Siemens launches Pipelines 4.0, aims at North American midstream operators

The system is a holistic approach to pipeline management, bringing multiple tools under one roof.

Siemens has launched Pipelines 4.0, an integrated approach to the engineering, supply and life cycle optimisation of pipeline assets, tailored to meet the needs of North American operators. It combines equipment and turnkey packages for pipeline stations with data analytics, life cycle service and cyber security.

The company is looking to streamline the means the oil industry uses to move oil.

Despite the pressing demand for pipelines, operators face a number of challenges of their own. These include a potentially ‘lower for longer’ price of oil and gas, intense competition, the need to reduce capital expenses  and operating expenses, aging assets, the effective management of large amounts of data, cyber security concerns, tightening legislation and the looming retirement of highly experienced personnel.

Pipelines 4.0 is Siemens’ attempt to answer to this. It comprises solutions for pump and compressor stations to enhance efficiency, data analytics and life cycle services to manage critical asset performance, cyber security services to protect information and ‘smart’ equipment, and support teams to facilitate inter-company communications.

A major supplier on multiple large-scale projects, Siemens supports liquids and natural gas pipelines, with a focus on pump and compressor stations, as well as tank farms, terminals and storage facilities.

Relating to data analytics, the company developed ‘Smart Pump’ to optimize the power consumption of pipeline pump stations. According to Siemens, the company has invested more than €10 billion in software in the last 10 years. Their software-based solutions include the use of digital twins and the company’s internet of things platform, MindSphere, to optimise pipeline asset performance.