The Internet of Things (or IoT) is revolutionizing the world and how we live our lives. It paves the path for a smart, efficient, and integrated future. We have already seen how the IoT revolutionizes the healthcare field, but how is it affecting the oil and gas industries? The oil and gas industry has been in the news for quite some time now because of the new technologies. These technologies are making it possible for the industry to become more efficient, more productive and safer at the same time. With IoT-based solutions, the oil and gas sector is driving its potential with data approaches and effectively creating a competitive edge among businesses.
Effective cost control procedures are a critical aspect of the operational efficiency of the oil and gas sector. Today's oil and gas situation calls on the whole industry to re-examine its operations. Although important and current, sustainability can be achieved by adopting long-term cost management strategies through technologies like IoT.
How IoT Technology Contributes to Industrial Revolution?
The Internet of Things is an advanced concept that enables automation, analytics, accurate predictions, actionable insights, etc. One of the main driving forces is framing the industrial revolution by facilitating the industries with enhanced workflow processes and optimization techniques for full-fledged productivity. The technology is very simple and advanced that allowing the effective evolvement of industries through:
- Real-time Monitoring
- Advanced Analytics
- High-end Hardware and Software
- Multi-channel Gateway Connectivity
- Automated Workflows
- Smart Inventory Management
- IoTized Logistics and Transportation
Industries seeking unique solutions to outgrow their challenges consider IoT technology one of their best strategies. Such businesses are empowered through IoT’s abilities to execute technology in a unique form for mitigating industrial challenges like equipment checks, unplanned downtimes, temperature & humidity control, remote processing, etc.
Here are the 7 ways in which IoT is revolutionizing the Oil and Gas industry:
1) Improved Operational Efficiency
IoT-based systems are advanced versions of technology inclusion in the water industry. The solutions are equipped with quality sensor devices that capture accurate information from the assets and transfer it to the user’s dashboard in real-time. This benefits the users in massive ways, identifying the water consumption patterns and analysing the judicious use of water in all aspects.
IoT technology provides the potential to operate in a consistently cost-effective environment with increasing pressure to improve sustainability and minimize environmental impact. Many oil and gas companies are improving their operational efficiency by framing exceptional business strategies to remain competitive amid a less uncertain business climate. Survival in this challenging environment requires a holistic approach that critically and actively evaluates current operations. This enhances the technological effect on the industry with the inclusion of upgraded sensor devices and providing a single stop shop to resolve oil and gas challenges. Here are a few ways in which IoT can help you improve operational efficiency:
o Reduced maintenance costs
o Optimized water lifecycle management
o Scheduled site visits with proper planning
2) Optimize inventory levels based on actual usage
The use of IoT boosts how oil and gas managers keep track of their inventories. It provides a quicker, simpler, and optimized way to deal with huge petroleum stocks. Also, with the integration of smart IoT solutions, the managers can set their priorities and thresholds, exceeding upon which an instant notification would alert them, informing them about a particular action to be taken. This can be processed even in the middle of the processing, which makes using an IoT solution super amazing to proceed with the entire industrial automation.
3) Improve stockroom management
Deploying sensors and other devices to conduct efficient industrial operations help companies collect insightful data and better understand maximizing business and operational benefits. An increase in the number of machines equipped with sensors has made machines available online that can analyse critical information so that O&G companies can reduce capital costs by up to 20%. Collecting data from sensors and smart assets helps O&G companies become more reliable and efficient and helps create new value by dealing with unexpected positive interruptions.
4) ROI/Revenue
Much has been invested in the oil and gas sector in recent decades, proving fruitful in terms of better outputs and effective productivity. In shale gas extraction, seismic surveillance data can help manufacturers adjust their drilling and fracking processes based on a better understanding of the structure of shale ladles. Sensors deep in the drilling rig or when drilling sends a stream of information that tells manufacturers how the rig works. Pipeline sensors measure pressure and can make continuous or closing restrictions for the operator. All this targets a great expansion of IoT technology in the oil and gas industry, which results in increased ROI and revenue-based results.
5) Real-Time Monitoring
Offshore oil and gas (O&G) production is more complex and dangerous. Due to the distance and isolation of offshore platforms, it is a challenge for O&G to obtain an up-to-date and accurate picture of its ongoing production. This means that operators are often unaware of non-specific machine and process variables and risk asset failure and costly downtime. Worse, insufficient oversight capacity can lead to devastating explosions that damage the environment, workers' lives, and companies' credibility. The Internet of Things (IoT) and next-generation connectivity today provide reliable and efficient offshore monitoring opportunities. It utilizes sensor devices and smart connectivity with gadgets that generate real-time monitoring for the managers to make quick and effective decisions.
6) Removing Manual Measuring Processes
Automated processes through IoT almost remove the excess involvement of manual labour and reduce the chances of causing errors in results. It involves using automated and semi-automatic machines instead of individuals to drill, inspect and maintain equipment in high-risk offshore or off-site operating environments, drilling and manufacturing. These machines can control and share data themselves in a control centre in a country where most of their activities are managed remotely, even though it requires bandwidth and possibly edge computing to return the most important data to the basics of transmission.
7) Reduce Safety Risk
It is an important phase to keep the workers safe in the oil and gas industry. The inclusion of sensing technologies like IoT provides advanced worker safety with a comprehensive effort from the organization. The inclusion of IoT-based tools and solutions can enhance how the O&G sector operates and remote monitoring in disaster-prone areas. It further helps detect the challenges much before they are likely to occur. It thus aims to reduce safety risks and bring in advanced elements to curb the critical issues that might affect workers' health.
