Sustainability and green initiatives have been gaining traction for years. Companies are now more aware than ever before that they have to be environmentally conscious. This is also true within the oil and gas industry, which is always looking for methods to be more sustainable.
As the oil and gas industry looks to put more effort into being green, we will look at some of the ways they can achieve this. Most notably by digitizing their facility maintenance activities and implementing a CMMS system for their assets.
What is a CMMS?
CMMS is a computerized maintenance management system. These systems provide a platform for streamlining and conducting maintenance activities within a company. These systems are used for assigning work orders, scheduling maintenance checks, and storing asset maintenance data. These systems are indispensable within several sectors.
These are particularly beneficial for industries with specialized and expensive assets and machineries, such as oil and gas refineries. However, this is also a sector that requires environmentally friendly systems the most. This is why digitization is crucial. It may seem obvious, but cloud-based and digital CMMS systems are more sustainable, with many companies still using outdated paper-based systems.
Here are some of how a digitized maintenance system is greener and better for your refinery.
Less paper
The most often cited, and also the most practical benefit. CMMS systems provide an accurate and secure method of storing maintenance data. Physical documents are easily misplaced, riddled with errors, and less secure than a cloud-based platform. Paper-based systems are also inefficient for sharing information with several people as numerous copies will need to be printed and shared. Printing out large stacks of documents is not an environmentally sustainable practice either. These possibilities can all be avoided, by implementing a digital CMMS system that will reduce a company’s reliance on paper while also increasing access to information through a cloud-based platform.
Maintain sustainable operation standards
To maintain sustainable and efficient operation, a company must consistently perform at optimal levels. After all, a malfunctioning machine is an inefficient one.
CMMS enables employees to collect and store information on the system. The system is cloud-based and can be uploaded through an employee’s phone, making it accessible to all employees if they need to refer to it.
However, most importantly, the information collected can be recorded and used to develop reports. The reports will be a benchmark for the company to use when comparing its operations. This means that malfunctions and inefficient machines can then be picked up and repaired. This will lead to less waste for a company as the machinery will be operating efficiently and using the optimal amount of resources.
Monitor your inventory
Stock and spare parts are crucial for asset-intensive companies. However, these companies should not be wasteful. Purchasing too much inventory is wasteful, especially if that inventory is perishable. This is common knowledge and the reason why so many companies have employees in a specified buyer role. However, this can be made more efficient and sustainable with a CMMS. CMMS systems can store inventory information. This data can be referenced instantly when new purchases are made. This will reduce the amount of waste and double purchases that occur and allow refineries to implement a better buying system.
What to look for in a CMMS
With a better understanding of the benefits, a digitized CMMS provides, let us now look at some of the points to consider when choosing a system.
Is the system industry-specific?
While all CMMS systems are effective, having a software solution that is developed for a specific industry provides added benefits. Fortunately, there are CMMS for the oil and gas sectors. These solutions provide functions developed for the sector.
Scalability
Oil and gas refineries operate on a large scale with many employees. It is one of the defining factors of the industry. However, if the company or maintenance department grows or shrinks, it is convenient to have a system that can be scaled and changed along with the company. It is also important to note that certain refineries have multiple locations that require maintenance. The solution chosen must have the ability to manage multiple locations, and grow with the company for companies to avoid having to change systems over time.
Accessibility
Accessibility is a vital function. Accessibility to the solution is what determines whether the system is a success or not. Ideally, the CMMS system chosen must be cloud-based with the ability to operate on mobile devices. Smartphones are becoming more commonly used in refineries, by providing employees with the option to work on their smartphones they can be more efficient.
Conclusion
With a better understanding of the benefits provided by CMMS software solutions and how the system assists oil and gas companies in being more sustainable, we can now understand why it is crucial to implement a CMMS.
