoring, and control over production and pipeline assets because every minute of uptime counts, and lost production time carries costly consequences. ARC features specific exercises for end users to evaluate OEE and return on net asset (RONA).
Rockwell Automation oil and gas strategies help customers reach their peak operational performance in applications from drilling through distribution. ARC ranks the company as the third-largest supplier of oil and gas safety solutions globally.
Rockwell is a leading global provider of industrial automation power, control and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve a competitive advantage in their businesses. The company brings together leading global brands in industrial automation that include Allen-Bradley controls and services, and Rockwell Software factory management software. Headquartered in