The Energy and Utility industries serve as the lifeblood of industrialized nations, underpinning modern societies. For instance, Oil and Gas are crucial energy sources that necessitate a sustainable transportation and logistics infrastructure. The maintenance and monitoring of this infrastructure are vital for preventing costly leaks and fatal accidents, all while minimizing downtime.
To facilitate this, pipeline networks utilize Pipeline Inspection Gauges, commonly known as PIGs. 'Smart Pigs' are used to identify any damage and the repairs required. These pigs are tracked throughout this process for maintenance operations.
About Client
Based in the US, our client is a leading enterprise in the Pigging Platform sector. They offer real-time pig tracking and project management for their global Energy & Utility customers. They have formed partnerships with leading ‘Above the Ground Marker’ (AGM) device manufacturers to automate pigging and tracking operations. Pipeline pigging is not confined to the Oil & Gas industry; it also has applications in lube oil, chemical plants, and hygienic processes such as Pharmaceuticals and Food services.
Challenge
Pipeline infrastructure is the safest and most efficient method for transporting Oil & Gas. However, pipelines carry significant risks for both owners and communities. Failures due to ruptures or leaks can have severe consequences for the environment and human life, leading to substantial financial losses and remediation costs.
Key challenges:
- Reliance on single-point data and multiple failure risks: Pigs in the pipes are tracked using AGM devices to trace their path and live location. However, tracking was based on data from a single operator with a standard geophone. Using this setup, they were unable to track job failure due to various factors such as unexpected increases in tool speed, inaccessible locations, bad weather, welded joints, and missed readings by AGM.
- Need for comprehensive management in remote locations: Despite the advancements in pipeline maintenance, the Pigging Platform enterprise faced a significant challenge in managing complex workloads in remote areas. The absence of a unified management system hindered their ability to receive information and text messages from survey and pigging operations in real-time. This gap in communication and data access posed risks and inefficiencies in their operations.
This required a well thought data engineering approach to build robust Industrial IoT analytics solution, for capturing, managing and analyzing real-time data.
Solution
The Pigging Platform enterprise implemented a cloud-based pipeline pigging system, enabling field mobility and pigging project management capabilities. They partnered with Saviant to re-engineer their existing desktop application to a scalable industrial software built on Azure for web & mobile, to conduct surveys and integrate with other AGM manufacturing companies. The real-time data connectivity enhanced safety, collaboration, and productivity during pigging projects. Both the web and mobile applications offer online and offline working capabilities, utilizing local storage.
Key Features:
Scalable cloud and mobile approach for field operations with offline capabilities:
- Our Azure consulting team built a cloud-based architecture that ensures scalability, allowing the industrial software to handle increasing workloads efficiently.
- Mobile applications extend the platform's reach, enabling field operators to access vital information on the go.
- Offline capabilities ensure that work can continue even in areas with poor or no network connectivity, with data syncing once connectivity is restored.
Real-time visibility of pigging operations & survey in remote locations:
- Real-time tracking features allow for immediate location and status updates of pigs in the pipeline.
- GPS-enabled devices provide precise geolocation data, enhancing the accuracy of tracking and reporting.
- This feature is particularly beneficial in remote locations where immediate intervention may be required, thereby increasing operational safety and efficiency.
End-to-end pigging project management platform:
- Role-based authentication ensures that only authorized personnel have access to specific types of information, enhancing security.
- The platform integrates seamlessly with various AGM devices, providing a unified interface for all pigging operations.
- Advanced project management features like reporting tools, attachment options, and real-time notifications streamline the entire pigging process from start to finish.
Key Results
The Pigging Platform enterprise became the industry's first company to introduce cloud-based pigging platform system as an industrial software that offers collaboration and productivity. On average, the new system helped pipeline operators reduce pig tracking costs by 42%. The scalable system is prepared for rapid automation and advancements in pigging and AGM technologies, making it device agnostic.