Integrated operations in the petroleum industry use new processes, technologies, and information to increase efficiency and reduce costs. It involves team members from various disciplines working together using computer and telecommunications systems. Research is also a major aspect of integrated operations to advance management techniques and increase efficiency.
Integrated operations are methods of using new processes, technologies and information to facilitate efficient exploration and production within the petroleum industry. It provides team members with the ability to work together, even when distant, to combine disparate disciplines, increase production and save costs. Members of an integrated operations team can include engineers, scientists, oil executives and environmentalists. As technology changes, integrated operations also change to include the latest research techniques and methods within the industry.
Much of the integrated operations rely on computers and telecommunications systems that allow people to work together from separate locations. This reduces the number of people needed for certain operations, such as on an offshore oil rig or oil rig. Instead of having one person trained for each task at each station, communication methods make it easier for people to supervise processes from ground stations. For example, an engineer might work ashore and be responsible for overseeing multiple offshore oil rigs instead of concentrating all of his efforts on one position.
This method of operation in the petroleum industry is geared towards increasing efficiency and decreasing costs associated with expensive production techniques. As efficiency increases through better use of resources, costs automatically decrease. It is similar to manufacturing and chain management techniques found in other parts of industry and manufacturing. Better oversight of certain activities, such as oil well drilling, reduces the amount of mistakes made, which also helps companies save money in the long run.
Another part of integrated operations involves streamlining the methods used to harvest oil from its natural location in the earth. For example, instead of using expensive oil rigs, pipelines are being created to move oil from hard-to-reach places, such as under the ocean floor. Once these systems are in place, they increase the amount of oil that is extracted by reducing the number of employees that need to be physically present to oversee the process.
Research is a major aspect of integrated operations, as companies begin testing systems that aren’t typically used in the oil industry. This can help advance the way operations are managed, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. The oil industry must constantly change to keep up with the demand for oil around the world.
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