Meeting the oil and gas challenge 2017  

The last 12 months has seen some of the toughest conditions for the oil and gas industry in recent memory, with stunted oil prices, postponed projects and staff cuts affecting business across the globe.   But the good news is that technology can help to streamline downstream operations.   This new state-of-the-art fuel distribution functionality includes fuel distribution IT systems, tank telemetry, vehicle tracking & telematics and mobile computing hardware. And it can all help to decrease risk, increase efficiency and make a positive improvement to the bottom line.    

Risk, cost and productivity  

Going in to 2017, the oil and gas industry is facing a crossroads. The scale of digital transformation that has benefitted so many other industries is yet to have an impact on many downstream oil and gas business. But most will need to seriously consider the investment if they are to manage risk effectively, improve efficiency and reduce costs.   The latest downstream technology can meet the challenges that the current oil and gas landscape is posing, providing answers to some of the industry’s most critical challenges.   What’s more, the technology available today helps power the drive towards operational excellence – the unrelenting pursuit of world-class operational performance.    

Operational excellence  

The path to operational excellence has become the key to improving businesses, as many have realised that simply cutting costs does not equal better performance.   Instead, emphasis is being put on running the operational parts of businesses more effectively and more efficiently but with less risk.   Perhaps more than any other industry, oil and gas largely relies on ageing assets that are becoming much more difficult and expensive to maintain or replace.   Downstream businesses need to undertake a through review of their people, processes and levels of current technology implemented. By comparing this with the challenges they face, many will be able to identify opportunities for  improvement.     Technology can help meet the challenge   There are a myriad of ways in which technology can help a business push towards their operational excellence goals.   In the fuel delivery sector, solutions have been created to offer a mobile, rugged and paperless option for drivers that include:  

 

• Job allocation
• Real time Proof of Delivery (POD)
• Driver manifests
• Customer name and signature capture
• Real time invoicing following delivery
• Real time reporting of what’s left on board
• Vehicle tracking and telematics
• Vehicle checks
• ATEX approved hardware
• Specialist configuration to cater for multiple drop types
• Back office connectivity to all leading fuel distribution & ERP systems
• Interface with automated capturing systems
• Legally compliant paperwork.  

The end result is that downstream businesses reduce paperwork and admin time while increasing invoicing and logistics efficiency. They reduce risk by using rugged ATEX approved hardware, enhance driver communication and also add traceability to their POD solution.   And the drive towards operational excellence doesn’t stop there. With the latest technology linked to back office systems and able to update in real time, businesses improve stock accuracy and also stock security as they will have better information on what is currently being transported.    

A step further  

Getting the technology right is a key step, but implementing it and making it part of a business’s culture is just as vital. Sweeping changes do not happen overnight, but a trusted advisor can help to ensure that you invest in the right technology for your business and that it is set up correctly and functioning properly to maximise the return on your investment.   The goal is for managers and supervisors to be able to have visibility of improvements they can make today, tomorrow, and even further ahead. By reducing basic admin time and providing better updates, managers can make the decisions that will benefit the business in both the short and long term.