In a move that promises to boost India’s rapidly evolving oil & gas sector, Schneider Electric announced the launch of EcoStruxure Power & Process (EP&P) to drive efficiency and augment profitability in this crucial segment of the economy. The company has partnered with Microsoft to create commercial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in the areas of energy management and automation, thus bringing power and process systems together. Through this platform, Schneider Electric aims to address the challenges of market volatility in the O&G sector, while reducing CapEx and OpEx by 20-30 per cent.
When power and process management systems operate as separate silos, industrial organisations soon find themselves at a competitive disadvantage. Separate teams of engineers and programmers are needed to build up and maintain operations. As a result, the cost of supporting these complex, customised interfaces across the lifetime of the asset is high and it restricts the organisation’s ability to respond to changing market conditions. With the introduction of EP&P in the Indian market, companies in the oil, gas & petrochemical sector can break down the traditional barriers between power and process control systems to solve critical engineering and operating challenges. According to Schneider Electric, this can result in better returns on capital employed (ROCE), with a 20 per cent reduction in CapEx, 15 per cent reduction in downtime, and 3 per cent growth in profitability.
Speaking on the launch, Anil Chaudhry, Zone President & Managing Director, Schneider Electric India said- “Marketplace changes and technology advancements are making the once daunting task of converging power and process systems an attainable, cost-justifiable goal. The Indian hydrocarbon sector is at the cusp of major transformation as companies across the value chain step up their efforts to boost India’s self-sufficiency in oil and gas, expand refining capacities, and set up pipeline infrastructure for transportation across the country. Through our partnership with Microsoft we aim to deliver real/tangible solutions and measurable business results for oil and gas players, improve efficiency, bring down cost of running operations and raise profitability.”
Commenting on the association with Schneider Electric, Meetul Patel, COO, Microsoft India, said, “Operations in the oil & gas industry are highly dispersed, making the efficient management of assets extremely challenging. Microsoft’s Azure platform provides Schneider Electric with advanced cloud and edge computing technologies to establish an intelligent network of IoT devices that can provide insights, drive innovative new solutions, and improve returns from investments.”
