Predictive Maintenance in Oil and Gas Industry – Thematic Research

Predictive maintenance is essential to the oil and gas industry as unplanned shutdowns due to equipment failure can incur immense cost penalties for oil and gas operators. The after-effects of an equipment breakdown can be far-reaching, beyond just economic losses. Over the next decade or so, predictive maintenance tools will become more widespread across the critical infrastructure in the oil and gas industry, as they offer operational and financial fluidity with technology. The emergence and rapid growth across innovative technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), big data, cloud computing, and others have shaped the maintenance strategies in the oil and gas industry.

What are the market dynamics for predictive maintenance in the oil and gas industry?

Several factors, including environmental deterioration, corrosion, and equipment obsolescence have taken a toll on assets, as they are nearing the end of their operational life. Aging infrastructure presents a threat to safety while also affecting productivity. As replacing older equipment, pipelines, and other infrastructure is neither practically possible nor commercially viable, companies are trying to find a way to get the most out of them while also ensuring that no breakdowns are leading to production disruption and, in the worst case, an industrial accident. To prevent such a scenario, the implementation of predictive maintenance is becoming increasingly important for asset life extension in the oil and gas industry worldwide.

Predictive maintenance includes condition monitoring technologies that collect, store, and analyze structural and operational data of key equipment in the oil and gas industry. Through the analysis, actionable insights are derived concerning the health of the equipment to estimate its probable lifespan. This helps to schedule maintenance and equipment replacement exercises, to have minimum impact on oil and gas operations.

What are the key technologies used for predictive maintenance in the oil and gas industry?

The most used predictive maintenance technologies used in the oil and gas industry are vibration monitoring, thermography, lubricant oil analysis, and ultrasonic testing.  Other techniques include visual inspection, motor current analysis, ferrography, spectrography, and wear particle analysis.

Vibration monitoring in the oil and gas industry

Vibration monitoring technology is used on rotating equipment to measure machinery vibrations. Every machine deployed in oil and gas facilities, such as turbines, generators, compressors, conveyor belts, drilling bits, and gears, has its own unique vibration signature under peak operating conditions. This signature or pattern can be monitored by vibration analyzers to evaluate the health of the machine. The vibration patterns generated from machines are compared with historical records to detect anomalies and accordingly plan for its inspection. This mode of predictive maintenance technology can be conducted both in offline and online mode.

Infrared thermography in the oil and gas industry

Thermography, a widely adopted process in the oil and gas industry, uses infrared (IR) imaging to monitor heat signatures in industrial equipment. Most components in equipment show signs of excessive heating under extreme stress or malfunction, which forms the basic principle for thermographic inspection. By using IR cameras, technicians can monitor heat emissions from operating equipment for signs of abnormally high temperatures or hotspots. Early detection of hotspots can help in predicting potential malfunctions as a result of increased friction or overload. The thermographic inspection technique can be used to monitor a variety of equipment and components, including mechanical parts, electrical components, and insulation among other things on the plant floor.

Lubricant oil analysis in the oil and gas industry

In this technique, the lubricant oil is tested to detect the presence of particulates or contamination. Oil testing can help in determining its viscosity, pH rating, particle count, and the presence of water and solid contaminants, such as worn metal parts from equipment. Results of these tests are compared with predefined parameters to evaluate the equipment condition. This method of predictive maintenance can detect some of the earliest signs of equipment malfunction.

Ultrasonic and acoustic emission monitoring in the oil and gas industry

Ultrasonic and acoustic emission monitoring systems use high-frequency sound as the source parameter for detecting flaws in equipment and infrastructure. Ultrasonic testing works on the principle of sonar. This technique can be applied to inspect a wide range of assets in oil and gas operations, including electrical fittings, mechanical components, pipelines, storage tanks, and rigid platforms and structures, such as bridges and drilling rigs. One of the most important applications of ultrasonic and acoustic emission monitoring is in the detection of leaking gases or fluids by identifying cracks and other deformities in the infrastructure.

What are the main trends shaping predictive maintenance theme in the oil and gas industry?

The main trends shaping the predictive maintenance theme over the next 12 to 24 months are oil and gas, technology, and macroeconomic trends.

Predictive maintenance in oil and gas industry, by trends

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Who are the leading oil and gas companies in the oil and gas industry?

ADNOC, BP, Chevron, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Petrobras, Repsol, Saudi Aramco, Shell, and TotalEnergies SE are the leading oil and gas companies in the oil and gas industry.

Predictive maintenance in the oil and gas industry, by oil and gas companies

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Who are the leading oilfield service companies in the oil and gas industry?

Aker Solutions, Baker Hughes-GE, Halliburton, National Oilwell Varco, Schlumberger, and Weatherford International are the leading oilfield service companies in the oil and gas industry.

Predictive maintenance in the oil and gas industry, by oilfield service companies

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Market report scope

This report provides:

• Overview of the evolution of predictive maintenance as a theme and key technologies employed.
• Review of application of predictive maintenance strategies in oil and gas industry.
• Detailed analysis of the predictive maintenance value chain, its role within the oil and gas value chain, and corresponding participation of leading players.
• Highlighting of the various industry, technology, and macroeconomic trends influencing the predictive maintenance theme.
• Assessment of the strategies and initiatives adopted by oil and gas companies to gain a competitive advantage in this theme.

Reasons to Buy

• Identify the key industry, technology, and macroeconomic trends impacting the predictive maintenance theme.
• Deployment of predictive maintenance strategies in oil and gas industry.
• Understand the predictive maintenance value chain and the key players in it.
• Identify and benchmark key oil and gas players and oilfield services companies based on their competitive positioning in the predictive maintenance theme.