Digital Transformation
Mobility solutions across North Ghawar employ tomorrow’s technology today
From WiFi infrastructure to IR4.0 sensors and beyond, Aramco’s digital transformation comes to Southern Area Oil Operations.
Aramco’s North Ghawar Producing Department (NGPD) has embraced digital transformation by exploring several opportunities available in the market, handpicking the ones relevant in day-to-day activities.
NGPD has invested in an industrial WiFi infrastructure at all its facilities, to harvest cutting-edge Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) solutions through the utilization of wireless process and diagnostic sensors to capitalize on big data and make proactive data-driven decisions. In addition, mobility solutions were introduced to transition from paper-based data capturing to digital documentation and to increase the productivity of field personnel.
NGPD’s digitalization efforts have also been focused on the simplification of field activities. With this is in mind, NGPD collaborated with the IT/Corporate Geospatial Solutions Group to deploy mobility applications to capture well site survey activities electronically. The new field worker solution placed on tablets assists the user in swift capture of findings, adding photographs, and relevant information, and upload to the purpose-built software, thereby saving crucial field time.
Additionally, the application allows for each of the surveying personnel to be placed on an electronic geo-fence. The system alerts the supervising personnel if field workers drift away from the electronic geo-fence, beyond the quick reach of emergency personnel.
NGPD has successfully enabled the field worker application to cover on plot activities such as work order management, inspection notifications, operational assistance, maintenance notifications, etc. The successful trial deployment of smart helmets has enabled NGPD to unlock the infinite potential through live consultation and collaboration with discipline experts across the globe. Full deployment is planned to be completed by December 2021.
The pace at which NGPD is laying the platform will help the department harness many IR 4.0 solutions and digitally transform the department, ready to achieve the company’s and Kingdom’s agile vision and needs.