Information management tools support responsiveness in today’s complex markets.
The changes throughout the energy supply market that have resulted from business globalization require natural gas transport operators to practice flexibility. Yet they need to keep safety and security their highest priorities in this time of unprecedented change. Reliable gas network information management systems and best practices relating to commodity data are more important than ever to improve or even maintain competitiveness and responsiveness in the open market environment.
One consequence of increasingly complex markets is the growing numbers of gas flow, quantity and quality measurements involved—measurements that are vital to financial accounting and subject to customer transparency. Best practices recommend the operator’s gas measurement analysis system accurately and completely collect data; validate per user-specified rules; properly flag, adjust and estimate data where needed; rigorously identify measurement imbalances and potential errors; and maintain audit reports.
One leading gas transmission company in Europe took advantage of Schneider Electric’s experience in the North American deregulated gas market by implementing a Schneider Electric-created turnkey information management solution to help it comply with liberalization mandated in Europe. The resulting monitoring and automated control system included several advanced applications for meeting customer reporting procedures and processes required by the new mandate. The system fully accepts third-party applications, eliminating costly proprietary enhancements and maintenance needed for it to be reliable for the long term.
The system also provides another best practice for safety and security: real-time, redundant backup of the transmission infrastructure’s main Control Center. Finally, the solution provides logistics capabilities that enable accurate tracking and reporting of allocations and delivery, to separate production and supply from transmission operations.
The information management solution that offers these best practices related to measurement accountability, operational flexibility and security helps the user meet global and open market trends while efficiently satisfying regional or country-specific requirements.
The smart grid - Supply and demand side equivalent solutionsSchneider Electric
This document discusses demand response and its role in improving electric grid reliability. It defines demand response and different types of demand response programs. It describes how demand response can provide ancillary services like regulation and spinning reserves to support normal and emergency grid operations. The document presents a case study of Alcoa providing regulation services and a case study of demand response helping to stabilize the Texas grid during a wind power shortage event.
Essential Elements of Data Center Facility OperationsSchneider Electric
This presentation describes unique management principles and provides a comprehensive, high-level overview of the necessary program elements for operating a mission critical facility efficiently and reliably throughout its life cycle. Practical management tips and advice are also given.
Energy Management Impact on Distributed Control Systems (DCS) in Industrial E...Schneider Electric
Today, the pressure is on enterprises to meet environmental targets. The prospect of losing business if sustainability objectives are not met is very real. This is leading to a future where top environmental performers will become market leaders. To remain competitive, companies need to produce goods in an energy efficient manner. This paper examines industrial efficiency improvement measures that focus on equipment, process, and people.
Impact of Planning Decision Support Tools on Mining Operations ProfitabilitySchneider Electric
Changes in the mining industry business environment are leading to gradual changes in how the supply chain (from ore extraction at the mine to delivery at customer sites) is managed. Global demand is flattening and available supply is increasing. This means that complex planning business models that were developed in an era of supply “push” need to be altered to accommodate a market reality of demand driven “pull”. This white paper introduces a decision support methodology that results in reduced cost, improved throughput, enhanced quality, and increased profit.
Only 8–12% of customers report a power outage to their utility. Utilities that integrate Automated Metering Systems (AMI) data into outage management systems receive faster and more accurate reports about power outages, can better predict the extent of the outage, and more reliably verify service restoration. This paper discusses practical considerations when integrating AMI for outage management, including compliance testing, data quantity and quality, analysis issues, and best practices learned from experience.
In today’s commercial buildings, installing an effective
WAGES (water, air, gas, electricity, steam) metering
system can be a source of substantial energy and cost
savings. This white paper examines WAGES metering
as the essential first step toward a comprehensive
energy management strategy. Best practices for
selecting meters, and identifying metering points are
described. In addition, metrics for measuring gains in
energy efficiency are explained.
[Webinar Slides] Advanced distribution management system integration of renew...Schneider Electric
An expert discusses integrating renewables and storage into distribution networks using an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). Key points covered include:
1) ADMS allows utilities to analyze, control, and optimize renewables and energy storage systems on the distribution network.
2) Integrating accurate weather forecasting with ADMS helps maximize the benefits from renewables.
3) Microgrids containing distributed energy resources and demand response can be managed and optimized by ADMS.
[Oil & Gas White Paper] Control Room Management - Alarm Management Schneider Electric
An alarm management program aims to avoid controller overload and ensure accurate alarms that support safe operations. It includes defining an alarm philosophy, benchmarking performance, rationalizing alarms to identify which require a response, and implementing improvement strategies. The highest benefit strategies involve reviewing alarms and adjusting settings, while additional advanced strategies can further reduce alarms over time. Tracking improvements is important as the program evolves with operations.
The smart grid - Supply and demand side equivalent solutionsSchneider Electric
This document discusses demand response and its role in improving electric grid reliability. It defines demand response and different types of demand response programs. It describes how demand response can provide ancillary services like regulation and spinning reserves to support normal and emergency grid operations. The document presents a case study of Alcoa providing regulation services and a case study of demand response helping to stabilize the Texas grid during a wind power shortage event.
Essential Elements of Data Center Facility OperationsSchneider Electric
This presentation describes unique management principles and provides a comprehensive, high-level overview of the necessary program elements for operating a mission critical facility efficiently and reliably throughout its life cycle. Practical management tips and advice are also given.
Energy Management Impact on Distributed Control Systems (DCS) in Industrial E...Schneider Electric
Today, the pressure is on enterprises to meet environmental targets. The prospect of losing business if sustainability objectives are not met is very real. This is leading to a future where top environmental performers will become market leaders. To remain competitive, companies need to produce goods in an energy efficient manner. This paper examines industrial efficiency improvement measures that focus on equipment, process, and people.
Impact of Planning Decision Support Tools on Mining Operations ProfitabilitySchneider Electric
Changes in the mining industry business environment are leading to gradual changes in how the supply chain (from ore extraction at the mine to delivery at customer sites) is managed. Global demand is flattening and available supply is increasing. This means that complex planning business models that were developed in an era of supply “push” need to be altered to accommodate a market reality of demand driven “pull”. This white paper introduces a decision support methodology that results in reduced cost, improved throughput, enhanced quality, and increased profit.
Only 8–12% of customers report a power outage to their utility. Utilities that integrate Automated Metering Systems (AMI) data into outage management systems receive faster and more accurate reports about power outages, can better predict the extent of the outage, and more reliably verify service restoration. This paper discusses practical considerations when integrating AMI for outage management, including compliance testing, data quantity and quality, analysis issues, and best practices learned from experience.
In today’s commercial buildings, installing an effective
WAGES (water, air, gas, electricity, steam) metering
system can be a source of substantial energy and cost
savings. This white paper examines WAGES metering
as the essential first step toward a comprehensive
energy management strategy. Best practices for
selecting meters, and identifying metering points are
described. In addition, metrics for measuring gains in
energy efficiency are explained.
[Webinar Slides] Advanced distribution management system integration of renew...Schneider Electric
An expert discusses integrating renewables and storage into distribution networks using an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). Key points covered include:
1) ADMS allows utilities to analyze, control, and optimize renewables and energy storage systems on the distribution network.
2) Integrating accurate weather forecasting with ADMS helps maximize the benefits from renewables.
3) Microgrids containing distributed energy resources and demand response can be managed and optimized by ADMS.
[Oil & Gas White Paper] Control Room Management - Alarm Management Schneider Electric
An alarm management program aims to avoid controller overload and ensure accurate alarms that support safe operations. It includes defining an alarm philosophy, benchmarking performance, rationalizing alarms to identify which require a response, and implementing improvement strategies. The highest benefit strategies involve reviewing alarms and adjusting settings, while additional advanced strategies can further reduce alarms over time. Tracking improvements is important as the program evolves with operations.
“Mine the Data”: New trends in energy management systems and benefits for min...Schneider Electric
Presented at the 2013 Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting (SME 2013). Stakeholders from management to plant level are able to be empowered by actionable energy intelligence to reveal opportunities, isolate problems and drive cost and risk reduction strategies. Learn new strategies in enterprise energy management software that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of energy strategies across your entire mine enterprise while performing wide-area analysis of events and conditions.
Optimized Energy Management and planning tools for the Iron and Steel Industr...Schneider Electric
With Iron and Steel industry being the 2nd largest energy consuming industrial sector, it is important to analyze and take measures for reducing energy consumption in steel plants as well as increasing productivity and improve bottom line. This presentation describes what Energy Management process is and provides tips for execution.
Optimizing machine, line, and process efficiency in manufacturing operationsSchneider Electric
This document discusses optimizing machine, line, and process efficiency in manufacturing operations. It covers why US manufacturers are concerned about energy costs, the difference between facility and process energy usage, common barriers to process energy management, and introduces the five process demand functions for managing the 84% of energy used in industrial processes. The document provides concise overviews of peak demand management, scheduled demand management, idle state management, demand response management, and energy event management as key areas to focus on for process energy optimization.
IT Consulting & Integration Services for Energy & Utilities SectorsSchneider Electric
From systems and applications to consulting and integration to 24x7 operations, no one delivers more than Schneider Electric.
Learn more downloading this file.
[Oil & Gas White Paper] Optimizing Pipeline Energy ConsumptionSchneider Electric
Effective energy management can benefit the hydrocarbon pipeline operator. Energy consumption costs – the leading expense for most operators – are rising continuously; however, the commitments needed on the part of the operator often impede implementation of energy-saving practices.
Key to effective energy management is the ability to quantify energy consumption accurately at any specific time and its cost and that of drag reducing agent (DR) use. Operators committed to energy management can implement a real-time, system-wide power optimization solution that evaluates the resource efficiency of a steady-state model of the pipeline. This solution will also perform costing runs of alternative configurations, formulated for the next energy cost rate or other ‘what if’ scenarios, in order to find the most energy-efficient alternative that maintains operational safety and integrity. Implementing these alternatives, the operator can save one percent to five percent of energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.
This advanced information management technology makes these costing considerations so practical they can become a routine, real-time operations process. Putting available information to work with this solution can make power optimization extremely realistic and highly rewarding for the company while supporting overall operational security, safety and environmental stewardship.
[White Paper] Europe’s Window of Opportunity for Terminal OperatorsSchneider Electric
As Europe is going through an unprecedented financial and economic crisis,
the oil and gas industry continues to face an uncertain business environment.
Another recession could lead to reduced demand and further increase the
pressure on margins in downstream operations. This has suppliers and buyers
looking to exploit any operational efficiency they can.
Terminal operators play a critical role in helping suppliers and buyers achieve
those efficiencies, and can benefit their own operations while doing so. To gain
a competitive edge, terminal operators need to be mindful of the big trends
in the industry and make sure that their Terminal Automation System (TAS)
is capable of supporting state-of-the-art supply management systems that
suppliers intend to use in order to maximize their efficiency. And for most TAS,
a simple configuration change is all it takes to achieve this.
Sustainability Information in Mining: Technologies and Processes for Data Agg...Schneider Electric
Presented at the 2013 Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting (SME 2013). Given the complex regulatory and financial pressures placed upon the mining industry with regard to issues such as air/water quality, emissions and energy efficiency, most organizations need to be equipped with the proper subject matter expertise to be able to manage this process. Learn from a real life example, the necessary steps that need to be taken for an organization to develop an energy management and sustainability process, using services and technology.
1. Schneider Electric is a global energy management company with over 175 years of history and presence in over 100 countries.
2. The presentation discusses Schneider Electric's offerings across various smart grid domains including generation and transmission, distribution, renewable energy, buildings, industry, and IT.
3. It defines smart grid as combining electricity infrastructure with information technology and communication infrastructure to efficiently balance demand and supply over an increasingly complex network with integrated users and new roles like prosumers and aggregators.
Office buildings account for over 30% of total commercial building energy use. Schneider Electric delivers energy management expertise to help optimize energy consumption in office buildings. Their solutions can improve building operation and cut energy use by up to 50 kWh/m2 per year, enabling some buildings to achieve zero energy consumption. Tracking and analyzing energy use data is key to identifying savings opportunities and optimizing building energy efficiency over time.
Eco-Mode: Benefits and Risks of Energy Saving Modes of UPS OperationSchneider Electric
Many newer UPS systems have an energy-saving operating mode known as "eco-mode" or by some other descriptor. Nevertheless, surveys show that virtually no data centers actually use this mode, because of the known or anticipated side-effects. Unfortunately, the marketing materials for these operating modes do not adequately explain the cost / benefit tradeoffs. This presentation shows that eco-mode provides a reduction of approximately 2% in data center energy consumption and explains the various limitations and concerns that arise from eco-mode use. Situations where these operating modes are recommended and contra-indicated are also described.
The document discusses smart meters and utility metering applications. It describes high-end utility meters that combine energy metering, power quality monitoring, I/O capabilities, and communications. These advanced meters can be used for revenue and tariff metering, power quality analysis, substation automation, equipment monitoring and control, and improving system accuracy. The document also provides examples of how a utility is using power quality monitoring systems to identify issues early, avoid equipment failures, reduce outage times, and lower costs.
How green standards are changing data center design and operationsSchneider Electric
An effort is underway to harmonize certain energy-efficiency standards. Could global standardization ultimately diminish the technical effectiveness of such standards? Which will emerge as the de facto standards? This session will explore these questions, as well in data center efficiency and sustainability guidelines.
The worlds of IT and Telecommunications Networking are converging bringing with them new possibilities and capabilities that can be deployed into the network A key transformation has been the ability to run IT based servers at network edge, applying the concepts of cloud computing.
It’s a key decision most data center managers will face in the next couple of years:
Should you retrofit, build, colocate, or move to the cloud? Each has its benefits, and own inherent risks and costs
This presentation describes unique management principles and provides a comprehensive, high-level overview of the necessary program elements for operating a mission critical facility efficiently and reliably throughout its life cycle. Practical management tips and advice are also given.
The Metals, Minerals & Mining industry has a resource
problem — operators that are untrained and subject to
a high rate of employee attrition; and plants that operate
at less than optimized conditions. To reverse the trend,
the industry must promote and accelerate mining
operations excellence. It must be done quickly, with
little room for uncertainty.
How Warehouse and Distribution Systems (Conveyor systems) are being designed ...Schneider Electric
This presentation explores how the latest conveyor and sortation hardware and control systems are being designed to anticipate or be alerted to problems quickly, maximize MTBF and uptime, and minimize MTTR. We will also examine the benefits of real time and historical data monitoring and visualization to reduce downtime, decrease maintenance and increase operational efficiency and throughput.
How Data Center Infrastructure Management Software Improves Planning and Cuts...Schneider Electric
This document discusses how data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software can improve planning and reduce operational costs for data centers. It describes some of the key challenges DCIM addresses, such as faster response to business needs, higher availability, lower costs, and better capacity planning. It provides examples of how DCIM software can help with tasks like capacity planning, asset provisioning and monitoring, alarm handling, power and thermal monitoring, and analytics. The overall message is that DCIM gives organizations better control and visibility of their data center infrastructure.
Energy solutions for federal facilities : How to harness sustainable savings ...Schneider Electric
Looming Mandates. Energy insecurity. Shrinking budgets. Discover solutions available today to help you tackle your energy dilemma. Take a 30K foot tour of solutions to increase energy efficiency and reliability, maximize energy ROI and enhance mission assurance. Get tips for navigating the event to make the most of your Xperience.
Dynamic Oil Pricing System Enabled Faster Market Reaction TimeITC Infotech
A completely revamped architecture developed by ITC Infotech based on latest tech platform, delivered an integrated and automated system that is intuitive, highly adaptable as well as scalable.
Business Intelligence in Upstream-DownstreamNirav Modh
People working in the oil and gas industry focus on collecting, storing, analyzing, and interpreting large amounts of data to gain operational efficiencies and extract more value from core assets. A recent study suggests oil companies have opportunities to significantly increase value by carefully reviewing their current data management practices. Implementing business intelligence and analytics solutions across the downstream value chain can help companies improve cost control, drive efficiencies, and increase profitability through better management and analysis of operational data in real time.
“Mine the Data”: New trends in energy management systems and benefits for min...Schneider Electric
Presented at the 2013 Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting (SME 2013). Stakeholders from management to plant level are able to be empowered by actionable energy intelligence to reveal opportunities, isolate problems and drive cost and risk reduction strategies. Learn new strategies in enterprise energy management software that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of energy strategies across your entire mine enterprise while performing wide-area analysis of events and conditions.
Optimized Energy Management and planning tools for the Iron and Steel Industr...Schneider Electric
With Iron and Steel industry being the 2nd largest energy consuming industrial sector, it is important to analyze and take measures for reducing energy consumption in steel plants as well as increasing productivity and improve bottom line. This presentation describes what Energy Management process is and provides tips for execution.
Optimizing machine, line, and process efficiency in manufacturing operationsSchneider Electric
This document discusses optimizing machine, line, and process efficiency in manufacturing operations. It covers why US manufacturers are concerned about energy costs, the difference between facility and process energy usage, common barriers to process energy management, and introduces the five process demand functions for managing the 84% of energy used in industrial processes. The document provides concise overviews of peak demand management, scheduled demand management, idle state management, demand response management, and energy event management as key areas to focus on for process energy optimization.
IT Consulting & Integration Services for Energy & Utilities SectorsSchneider Electric
From systems and applications to consulting and integration to 24x7 operations, no one delivers more than Schneider Electric.
Learn more downloading this file.
[Oil & Gas White Paper] Optimizing Pipeline Energy ConsumptionSchneider Electric
Effective energy management can benefit the hydrocarbon pipeline operator. Energy consumption costs – the leading expense for most operators – are rising continuously; however, the commitments needed on the part of the operator often impede implementation of energy-saving practices.
Key to effective energy management is the ability to quantify energy consumption accurately at any specific time and its cost and that of drag reducing agent (DR) use. Operators committed to energy management can implement a real-time, system-wide power optimization solution that evaluates the resource efficiency of a steady-state model of the pipeline. This solution will also perform costing runs of alternative configurations, formulated for the next energy cost rate or other ‘what if’ scenarios, in order to find the most energy-efficient alternative that maintains operational safety and integrity. Implementing these alternatives, the operator can save one percent to five percent of energy costs and reduce carbon emissions.
This advanced information management technology makes these costing considerations so practical they can become a routine, real-time operations process. Putting available information to work with this solution can make power optimization extremely realistic and highly rewarding for the company while supporting overall operational security, safety and environmental stewardship.
[White Paper] Europe’s Window of Opportunity for Terminal OperatorsSchneider Electric
As Europe is going through an unprecedented financial and economic crisis,
the oil and gas industry continues to face an uncertain business environment.
Another recession could lead to reduced demand and further increase the
pressure on margins in downstream operations. This has suppliers and buyers
looking to exploit any operational efficiency they can.
Terminal operators play a critical role in helping suppliers and buyers achieve
those efficiencies, and can benefit their own operations while doing so. To gain
a competitive edge, terminal operators need to be mindful of the big trends
in the industry and make sure that their Terminal Automation System (TAS)
is capable of supporting state-of-the-art supply management systems that
suppliers intend to use in order to maximize their efficiency. And for most TAS,
a simple configuration change is all it takes to achieve this.
Sustainability Information in Mining: Technologies and Processes for Data Agg...Schneider Electric
Presented at the 2013 Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Annual Meeting (SME 2013). Given the complex regulatory and financial pressures placed upon the mining industry with regard to issues such as air/water quality, emissions and energy efficiency, most organizations need to be equipped with the proper subject matter expertise to be able to manage this process. Learn from a real life example, the necessary steps that need to be taken for an organization to develop an energy management and sustainability process, using services and technology.
1. Schneider Electric is a global energy management company with over 175 years of history and presence in over 100 countries.
2. The presentation discusses Schneider Electric's offerings across various smart grid domains including generation and transmission, distribution, renewable energy, buildings, industry, and IT.
3. It defines smart grid as combining electricity infrastructure with information technology and communication infrastructure to efficiently balance demand and supply over an increasingly complex network with integrated users and new roles like prosumers and aggregators.
Office buildings account for over 30% of total commercial building energy use. Schneider Electric delivers energy management expertise to help optimize energy consumption in office buildings. Their solutions can improve building operation and cut energy use by up to 50 kWh/m2 per year, enabling some buildings to achieve zero energy consumption. Tracking and analyzing energy use data is key to identifying savings opportunities and optimizing building energy efficiency over time.
Eco-Mode: Benefits and Risks of Energy Saving Modes of UPS OperationSchneider Electric
Many newer UPS systems have an energy-saving operating mode known as "eco-mode" or by some other descriptor. Nevertheless, surveys show that virtually no data centers actually use this mode, because of the known or anticipated side-effects. Unfortunately, the marketing materials for these operating modes do not adequately explain the cost / benefit tradeoffs. This presentation shows that eco-mode provides a reduction of approximately 2% in data center energy consumption and explains the various limitations and concerns that arise from eco-mode use. Situations where these operating modes are recommended and contra-indicated are also described.
The document discusses smart meters and utility metering applications. It describes high-end utility meters that combine energy metering, power quality monitoring, I/O capabilities, and communications. These advanced meters can be used for revenue and tariff metering, power quality analysis, substation automation, equipment monitoring and control, and improving system accuracy. The document also provides examples of how a utility is using power quality monitoring systems to identify issues early, avoid equipment failures, reduce outage times, and lower costs.
How green standards are changing data center design and operationsSchneider Electric
An effort is underway to harmonize certain energy-efficiency standards. Could global standardization ultimately diminish the technical effectiveness of such standards? Which will emerge as the de facto standards? This session will explore these questions, as well in data center efficiency and sustainability guidelines.
The worlds of IT and Telecommunications Networking are converging bringing with them new possibilities and capabilities that can be deployed into the network A key transformation has been the ability to run IT based servers at network edge, applying the concepts of cloud computing.
It’s a key decision most data center managers will face in the next couple of years:
Should you retrofit, build, colocate, or move to the cloud? Each has its benefits, and own inherent risks and costs
This presentation describes unique management principles and provides a comprehensive, high-level overview of the necessary program elements for operating a mission critical facility efficiently and reliably throughout its life cycle. Practical management tips and advice are also given.
The Metals, Minerals & Mining industry has a resource
problem — operators that are untrained and subject to
a high rate of employee attrition; and plants that operate
at less than optimized conditions. To reverse the trend,
the industry must promote and accelerate mining
operations excellence. It must be done quickly, with
little room for uncertainty.
How Warehouse and Distribution Systems (Conveyor systems) are being designed ...Schneider Electric
This presentation explores how the latest conveyor and sortation hardware and control systems are being designed to anticipate or be alerted to problems quickly, maximize MTBF and uptime, and minimize MTTR. We will also examine the benefits of real time and historical data monitoring and visualization to reduce downtime, decrease maintenance and increase operational efficiency and throughput.
How Data Center Infrastructure Management Software Improves Planning and Cuts...Schneider Electric
This document discusses how data center infrastructure management (DCIM) software can improve planning and reduce operational costs for data centers. It describes some of the key challenges DCIM addresses, such as faster response to business needs, higher availability, lower costs, and better capacity planning. It provides examples of how DCIM software can help with tasks like capacity planning, asset provisioning and monitoring, alarm handling, power and thermal monitoring, and analytics. The overall message is that DCIM gives organizations better control and visibility of their data center infrastructure.
Energy solutions for federal facilities : How to harness sustainable savings ...Schneider Electric
Looming Mandates. Energy insecurity. Shrinking budgets. Discover solutions available today to help you tackle your energy dilemma. Take a 30K foot tour of solutions to increase energy efficiency and reliability, maximize energy ROI and enhance mission assurance. Get tips for navigating the event to make the most of your Xperience.
Dynamic Oil Pricing System Enabled Faster Market Reaction TimeITC Infotech
A completely revamped architecture developed by ITC Infotech based on latest tech platform, delivered an integrated and automated system that is intuitive, highly adaptable as well as scalable.
Business Intelligence in Upstream-DownstreamNirav Modh
People working in the oil and gas industry focus on collecting, storing, analyzing, and interpreting large amounts of data to gain operational efficiencies and extract more value from core assets. A recent study suggests oil companies have opportunities to significantly increase value by carefully reviewing their current data management practices. Implementing business intelligence and analytics solutions across the downstream value chain can help companies improve cost control, drive efficiencies, and increase profitability through better management and analysis of operational data in real time.
White Paper - Distribution Network OptimizationLen Pannett
This document discusses optimization of oil and gas distribution networks through merging operations from acquisitions or partnerships. It describes challenges like complexity from multiple facilities, products, customers and transport modes. The authors propose a 3-stage approach using optimization tools to model scenarios and identify cost savings. A case study details applying this to a joint venture merging Shell and Cosan's Brazilian operations, streamlining the network and increasing profits despite limited volume growth. The optimized network provided clearer supply zones, lowest cost terminals per customer, and evaluated investment returns from new assets.
Australia's new Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme will highlight the need for dependable information systems, Micheal Axelsen writes.
This article appeared in MIS Australia Magazine and the CFO Software Guide 2009.
Capgemini ses - smart grid operational services - smart technology for util...Gord Reynolds
Smart technology allows utility companies to increase efficiency, improve customer relationships, reduce infrastructure costs and comply with environmental regulations. It represents a major opportunity for the energy industry. Smart metering in particular allows two-way communication between energy companies and consumers to provide usage information and pricing incentives. This benefits consumers through cost savings and environmental awareness, while benefiting energy companies through improved customer service and a more efficient grid. Capgemini is a leading provider of smart technology services for utility companies worldwide, with experience deploying millions of smart meters and managing multiple smart grid programs.
Indigo Advisory Group provides strategy, technology, and innovation services to utilities and energy companies to help them manage the transformation of the energy industry. This document highlights trends impacting utilities, emerging strategies, new technologies being invested in, and Indigo's services including utility analytics, emerging technologies assessments, grid transformation support, and strategic consulting. Indigo employs tools like UtiliAPP to help utilities prioritize analytics investments and emerges as an expert advisor for utilities navigating uncertainty created by new technologies and regulations.
Transformation Tools for Utilities | Indigo Advisory GroupDavid Groarke
This pivotal moment of transformation in the utility industry is providing large scale and unprecedented opportunity for traditional power providers and those operating at the edge of the grid. In this capability primer, we highlight some of the broader industry technology trends and the resulting tools, approaches and insights that Indigo Advisory Group employs to help utilities navigate uncertainty and create the right strategies.
Dynamic Oil Pricing System Enabled Faster Market Reaction TimeITC Infotech
The existing downstream oil pricing system of an international oil and energy company was outdated and inefficient in handling fluctuating oil prices. This made it difficult for the company to keep up with competitors. ITC Infotech developed a new pricing system using the latest technology that automated pricing updates and allowed prices to be adjusted every two minutes. This enabled faster reaction times to market changes and more coordinated pricing decisions. The new system integrated multiple legacy systems and supported dynamic pricing strategies. It provided benefits like improved communication between the company and retailers and better management of pricing across its eight country operations.
Capgemini ses - smart metering pov 2007 (gr)Gord Reynolds
The document discusses how utilities in North America will need to adopt smart metering and advanced metering infrastructure to some degree due to regulatory mandates. It argues that utilities should leverage smart metering as an opportunity to positively influence their business by embracing a fresh approach to managing peak demand and system security. This will require benefits that motivate consumer conservation, business cases that look beyond meter-to-cash processes, and market transparency. The document outlines the key components needed for an effective smart metering solution and argues that utilities should partner with experienced providers to ensure program success.
Pushing manufacturing productivity to the maxMileyJames
This document discusses how using advanced data analytics and a metric called "profit per hour" can help companies optimize manufacturing productivity and eliminate profit-draining variations. It provides two examples of companies that were able to significantly improve performance and increase profits by precisely measuring real-time data on processes and implementing adjustments in response to deviations. Going forward, the use of sensors, wireless connectivity, cloud computing and artificial intelligence could further expand the ability to apply profit per hour analysis across entire facilities, supply chains and other business operations to drive new levels of productivity.
Value Study: Investing in ETRM / CTRM in Turbulent TimesCTRM Center
The only constant is change echoes an astute observation by the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, some 2,500 years ago. Those of us who are engaged in the world of commodities are continually reminded of the accuracy of his observation, particularly recently, as commodity prices collapsed led by crude oil. In fact, our industry is continually impacted by changes in the regulatory environment, supply/demand balance, global economic environment, technology developments, political intervention and more.
Recently, BP noted in its annual Energy Outlook1, “Today’s turbulence is a return to business-as-usual. Continuous change is the norm in our industry. The energy mix changes. The balance of demand shifts. New sources of energy emerge, such as shale gas, tight oil, ultra-deepwater oil or renewables. Economies expand and contract. Energy production and consumption are affected by disruptions, from wars to extreme weather. New policies are created to address climate change or bolster energy security.“
E chain optimization at st. microelectronicsshwetabakshi
STMicroelectronics formed a joint venture with its major trading partner to implement an electronic collaboration project called eChO using RosettaNet standards to streamline its supply chain management. Through eChO's vendor managed inventory model and automated planning and information sharing processes, STMicroelectronics reduced inventory levels, cut planning cycle time in half, and increased responsiveness, capacity utilization, and profitability. However, implementing the new system required substantial resources initially.
Pipeline and Gas Tech April 09 - SCADA Evolutionsmrobb
The document discusses the evolution of SCADA systems from early systems that collected small amounts of data from remote field devices to modern enterprise operations platforms that integrate field data across business systems. It describes how one large oil and gas company overhauled its SCADA system, replacing 14 separate data silos with a single system to collect daily updates from across operations and transform data into useful information for various business user groups. The new platform improved productivity by reducing time spent on tasks like production monitoring and regulatory reporting and allowing the company to handle more work with existing staff.
This document discusses supply chain challenges and leading practices for large-scale smart meter and AMI deployments by utilities. It outlines Capgemini's approach to establishing a Deployment Operations Center to oversee the end-to-end deployment process. Key areas that are addressed include supplier relationship management, integrated supply chain and logistics, cross-dock setup, hardware traceability, vendor management, and quality assurance practices. The document emphasizes the need for adapted processes and procedures to support the increased volume and demands of large deployment projects.
UtiliAPP is a methodology developed by Indigo Advisory Group to help utilities prioritize data and analytics investments. It involves assessing over 100 potential use cases across various domains, prioritizing high value opportunities, conducting a data assessment, and developing analytics roadmaps and detailed requirements for priority use cases. The goal is to help utilities lower costs, improve operations, enhance customer satisfaction and create more effective investment strategies through targeted analytical programs.
NGERS and Data Capture Systems: Reporting RequirementsMicheal Axelsen
With the first deadline for NGERS emissions reporting looming, and the pending introduction of the CPRS in Australia, it will be important for organisations to ensure data is captured to enable them to meet their responsibilities. Both business efficiency and audit facets need to be considered when choosing a data capture system/method.
UtiliGRIDMOD - Utility Grid Modernization - Indigo Advisory Group Indigo Advisory Group
The document discusses UtiliGRIDMOD, a process by Indigo Advisory Group that helps utilities evaluate their grid modernization maturity and embark on large-scale transformation programs. UtiliGRIDMOD provides tools like business case templates, technology assessments, and roadmapping to facilitate cross-functional planning. Indigo's approach involves assessing utility maturity, aligning business cases with goals, and planning roadmaps and implementations. The outcome is helping utilities achieve operational, financial, and customer benefits through modernized grids.
Most organizations can reduce energy consumption by 10-30% through energy efficiency measures. Siemens offers comprehensive energy audits to identify all major energy saving opportunities through analyzing energy usage data and reviewing processes. They also provide financing options that allow customers to implement energy saving projects without upfront capital costs. Siemens then helps customers implement measurement and monitoring systems as well as products and solutions like building energy management to deliver the identified energy savings.
ICC has set out five recommendations to modernize the regulatory and competition framework that would provide protection for consumers while fostering competition, investment and innovation.
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[Oil & Gas White Paper] Best Practices Support Success in the Open Natural Gas Market
1. Best Practices Support Success in
the Open Natural Gas Market
Information management tools support responsiveness in today’s
complex markets
March 23, 2010 / White paper
Make the most of your energySM
2. Executive summary
The changes throughout the energy supply market that have resulted from business
globalization require natural gas transport operators to practice flexibility. Yet they
need to keep safety and security their highest priorities in this time of unprecedented
change. Reliable gas network information management systems and best practices
relating to commodity data are more important than ever to improve or even maintain
competitiveness and responsiveness in the open market environment.
One consequence of increasingly complex markets is the growing numbers of
gas flow, quantity and quality measurements involved—measurements that are
vital to financial accounting and subject to customer transparency. Best practices
recommend the operator’s gas measurement analysis system accurately and
completely collect data; validate per user-specified rules; properly flag, adjust and
estimate data where needed; rigorously identify measurement imbalances and
potential errors; and maintain audit reports.
One leading gas transmission company in Europe took advantage of Schneider
Electric’s experience in the North American deregulated gas market by implementing
a Schneider Electric-created turnkey information management solution to help
it comply with liberalization mandated in Europe. The resulting monitoring and
automated control system included several advanced applications for meeting
customer reporting procedures and processes required by the new mandate.
The system fully accepts third-party applications, eliminating costly proprietary
enhancements and maintenance needed for it to be reliable for the long term.
The system also provides another best practice for safety and security: real-
time, redundant backup of the transmission infrastructure’s main Control Center.
Finally, the solution provides logistics capabilities that enable accurate tracking
and reporting of allocations and delivery, to separate production and supply from
transmission operations.
The information management solution that offers these best practices related
to measurement accountability, operational flexibility and security helps the user
meet global and open market trends while efficiently satisfying regional or country-
specific requirements.
Adding value through enabling
real-time business decisions
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 01
Supporting Enterprise Financials, Decision Making, and the Global Environment
3. Introduction
Globalization is unraveling many of the paradigms relating to society, law,
business, economics, and the environment. As these issues reform with a
more global definition, businesses find they must move from ‘traditional’ to
‘capable’ to stay competitive in the more global markets that are evolving. This
paper describes some best practices that natural gas companies are using to
improve their competitiveness and responsiveness in an increasingly open—and
complicated—energy market. Included is a real-world example of operations and
business success based on these practices.
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 02
Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
4. Be equipped for gas
market deregulation
and third-party usage
5. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 04
Agile systems for ready and accurate
information
The open energy market presents great opportunities—and major challenges—
for the gas transport company. Worldwide deregulation and liberalization means
new partners, new clients, new pipeline connections between different countries,
new marketers, new shippers, new competition, new sources of supply, and
new procedures. Safety and security, more than ever, is a priority in this time of
unprecedented change.
Gas companies need an information management system that can be relied
on to help make a smooth transition to such an open and complex business
environment. Agile and reliable information management systems not only support
secure and efficient operation of a gas network, they also make real-time data
available to support operations-related decisions that contribute to customer
satisfaction and help the gas business remain competitive.
“Flexibility—the capacity to adapt—is
a must for every information system in
the gas business.”
Andoni Olaizola
Director of Oil and Gas Europe
Schneider Electric
6. White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 05
Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
What does ‘responsive’ mean?
The gas company adapting to these new business challenges needs to manage
information in such as way as to turn data into knowledge, in real time, to be
responsive and make the decisions needed to stay competitive. Such a powerful
system:
• Applies advanced technology and is capable of managing thousands
of data points from the pipeline with accuracy
• Easily accommodates updates and migrations to avoid system
downtime during such maintenance
• Is scalable to respond to growth; an extensible system will handle
network growth and expanded volumes without excessive
configuration costs
• Establishes integration of real-time system data into the enterprise
• Is highly secure and capable of avoiding cyber-security risks
and attacks
• Provides the redundancy necessary to back up any main system failure
and assure uncompromised flow of the resource relied on by all facets
of the community
See the sidebar this page describing the successful implementation of such an
information management system.
Best technology practices
put to work
A leading gas transmission company in
Europe realized its information systems
needed significant upgrade to comply
with the liberalization mandated in
Europe’s 2001 Natural Gas Market
Law. This legislation required detailed
measurement, operational control,
and customer reporting procedures
and processes. To comply, the
company’s business model underwent
a total transition; since 2003, it has
been operating with, and relying
on, a comprehensive information
system solution enabling business
responsiveness.
“The system we implemented offers the
benefits of the vendor’s experience with
the deregulated gas market in North
America and its expertise in delivering
a full scope, turnkey solution,” affirmed
the company’s Operations Manager.
“Schneider Electric has provided us
with automation, monitoring and control
of the supply network, and several
advanced applications for meeting
liberalization requirements.
“We needed a system with an open
architecture and one technically flexible
enough to be adapted to our national
market. Also, we appreciate how
third-party systems have been easily
integrated into the Schneider Electric
solution.” He added, “We wanted a
solution that would be with us for the
long term and believe we have it. We
have secured full operation of our
infrastructure with backup of our main
Control Center. The Backup Center is
running in real time and can take over
operations in case of an emergency.”
7. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 06
Integrated Gas Measurement Analysis
System
Reliable collection and reporting of
accurate measurement data
Transforming a data control system to a gas business information management
and knowledge support system requires advanced functionalities that specifically
target industry business practices. Such a system recognizes that accurate
measurement of gas flow is critical to financial accounting and closes the gap
between the field and the office.
A best practice gas measurement analysis system will continuously collect real-
time measurements to optimize daily operations and generate accurate reports
that will withstand intense financial and regulatory scrutiny. It should:
• Configure measurement devices properly to eliminate reading errors
• Accurately and completely collect data
• Confirm data accuracy through different validation processes
• Efficiently adjust and estimate to free up analysts for other tasks
• Rapidly and rigorously identify measurement imbalances and alert
operators to potential errors
• Close functions to simplify end-of-month accounting responsibilities
and save time with immediately produced reports
8. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 07
Flexibility saves implementation
and training costs
In the multi-user, or third-party, open environment, business models
must be adaptable; a flexible information system helps achieve that goal.
According to Andoni Olaizola, Director of Oil and Gas Europe for Schneider
Electric, “Flexibility – the capacity to adapt—is a must for every information
system in the gas business. Although the trend worldwide is towards an
open market, specific issues in each region and country exist, and it is vital
that the information systems managing this industry accommodate these
specific requirements.”
The Operations Manager at the European gas transmission company noted
earlier puts it this way: “Our old gas measurement system had been developed
in-house and was expensive to maintain. Today, our system measurement
potential and capabilities are greater, and flexibility allows practical adaptations.
Flexibility results in cost savings.”
Validation processes assure accounting
integrity
The liberalized market environment is seeing ever-increasing numbers of
measurements, and an automated validation system flexible enough to apply
user-specified rules—from simple limit checking to more complex parametric
data comparisons—assures only validated data are forwarded for further
business application. Further, only data that fail the specific rules are flagged,
minimizing the time an analyst must devote to checks. The best practice
validation process must include rigorous audit information.
See the sidebar on this page for input from a Schneider Electric client on its
best practice validation process.
Enhanced and adapted
measurement and analysis
solution helps company
stay current
Today’s market requires management of more
extensive and detailed information than was
needed prior to deregulation: energy values
(through calculation), gas quality data, balance
data, calculated volumes (per ISO formula),
gas meter classification (Daily Metered Daily
Updated, Not Daily Metered, Daily Metered
Monthly Updated, and Daily Metered Monthly
Updated Calculated) and the spreading
of monthly volumes to daily volumes. This
information now is required not only for
regulatory compliance but also to remain
competitive in this complicated market.
“Before liberalization, we owned an in-house
SCADA system that collected basic volume
measurements and generated reports. After the
market deregulation, the gas authority seriously
addressed new information requirements,”
affirmed a Schneider Electric client’s
Operations Manager.
He added, “The authority report includes
measurement parameters and values (daily/
monthly volume and energy) and daily gas
quality data related to the customer device.
Today, we are required by law to keep this
kind of report in case of audit request, and
the Schneider Electric Gas Measurement and
Analysis solution helps us accomplish this.
We also send this report to the customers on
a monthly basis. Without having adopted this
solution, we would still be spending a lot of
time and effort in compiling this information;
today, we are not.
“Also the system gives us the capability
of storing historical measurements (mainly
volumes and gas quality) used to generate a
five-year authority report. We have significantly
improved the overall efficiency of the
measurement data validation process for the
information sourcing from our 1,300 kilometres
of pipelines.”
9. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 08
• Configure an aggregation of gas meters for the purpose of calculating
the network balance in volume and energy; see Figure 1.
• Allow gas company users to collect all the fiscal volume measurements
(either from fields or manually entered) and the gas quality
measurement, so as to use them to calculate the energy values for
each gas meter; see Figure 2.
• Generate reports, including data requested by the gas authority, to be
sent to the customers, as well as reports that fulfil the transporters’
obligations to maintain archives for audit purposes
• Allow the grouping of gas meters in those stations where volume
and energy information is transferred to upper business information
systems for commercial dispatching activities (allocations, billing,
invoicing, etc.)
Value-added functions of a gas
measurement system in the open market
Figure 1
Gas measurement system aggregation
The aggregation engine of a gas
measurement system continuously
aggregates and maintains hourly and daily
quantities based on 15-minute or hourly
readings. Here, daily volumes are shown for
a test gas meter in November 2009 (source:
Schneider Electric Gas Measurement Euro
Editor). Gas meter volumes and gas analysis
of an associated Gas Quality Zone can be
useful in building authority reports.
Figure 2
Real-time gas volume and quality
measurement
Real-time gas composition analysis identifies
heating values and assures accurate
energy content calculation for billing and
transactional balancing. Here, daily gas
analysis is shown for a test gas meter in
November 2009 (source: Schneider Electric
Gas Measurement Euro Editor).
10. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
White paper on Best Practices in the Open Natural Gas Market | 09
Automating critical accounting and
reporting tasks
Deregulation of the gas industry in the European community is opening
transportation pipelines to third-party transportation. The Third Energy
Liberalization Package adopted by the European Commission in September,
2007, effectively separates production and supply from transmission networks of
large, integrated energy firms.
Gas companies now need to account for third-party usage of their pipelines.
Operators are required to track the types and quantity of services, nominations,
and contractual allocations, as well as calculate and generate customer invoices
and plan for long-term pipeline usage.
The gas transmission company noted earlier has adopted Schneider Electric´s
Pipeline Operations, Logistics and Revenue Information Systems (POLARIS)
application as a best practice that supports maximized business efficiency; see
Figures 3 and 4 (next page) and the sidebar.
Integrated Pipeline Operation, Logistics and
Revenue Information Systems
Critical and accurate
information available faster
than ever before
The gas transmission company’s
commercial solution integrates
contracts, nominations, scheduling,
allocations, invoicing, and revenue
accounting – all to minimize entry and
manual processes and add accurate,
near-real-time response to reporting
processes.
“We have more than 400 industrial and
municipal customers using our pipeline
and the national pipeline network grid to
transport gas throughout the country,”
reported the company’s Operations
Manager. “Today, our commercial
solution, completely web-based,
allows our customers to conduct their
transactions online. In the deregulated
market where there are several traders,
marketers, sellers, and others, sharing
information in a timely and efficient
manner is vital. The POLARIS tool helps
us in minimizing manual entry and
improves reporting accuracy, so we
can improve service to several hundred
industrial customers and municipalities
across the country. With key information
available faster than ever before, we are
best equipped to make more informed—
and better—decisions.”
“Full use of available technology and a
relentless search for innovation are the
traits that keep us on a path of ever-
increasing quality of service in a cost
efficient manner,” said the company’s
Managing Director.
11. Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
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Figure 3
POLARIS gas accounting
and reporting
The POLARIS commercial
gas module is a web-
based, secure environment
providing an electronic
workflow for new
contracts, submitting and
confirming nominations,
actuals reporting,
allocating volumes, and
invoicing.
Integrated Pipeline Operation, Logistics and
Revenue Information Systems (continued)
Figure 4
POLARIS accounting of
transfers
POLARIS transfer
accounting is used by
pipeline operators and
third-party users (source:
Schneider Electric
POLARIS shipper allocation
summary for transporters).
12. Conclusion
Supporting Responsiveness in Today’s Complex Markets
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Best practice solutions in a nutshell:
• Companies adopting the best practices described here are equipped to face
gas market deregulation and third-party usage.
• The complete, integrated smart solution that delivers responsive information
management will guarantee reliability, accurate automated reporting, and the
best customer service.
• These applications are demonstrating they add significant value by making real-
time business decisions possible.
Best practices support
flexibility and adaptability
in a dynamic market