 |  Integrating the Downstream Oil & Gas BusinessEnterprise Enabler® represents a dramatic leap in integration technology, providing intelligent connectivity throughout the digital oil field. The petroleum business faces important data integration challenges that are strongly related to profit potential. Possessing one of the most complex supply chains at a time of increasing demand for energy, alignment between manufacturing and commercial activities is paramount. The complexity of the petroleum supply chain is reflected in complex business processes and supporting information infrastructure, both of which are often challenged by the lack of integration between manufacturing and commercial activities. There is strong value to be realized by producers in optimizing manufacturing and planning functions to ensure that demand is satisfied at the lowest possible cost. |  |
In the petroleum downstream it is all about margins. While there are times that the market just "gives you" good margins, in others you have to struggle for every penny. Winning firms always work as if they had to struggle.
One key to success is the Integrated Planning Process. The Integrated Planning Process synthesizes multiple business unit views into a single unified action plan. Crude Supply/Trading, Product Supply/Trading, Refining, Transportation, Risk Management, etc., all play from the same score. While the score has a "timeslice" appearance, it is forward-looking and provides for organizational flexibility, so that individual business units can make "positive deviations" from the base plan to capture opportunities that provide an unexpected upside to make money.
The human-to-human communications are unimpeded by barriers in a well functioning organization. However, even the best functioning organizations have had technological impediments for the decision support software (DSS) applications to "communicate" among themselves.
With the advent of Enterprise Enabler that is no more the case. The removal of all technical barriers by Enterprise Enabler allows for "communications" among the different IT components utilized in the Integrated Planning Process. | Integrated Planning Process
| This in turn increases the speed, efficiency, and effectiveness of the process, leading to significantly improved margins.
The Integrated Planning Process involves the utilization of sophisticated packaged software applications like Refinery LPs, Yield Accounting, Blending Optimizers, Schedulers, and other models.
The following picture illustrates the "integrated" operation of these applications. This integrated operation has several important points that can interact with Corporate systems such as Finance and Accounting. |
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Integration can streamline processes, ensure good data in each system, and eliminate opportunities for error. It can positively affect margins by improving: - Feed selection
- Sensitivities and "what-ifs"
- Blend Economics
- Logistics
- Exchanges, Sales, Purchases
| Challenges of integrating these analytical applications stem: - Various niche vendors, formats, standards
- Varying views of time
- Not transaction-based
- Model-centric
- Human interaction is required
- Complex data transformation required
- Virtually impossible to define a single view of shared data
The challenges of integrating these specialized systems necessitate a fresh view of integration. Enterprise Enabler was designed specifically for this type of environment. Its underlying synchronapse™ technology offers a meta-data driven, points-to-points™ approach that does not require teams of consultants to implement. Downloads:
Petroleum Downstream Datasheet |
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