The CoE will support government and local companies to upskill their operations, which ties in with the Saudi 2030 Vision of enhanced economic growth, technical progress and sustainability.
The facility covers the process industries – oil and gas, mining, metals and water – focusing on increasing the pace of the digital transformation and optimizing maintenance operations for industry.
The Center of Excellence will feature two interactive zones. The first takes the visitor on a digital journey explaining how technology can enhance maintenance operations using a pump as an example. Using Microsoft HoloLens and a smartphone, visitors will be guided through a seamless experience of repairing and maintaining a pump. This experience will utilize Vuforia – an augmented reality solution, the IOT platform, ThingWorx, Kepware – a sensor connection solution, and Fiix, a computerized maintenance management system, which all link back to the ERP system.
The second zone, dedicated to the oil and gas sector, brings the connected oilfield to life with three interactive demos that highlight the production improvements available through intelligent automation.
The first demo highlights electric submersible pump (ESP) diagnostics, testing and forecasting. Visitors will be able to view how the data from five wells is collected, analyzed and vital insights gained using Avalon – the open technology platform that underpins Sensia’s new breed of autonomic, automated, and connected solutions, Avocet – production operation software that provides a field-level decision support system, and OFM – the well and reservoir analysis software.
The second demo showcases production back allocation and waterflood management for naturally flowing wells. It utilizes Avalon for data set visualization and monitoring before showing how Avocet takes that data and executes workflows. The final section will show how water flood management can be effectively controlled using OFM.
The final demo will show how Avalon and Eye Met can be used for custody transfer and managing live uncertainty on the platform.
“Rockwell Automation has been working in Saudi Arabia for several decades supporting local companies with automation and control technology,” said Hussain Al Khater, managing director for Rockwell Automation in Saudi Arabia. “With the opening of the Center of Excellence we will enhance the support for Saudi Arabia’s vision to have more technology companies located in the Kingdom. We will be physically on the ground to support our customers’ technology transition; they can come and visit the center to learn how Rockwell automation can guide them in their digital transformation.”
