Resistance is Futile: Convergence of OT and IT #automation #bigdata #analytics #people #digitize
22 May 19
11:30 AM
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12:00 PM
Tracks:
Field, Facility and Production
A good paper on any emerging technology subject should cover the three basic perspectives: technology, process and people. A lot has already been written on the potential impact of IIoT technologies on oil and gas field operations. Rather then repeat that information, this paper will focus on the process and people sides of this discussion. A conversation today about field instrumentation and well control (often called operations technology or OT) will revolve around the PLC and SCADA proven technologies and the field operations and maintenance supervisors will question why the IT folks from headquarters are trying to get into their business. But things are changing. From smart equipment, to automation, to remote decision support centers to field logistics that aim to optimize lease operator’s routes, minimize visit to well pads to only critical tasks and move from “run to failure” to predictive maintenance of critical equipment, IIoT (industrial internet of things) and AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning are beginning to make themselves known. But it doesn’t stop there. IIoT promises machine-to-machine communications where the role of the human operator takes on new responsibilities. We can expect to see a revolution of human and machine collaboration like we have never seen before. This is not solely about machines replacing human beings. The proven ways of doing business will not give way without a fight. Moving from trusting an experience worker with “boots on the ground” to trusting a “digital twin” statistical model will take some time and some serious change management. The full extent of a digital factory version of an oilfield operations will happen incrementally at first but some operator somewhere will take the plunge and an autonomous drilling rig, or well pad or processing hub will be attempted. Times they are a changing and ‘resistance is futile’ but only if the industry gets the processes and the people aspect right.