Digitalization Journey at Oqgn

OQGN, a prominent entity in the oil and gas sector, is Oman's exclusive owner and operator of the natural gas transmission network. Over the last two decades, OQGN has successfully transformed the business from a small gas transport company into a critical infrastructure player with a 4030 km pipeline network connecting producers with consumers in Oman.

Prior to OQGN's digitalization journey, process safety systems were entirely paper-based, with no tracking system or real-time data capabilities, significantly impairing the implementation of the process management system. Reporting of process safety performance indicators was manually handled through email, which compromised report accuracy and led to considerable delays in data receipt. Moreover, the absence of a dashboard and historical data made it difficult to identify improvement areas and support the decision-making process. Due to these significant obstacles, it was crucial for OQGN to embark on a digitalization journey to overcome these challenges and enhance overall efficiency and effectiveness.

The digitalization at OQGN was initiated with extensive benchmarking efforts to identify the best platforms for our digitalization journey. Following this benchmarking, we selected the optimal platforms based on well-defined criteria and collaborated with various systems and vendors to digitalize the existing process safety systems. This involved comprehensive steps from system configuration and user acceptance testing to full system rollout, all carried out with the active engagement of the stakeholders . Additionally, training sessions were conducted for end users to ensure they possessed the necessary skills and competency to effectively utilize the new digital systems, thereby ensuring high-quality implementation and smooth transition.

OQGN has achieved remarkable advancements in its digitalization journey, emphasizing initiatives aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and safety. Key initiatives include the deployment of an electronic Management of Change (MOC) system, an electronic Temporary Repair system, a digital Process Safety Management (PSM) dashboard, and digital Process Safety Performance Indicators (PSPIs) reporting.

Integral to this transformation is the electronic Management of Change (MOC) system, which has replaced manual, paper-based processes. Additionally, the electronic Temporary Repair system has revolutionized the management of temporary repairs by enabling real-time tracking and status updates.

Furthermore, OQGN has developed a digitalized PSM dashboard that consolidates data from diverse sources to provide a comprehensive, real-time perspective on process safety performance throughout the organization. The introduction of digital Process Safety Performance Indicators (PSPIs) reporting automates the collection, analysis, and dissemination of process safety performance indicators, ensuring more precise and timely reporting.

The digitalization efforts at OQGN have resulted in significant benefits, such as cost savings, reduced man-hours, improved system performance monitoring, enhanced decision-making, led to more effective reporting, and contribute substantially to the organization's overall digital transformation.

OQGN’s experience underscores the importance of embracing digitalization to drive sustainable growth and innovate business practices. The company’s commitment to digital transformation highlights the value of leveraging technology to achieve operational excellence and ensure long-term success in the industry.