By Rebecca Gibson |
Today’s marketplace continues to challenge the modern chemical industry. Geopolitical pressures are disrupting traditional flows of material and energy, which is impacting global supply chains. Economic forces and sustainability initiatives are changing consumer sentiment, often forcing them to choose between cost effectiveness and environmental sensitivities. Companies are reviewing their businesses and assets to protect their stakeholders. The chemical industry is no longer the attractive employment opportunity it once was.
To confront these hurdles, the industry is embracing continuous improvement, progressing from operational excellence to digital transformation. Companies are focusing on cost, reliability and performance while maintaining environmental and regulatory compliance. The safety and wellbeing of their personnel remains paramount, even as modern technologies and changing workplace cultures attract the next generations of talent and expertise. Stephen Reynolds, industry principal for chemicals at AVEVA, explains more.
In your opinion, how are digital technologies like AI helping organisations to address challenges around geopolitical pressures, macroeconomic uncertainty, sustainability and workforce gaps?
Within the chemical industry, digital technologies are at the forefront in addressing many of these challenges. As the sector shifts from reactive to proactive solutions, automation and AI are becoming standard. There is greater access to data, information and analytics than ever before. AVEVA’s AI-infused solutions have augmented industrial teams’ capabilities for several years; these technologies will continue to enrich industrial outcomes through enhanced troubleshooting, predictive and prescriptive monitoring, planning and AI-assisted process and product design.
How is AVEVA helping chemical companies to tackle their biggest challenges using AI-powered solutions?
AVEVA builds upon the foundation of industrial data to manage industrial intelligence across the asset lifecycle – engineering and design, operation and optimisation. Connecting people and data through AI accelerates the journey from insight to response. Personnel at all levels now have access to real-time condition monitoring, design data and performance visualisation and forecasts. For example, digital twins – which mirror physical assets, systems or processes – infuse end-to-end lifecycle data with AI analytics, giving teams actionable recommendations so they can respond proactively to challenges and drive continuous improvement.
Microsoft is a key technology partner in this journey. How does AVEVA leverage Microsoft Azure and AI tools to enhance its offerings?
Modern analytics services require the power of cloud technology to make the most of available data volumes at scale. CONNECT, hosted on Azure, enables the sharing of data across multiple formats to construct machine learning (ML) models, share insights around the globe, and access the wide ecosphere of AI and ML applications.
AVEVA Process Simulation is a great example of an Azure-powered solution, but how is it helping chemical companies to optimise operations and accelerate innovation?
AVEVA Process Simulation is a powerful route for plant optimisation, combining first-principle and AI-hybrid modelling. The results of these models are compared against real-time process data for an open loop advisory system. The cloud infrastructure enables these results to be shared across the enterprise, so both subject matter experts and end users can make informed decisions.
Can you share a real-world example showcasing how AVEVA and Microsoft have delivered measurable impact for a chemical customer?
The problem with traditional data historians is in the name – they track history and past events. Advanced analytics enable users to look ahead, troubleshooting before issues even occur. Companies like SCG Chemicals use AVEVA Predictive Analytics to drive asset reliability to astonishing levels, saving millions. Connecting people and data through AI accelerates the journey from insight to response, from process uptime and maintenance costs. ISU Chemical pairs proprietary ML models with AVEVA’s Process Simulation to model process performance and project process yield with greater than 99 per cent accuracy. Process companies use CONNECT advanced analytical services to model process outcomes and project quality parameters to adjust operating conditions in real time. Methanol distributer Methanex, for example, uses real-time process data through CONNECT and Azure AI to power an operations assistant that provides generative AI capabilities for both troubleshooting and forecasting.
SCG Chemicals uses AVEVA Predictive Analytics to monitor the performance of its assets and troubleshoot before issues occur
What role do you see AI playing in driving sustainability and innovation in the chemical sector?
Operationally, the previous examples highlight the capability for performance optimisation. As companies protect their assets and minimise failures, it reduces rogue emissions. And, as less waste is produced and less energy used, rework and overall emissions also drop.
Today, companies are looking for those new routes and next-level processes to build more sustainable operations that can achieve net-zero targets. AI modelling is used to design new molecules with lower carbon footprints. Other models and simulations are taking these new designs to commercial scale.
Sustainability is a growing priority in the chemical sector. How are AVEVA and Microsoft helping customers meet environmental, social and governance goals through AI and digital transformation?
Both AVEVA and Microsoft are committed to supporting their customers throughout their respective sustainability journeys. We enable the customer transformation via everything from reactive firefighting to condition monitoring, predictive problem solving, and engaging information and subject matter expertise across the enterprise. Powered by cloud infrastructure and AI analytics, these solutions are available at scale, empowering insight from shop floor to the top floor.
As the chemical industry continues to evolve, the collaboration between AVEVA and Microsoft demonstrates how strategic partnerships and advanced technologies can drive meaningful change. With AI at the core, companies are not only solving today’s challenges but also preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.
Looking ahead, what trends or technologies should chemical companies be paying attention to in the next two to three years?
Expect greater automation and a move to autonomous operations – however, people will continue to be a driving force for safety and performance in the chemical industry. As margins of error grow tighter, the need for energy and cost efficiency is critical to the existence of these plants. AI currently plays an advisory role in these decisions. As technology improves, look to close that loop and enable AI to begin optimising in real time.
Read more: Methanex used AI to drive smarter, faster decisions across global operations
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