COMMENT
CALLUM O’REILLY
EDITOR
CONTACT INFORMATION
Managing Editor
James Little
Editor
Callum O’Reilly
Editorial Assistant
David Rowlands
Advertisement Director
Rod Hardy
Advertisement Manager
John Baughen
Editorial/Advertisement Offices, Palladian Publications Ltd,
15 South Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7QU, ENGLAND,
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 718 999 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 718 992 Website:
Production Manager
Stephen North
Website Manager
Tom Fullerton
Website Editor
Callum O’Reilly
Digital Editorial Assistant
Angharad Lock
Subscriptions
Laura White
LNG Industry Subscription rates:
Annual subscription: £50 UK including postage
£60 overseas (postage airmail)
Two year discounted rate: £80 UK including postage
£96 overseas (postage airmail)
Subscription claims:
Claims for non receipt of issues must be made within
3 months of publication of the issue
or they will not be honoured without charge.
Applicable only to USA & Canada.
LNG Industry (ISSN No: 1747-1826, USPS No: 006-760) is published
monthly by Palladian Publications Ltd, GBR and distributed in the
USA by Asendia USA, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831.
Periodicals postage paid New Brunswick, NJ and additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to LNG Industry, 701C
Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA 19032.
Uncaptioned Images courtesy of
and
S
hell recently announced the launch of the first resident
mobile robot that has been certified to work in hostile
environments. The Sensabot – developed by leading
robotic experts from across the world – will work in remote
or unmanned oil and gas facilities, following final tests at
Shell’s Pernis complex in the Netherlands. The first robot will
be deployed at the Kashagan oilfield in Kazakhstan’s zone of
the Caspian Sea, before the system is rolled out across other
facilities in harsh environments, as well as in refineries and
LNG terminals.
The semi-autonomous robot is remotely controlled by
operators working in a safe location. It is equipped with an
array of sensors and video cameras that allow it to act as
the ‘eyes and ears’ of operators, enabling them to check
equipment and respond to alerts quickly, while gathering
real time data. The robot, which is designed to work for
six months without requiring maintenance, is able to drive
through rough terrain including gravel, mud and snow, as
well as climb vertical surfaces using rails on the outside
of process modules. In Shell’s own words, the robot “can
go anywhere humans can, but without needing additional
protection.”
Aside from its obvious safety benefits, the Sensabot offers
economic advantages and helps to improve productivity.
The robot has initially been equipped for surveillance of oil
and gas facilities, but has a number of different manipulator
arms that can be adapted for use by emergency services or
for maintenance purposes. Shell is also seeking commercial
partners to help expand the technology.
Robotics is an example of an innovative digital
technology that is helping to transform the oil and gas
industry, alongside advanced analytics, cloud computing,
simulation and unmanned aerial systems (aka drones),
etc. Recent research from McKinsey & Co. suggests that
the effective use of digital technologies in the oil and gas
sector has the potential to cut CAPEX by up to 20%, while
also reducing operating costs.
1
The global management
consulting firm predicts that the latest technological
advancements will trigger a second digital age that could
also significantly increase productivity and performance:
“The visibility and clarity delivered by digital technologies
and advanced analytics can give executives unprecedented,
granular views into operations, increase agility, and support
better strategic decision making. Digital enablers, from
process digitisation to robotics and automation, can also
help realise this potential by supporting processes in
dynamic ways.”
This issue of
LNG Industry
includes a number of articles
that outline the benefits of embracing digital technologies.
Intergraph Process, Power & Marine (p. 34) discusses the
numerous ways that engineering software can help LNG
operators, pointing to its work on several projects including
Santos’ GLNG facility in Queensland, Australia. Quorum
Business Solutions (p. 39) explains how commercial software
is capable of automating operations at bi-directional LNG
facilities, and Lanner (p. 43) looks at predictive simulation as
a strategy for helping to manage market uncertainty.
On the topic of digital advancements,
LNG Industry
is
pleased to announce the launch of our new-look website.
Please visit
to take a look at some
of the exclusive new features on offer to members and
subscribers. And, if you haven’t already, download our free
App to read the latest issues of
LNG Industry
on your mobile
or tablet device (simply search for ‘LNG Industry’ in the
App Store or Google Play).
1. CHOUDHRY, H., MOHAMMAD, A., TEE TAN, K., and
WARD, R., ‘The next frontier for digital technologies in
oil and gas’, McKinsey & Company, (August 2016).
