Your technology modernization strategies can make or break performance

In the consumer products arena, we have seen a revolution in the deployment of core digital technology enablers. The connected smart home now offers completely different ways of home management—all enabled by a digitally secure, connected, and often wireless communication infrastructure.  

But given the investment required, the industrial sector has been slow to digitally transform its operations, which includes updating industrial facilities with a digital architecture powered by smart sensors and control elements. For those refiners who are ready to transform their organization, there are several major business results that can be realized, including the ability to:

•  More easily comply with new safety standards. 
•  Manage asset obsolescence more effectively. 
•  Leverage machine analytics  to improve availability. 
•  Increase profitability with embedded advanced control. 
•  Access remote experts who help fill the skills gap in real time.

How to gain the competitive edge
With global competition, market growth, and in some cases market survival, it is essential for refineries to strive to achieve Top Quartile performance—investing in new technologies and processes while continuing to optimize the performance of their current assets. These investments enable refiners to gain a strategic advantage and competitive differentiation in the marketplace, as well as more easily meet changing clean fuel and emissions regulations. 

The key to success hinges on engaging early with an automation partner that can help you minimize modernization project costs and mitigate risks. Additionally, your ideal automation partner should have these attributes:

•  Proven track record as a main automation contractor (MAC) for modernization projects. 
•  Proven experience with hot-cutover migrations to modern secure digital architectures. 
•  The conversion tools needed to ensure seamless integration of existing configurations into the new DCS.
•  A wide variety of built-for-refining solutions including digital twin technology, plant optimization, dynamic alarm management, and layered advanced machine learning. 
•  Remote availability to experts who can collaborate and problem solve with plant personnel in real time. •  The flexibility to adapt solutions to your specific priorities to maximize your ROI.

Partnering with an experienced MAC
Working with the right automation partner also means taking advantage of capabilities designed to deliver a payoff with the ability to predict plant asset performance, extend asset life, avoid surprises, and reduce safety and environmental risks.  

By engaging Emerson as the MAC early, on a project that included more than 400,000 man-hours to retrofit nine units, a North American refiner benefited from zero plant shutdowns during hot cutover. Since the implementation, the refinery realized $40 million in savings due to modernization and continued optimization projects.

Once implemented, you can achieve a variety of sustainable business advantages. In addition to profitability and large ROI, modernization improvements can directly impact other performance metrics such as optimization, reliability, and HSSE.