Oil & gas companies can have trouble embracing digital transformation. In spite of the paper-based tools and processes used to do the job, oil and gas companies have succeeded and made millions. Field professionals give best-in-class consulting services. However, as technology changes and a younger workforce emerges with a better understanding of technology, getting by with outdated and inefficient technology is not an option. Spreadsheets are not considered digital technology when Excel spreadsheets are used every day.
To make matters worse, the oil and gas industry is dealing with increasing market pressures, efficiency requirements, and a growing need to innovate. In today’s world, adopting new technologies slowly isn’t just a way of doing business; it’s a barrier to bottom-line profitability.
What’s the upside? Almost all companies believe they already have the skills needed to maximize mobile and cloud investment returns. Furthermore, many of those businesses say that they have already incorporated these technologies. Digital transformation should cover all parts of the oil and gas industry, whether they are in production or service. The first step is to equip workers in the field with the tools and solutions they need to affect change throughout the organization.
By converting quote-to-cash processes into a seamless process, field-service technology helps make processes more efficient.
A growth rate of 19.1% is expected over the next few years for the digital transformation market. Inefficient processes and ineffective processes still affect energy service providers throughout their workflows at O&G companies. Through the integration of multiple systems like ticketing and maintenance into one platform, these companies gain new efficiencies and can transform their operations.
Companies can better embrace Digital Revolution by focusing on the following areas
Maximizing the process of equipment renting requires centralized data. Since the rental process involves so many variables and personas, it is important to have all the data available to ensure that all assets are truthful. Through field-operations technology, companies can utilize the latest equipment and technology without having to rely on outdated assets. The warehouse to the field to the back office becomes a seamless experience.
Scheduling and dispatch: It is essential that the scheduling and dispatch processes are digitally transformed. Companies can track all their resources in one place by utilizing field-service technology to track all job-related information. When equipment, materials, and personnel are recorded, duplicate jobs or unavailability of materials will never occur again.
Employers can also monitor employees’ qualifications to ensure personnel are dispatched and scheduled according to job requirements. Additionally, they can access all the information they need about serialized equipment, including job histories, inspection records, and movement information.
Through field service technology, oil and gas companies can track customer payments and issue credit memos, as well as monitor their credit limits, giving them a 360-degree view of their customers’ accounts. The process also ensures that the price book, quote, ticket and invoice align, ensuring a four-way match. Tickets can also be used to create invoices that customers can use to build reports. O&G companies can reduce customer pushback by enhancing their invoicing capabilities, and each customer’s invoicing requirements will be supported, lowering billing errors and decreasing payment time.
Data collection: new technology can make this process more efficient since workers in the oil and gas industry must now collect more data than ever before. Data collection can be made easier and more accurate with advanced logic, which eliminates the problem of connectivity in the field. Therefore, management can keep track of current and historical information, such as notes, past project activities, and project requirements, regarding these projects.
Using the data, a proactive workflow can be created to allow routine preventative and predictive maintenance, as well as increase equipment reliability. Compliance with industry regulations is also improved with improvements in data collection.
Maintaining oil fields’ equipment and assets: O&G companies use IoT and edge computing to collect data about their assets and track their condition. With these technologies, they can remotely monitor an asset’s status. From proof of service to equipment history, O&G companies can improve their asset maintenance with digitization. O&G companies can also boost economic output, improve asset uptime, and lower labor costs using enterprise asset management.
Putting digital transformation into action
From the warehouse to the field to the back offices, the O&G sector can embrace hands-on digital transformation and move past antiquated thinking and manual processes. Digital technology for field service can increase productivity, improve customer service, and decrease billing errors, which can lead to fewer complaints from customers.
Digital transformation will allow O&G businesses to experience an increase in profitability and cash flow as well as reduce inefficiencies, making them more effective in the long run. For a business to make real progress and achieve success, it must adopt a hands-on, fundamental approach to digital transformation throughout the organization.
Also read: Third-party Data Marketplaces – What You Need to Know