Building a ‘digital twin’ of your asset can power your future

As the world shifts towards renewable resources and sustainable practices, energy companies must adapt their operations to remain compliant and competitive. Aize embraces this transformation by offering solutions that improve safety, efficiency and decision-making within the industry.

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The energy sector generates vast amounts of data, from sensor readings and equipment performance metrics to operational and financial information.

However, most companies struggle to harness this wealth of data effectively.

As a cutting-edge technology company, Aize empowers companies with the tools they need to achieve their operational goals.

It works to break down data silos and integrate information into a unified platform, enabling companies to analyse performance in real time and make informed decisions.

How Aize makes your heavy assets feel lighter

Aize accomplishes this by using digital twin technology, creating digital representations of large assets like offshore wind farms or oil refineries.

Tom Brian, group product manager at Aize, explained: “In one facility like an oil and gas platform, you can have data coming from five, ten different places. I’ve worked in industry trying to operate in ten different systems. It’s impossible to see the big picture.

“What we do is pull all that together and let users access and visualise data in one place. We create a physical match of a facility, a dynamic twin where data is updating live. So, users can access this and see, for example, what is the pressure in that line, what maintenance tasks are happening today or what maintenance is scheduled next week.

“This lets users work much more effectively and see things that they wouldn’t otherwise see in terms of working better.”

Tom said it’s all about giving users the software they deserve.

He pointed out: “In a world where we’re using some of the best consumer software you can get your hands on for your personal life, it’s ridiculous that today some facilities producing millions of pounds of oil and gas a day don’t have that level of technology available to them.”

Amanda Buchan, customer success manager at Aize, added: “It’s incredibly powerful. We have users that are searching three different software packages for information on one valve on a rig which is made up of hundreds of valves. The search time for that is ridiculous. But with digital twin technology, it’ll take about 10 minutes.”

Aize empowers you with data-driven decision-making

© Supplied by Aize

Digital twin technology has helped Aize’s customers address key issues like safety and cost effectiveness.

Amanda explained: “Most of the time, our customers are calculating and reporting on their companies’ environmental impact. Flights to offshore facilities, for example, add to CO2 emissions.

“We can help our customers reduce their carbon footprint by decreasing the need for these flights to do an inspection or to go on a planning trip. Our product allows them to work more efficiently. They can also avoid the risks of sending people to facilities where they may be unfamiliar with safety precautions.

“Our product also helps different teams in a company to develop a deeper understanding of their tasks, empower them to collaborate better and improve relationships.

“The safety benefit, the cost benefit and everything in between that you can’t really measure.”

Tom also said: “If you want to attract young talent to work in your industry, you can’t continue to operate on spreadsheets. You need to give them the tools they deserve. If you don’t, you’re letting them down and not setting yourself up for success.”

Aize understands its customers’ challenges

Aside from its innovative digital solutions, what sets Aize apart is the domain knowledge and experience of its people.

Amanda, for instance, graduated with a degree in petroleum geology. She later found a job working offshore, conducting well site monitoring on drilling rigs. It’s an invaluable experience that she constantly draws on now that she works closely with Aize’s customers.

She said: “It is an advantage to have that domain experience. Customers are more confident and more than comfortable to let me go in and speak with end users, knowing there won’t be any misinterpretation. I would understand when they say things like work order or work permit or dropped object. I can pull on things that others don’t even have any awareness of.

“It also puts me in an automatic kind of position to be able to help internally within our company to understand user perspectives and to support our customers.”

Meanwhile, Tom was a drilling engineer who worked offshore in various locations around the world for about five years. He later came onshore, progressing to a senior drilling role then on to managing operational teams. Backed by 12 years in industry, he works more effectively on the backend of Aize’s operations.

He said: “Because I have industry background, I understand our customers’ pain points and can translate that to how we can help them. That’s one of Aize’s strengths, having people who are able to speak our customers’ language and do that translation.”

A cohesive team with experience and knowledge

© Supplied by Aize

At Aize, there are many knowledgeable and experienced teams working together to create effective solutions for clients.

There are UX teams that worry about how the product looks and feels for an end user. There are also teams that look at customer data. Then there is an overall delivery team that oversees everything, from getting a customer signed all the way through to having live assets and facilities.

But Amanda said they’re a close-knit company composed of teams that communicate well with one another.

She shared: “Even when feedback is tough, the conversations stay respectful and constructive. That’s because we all understand each other’s roles and responsibilities – and there’s a lot of pride in the culture and community we’ve built together.”

Kickstart your digitalisation journey this year. Go Aize it.