Honeywell’s initiatives have been aimed at simplifying business needs
Published on : Monday 03-07-2023
Ashish Gaikwad, Managing Director, Honeywell Automation India Limited and VP GM, UOP and HPS India.
What are the latest technology trends dominating the process industries in general, oil & gas in particular?
The process industry is experiencing transformative technology trends that are reshaping the landscape. The focus is on safety, reliability, and profitability with sustainability – at the very core. The convergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving significant changes. Companies are leveraging the enabling features of big data analytics, cloud technology, and predictive maintenance to unlock the potential of data for improved operational efficiency. Additionally, augmented, and virtual reality technologies enhance worker safety, enable remote operations, and transform learning experiences. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) – if designed correctly and with these new emerging technologies in collaborative partnership with the technology companies, which also have industry domain and experience – can greatly impact the business decision making at speed, accuracy, and enhanced profitability. In line with the technology trends, Honeywell's contributions are driving innovation, improving operational efficiency, and promoting sustainability in the oil and gas industry.
Honeywell partners with its customers to address the challenges of connecting different departments and operators across the enterprise for real-time data analytics to enhance plant safety, operational efficacy, and performance visibility to the top management, for a very large and complex operational setup. A Manufacturing Information Intelligence System (MIIS) helps in improving enterprise connectivity, increase real-time analytics, and, ultimately, the profitability via fast and prudent decision making at their refinery and petrochemical complexes.
Honeywell's relentless focus in the Oil & Gas industry is specifically on Digitalisation and Sustainability. Almost 60% of our significant R&D budget is dedicated to these focus areas. We at Honeywell want to help the Oil, Gas and Chemicals industry to use Digitalisation technologies discussed above for speed and efficiency, and Sustainability technologies for a safe and clean future. For example, based on these IIoT sensors – Honeywell Forge Sustainability+ for Industrials – Emissions Management and Honeywell Versatilis™ Signal Scout™ wireless Industrial IoT leak detection sensors enable organisations to monitor and visualise emissions in near real-time. The new solution will help customers in the industrial sector as they strive to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and meet their carbon reduction goals.
Renewable energy solutions contribute to energy production that is efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly. Honeywell Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) when added to renewable energy sites can help store large amounts of electrical energy when needed. Honeywell is also introducing a Digital Prime Solution, a cloud based digital twin for continuously tracking, managing, and testing process control changes and system modifications.
How are robotic applications enabled by AI helping oil exploration and extraction with processes like well imaging, etc., offering visibility and transparency across the entire oil & gas value chain?
Honeywell believes in industry-collaboration and co-innovation with our customers. This is how the best technology-applications are born. Honeywell has its own portfolio of robotics applications and AI capabilities and we can work equally comfortably with other partners. Honeywell Connected Plant (HCP) suite of applications is based on this approach and HCP offers solutions to its customers that enable an effective digitalisation in manufacturing industries. This transformative solution helps improve the efficiency and profitability of their operations. HCP technologies enable seamless integration of the entire value chain — from supply to the end consumer. This improved collaboration has enabled us to cater to fast-changing market demands and needs.
In line with these trends in robotics and AI, Honeywell is at the forefront of innovation. Honeywell’s wide and deep portfolio of products, solutions, and life-cycle services – along with a unique delivery capability is helping our customers to leverage the technology advantages for business gains. We are also in the process of integrating “Generative AI” based solutions so one can talk to the systems for recommendations or comprehensive work instructions. We are moving towards an autonomous yet safe and secure operational philosophy.
Honeywell Versatilis™ Transmitters/sensor family is revolutionising the concept of IIoT. These sensors are capable of sensing over twenty-five different field parameters, process the data at the edge, and send meaningful information to the central systems for various applications such as emissions monitoring, equipment health monitoring, field and control room integration, ultimately enhancing the overall visibility, safety, reliability, and efficiency of the entire complex process operation. Honeywell’s initiatives have been aimed at simplifying business needs and improving performance by connecting manufacturing processes, critical and non-critical assets, and people.
Can AI be implemented in the Oil & Gas Industry for optimum performance and safety?
The digital revolution has brought about significant changes in industries worldwide, including the oil and gas sector. Honeywell has introduced software solutions that enable remote monitoring and execution of process operations, utilising the power of Honeywell Forge AI. This proactive approach detects issues and involves both customers and Honeywell experts through wearables, video assistance training, and access to on-call experts. Honeywell Forge is built on secure cloud technologies with robust cybersecurity and data privacy features, offering flexible deployment options based on customer needs.
In terms of emissions monitoring, traditional manual methods are tedious and inadequate. Honeywell gas cloud imaging solution to pinpoint the gas leak source and measure the volume and the concentration of leak provides more comprehensive coverage and offers numerous benefits. This solution allows operators to quickly detect leaks, identify their source, and prioritise repairs, leading to cost savings and improved maintenance efficiency. Automated emissions monitoring also helps quantify emissions in upstream, midstream, and downstream operations, alerting operators to critical product losses and enhancing overall operational efficiency. By implementing AI-driven solutions, the oil and gas industry can achieve optimum performance, safety, and regulatory compliance while leveraging real-time data for analysis, audits, and trend tracking. Honeywell is at the forefront of these advancements, enabling operators to embrace digital transformation and unlock the full potential of AI in their operations.
Can AI, AR/VR technologies improve productivity, Safety, and Quality for process plants located remotely?
The digital revolution has brought about significant changes in industries worldwide, including the oil and gas sector. Honeywell offers remote operations solutions for large facilities and helps in monitoring and execution of process operations, utilising the power of Honeywell Forge AI. Honeywell Forge is built on secure cloud technologies with robust cybersecurity and data privacy features, offering flexible deployment options based on customer needs. Leveraging the power of IoT/IIoT, we consolidate data from multiple systems in the cloud to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. Honeywell's remote operations specialists employ AI-based algorithms for peak prediction, value stack optimisation, and asset maintenance strategies. This proactive approach detects issues and involves both customers and Honeywell experts through wearables, video assistance training, and access to on-call experts.
We partner with our customers and help in digitising workflows and improve productivity. Through Honeywell Forge, our analytics software solution, real-time data, and visual intelligence are provided, enabling faster handover between shifts, and enhancing overall efficiency. Our solutions connect different departments and operators for real-time analytics, and our manufacturing information intelligence system improves enterprise connectivity, real-time analytics, and refinery profitability.
Through remote collaboration, optimisation, and operations solutions, operators can access data, deliver information when needed, make informed decisions, and enforce consistent operational and business processes. The operators can also be trained better on field jobs using AR/VR technologies that would help them better prepare for unforeseen situations. The Honeywell Immersive Field Simulator (IFS) offering is a virtual reality (VR) and mixed-reality-based training tool that incorporates a digital twin of physical plant operations to provide targeted, on-demand, skill-based training for workers.
What are the benefits edge computing brings to process industries vis-à-vis the traditional model?
Speed, agility, and uber-safe operations – these are at the core of our philosophy of edge computing. We are now also blending these with the objective of sustainability benefits. Honeywell creates ready-now technologies and solutions for the sustainable development of modern society and its deep knowledge of our customers’ industries and ready-now technologies uniquely positions us to help reduce their environmental impact.
Honeywell supports its customers' sustainability goals with innovative, ready-now products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save energy, measure, and reduce carbon impact, and support the adoption of renewable energy sources. Honeywell Process Solutions is a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas; refining; energy; pulp and paper; industrial power generation; chemicals and petrochemicals; biofuels; life sciences; and metals, minerals, and mining industries. Honeywell plays a critical role across the entire lifecycle of an industrial facility that includes process design and engineering, technology licensing, technical services, ongoing operations, cybersecurity, and continuous modernisation.
• Honeywell Process solutions modern automation control systems leverage industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to manage and leverage data located across multiple customer sites across the globe to solve customers’ productivity, safety challenges and help the manufacturing plant to be efficient.
• A leader in digitisation, Honeywell delivers software and services that help customers overcome competitive pressures and uncertain market conditions to achieve game-changing business outcomes.
• Honeywell’s comprehensive portfolio in process control, monitoring, and safety systems and instrumentation provides optimised operations and maintenance efficiencies to meet diverse automation needs.
• Honeywell Forge Industrial solutions offer an enterprise-wide view of processes, assets, people, safety, and cybersecurity. Experion® PKS HIVE simplifies control system design and engineering and shifts day-to-day management of servers to a centralised data center – mitigating cybersecurity risk and allowing plant engineers to focus more proactively on control system optimisation.
Honeywell Process Solutions in its digital transformation journey and by adopting edge computing is leading the way to shape the future, achieve better customer outcomes, improve efficiency and at a faster pace.
What levels of precautions are required to prevent Cybersecurity attacks on sensitive installations?
Digitalisation brings openness, connectivity, and ubiquitous presence. But it also creates the possible exposure to cyber-crimes. We cannot avoid digitalisation. And hence we must embrace industrial cybersecurity. It goes hand-in-hand with the digitalisation strategy for an organisation.
Companies across industries have an urgent need to stay ahead of the latest threats affecting their critical infrastructure which can be operational disruption, reduced system performance, non-compliance, ransom payment, fines, and more. Honeywell’s Forge Cyber Security solutions can provide the identification of risk and decision support solutions even in multi-vendor industrial environments. Honeywell helps to improve operational technology (OT) cybersecurity defenses and reduce risks with multiple vendor-agnostic solutions, designed to assist teams in identifying, prioritising, and reducing OT cyber risks; and to stay on top of potential vulnerabilities affecting your assets, operations and process. Cyber insights are the latest innovation in Honeywell’s end-to-end OT cybersecurity offerings. The solution helps the team to find vulnerabilities such as missing patches, compliance gaps, weak security configurations and other risk factors with ease. Cyber insights are designed to help in accessing cybersecurity data in one application and give real-time visibility into the overall posture.
Honeywell OT Cybersecurity provides enterprise and site-specific solutions designed to meet the various challenges across different levels.
• Improve protection against USB Attacks: Gain visibility and increase security management over USB devices on your network.
• Reduce cyber risks: Simplify, strengthen, and scale cybersecurity even if the business has complex and multiple OT environments.
• Deliver Advanced Monitoring & Incident Response: Help your security team overcome the challenges of evolving cyber-attacks to ICS and OT environments.
• Provide Network-Based Threat Detection: Unlock visibility and threat detection across OT, IoT, and IT for accelerated security and digital transformation.
References
1. https://process.honeywell.com/us/en/initiative/digital-prime
2. https://www.honeywellforge.ai/us/en/industries/cybersecurity
3. https://pmt.honeywell.com/us/en/about-pmt/newsroom/press-release/2023/03/honeywell-launches-versatilis-transmitters-that-help-plant-operators-improve-rotating-equipment-availability-and-reliability
4. https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/press/2022/11/honeywell-launches-honeywell-forge-sustainability-to-help-organizations-meet-carbon-reduction-goals
5. https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/news/2022/12/get-a-better-look-at-methane-leaks
(The views expressed in interviews are personal, not necessarily of the organisations represented)
Ashish Gaikwad is Managing Director, Honeywell Automation India Limited and VP GM, UOP and HPS India.
Ashish brings over 32 years of experience in industrial automation and controls, industrial software applications, and process technologies. He is currently the Managing Director of Honeywell Automation (HAIL) and Honeywell’s UOP India business – a combined business of over half-a-billion US$.
Ashish began his career as a software engineer. Over the past 32 years, he has served at Honeywell in multiple roles of increasing responsibility, in several geographies including India, Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific, and the USA.
Ashish has been recognised for several of his business achievements including Honeywell’s highest recognition – the President's Club Award. Under his leadership, HAIL was recognized as India’s Best Multi-National Company and was named Star MNC of the Year at the Business Standard Annual Awards, 2019. Ashish was recently recognized among the top 100 Wealth Creators of India – by Fortune, India (July 2021).
Ashish also serves as a Board Member of Honeywell's non-profit organisation – Honeywell Hometown Solutions (India Foundation). Honeywell conducts all its CSR activities via this entity. Honeywell’s CSR activities have been well recognized with accolades and awards such as Golden Peacock Award 2020, Health Impact Award 2021, and Mahatma Award 2021.
Ashish holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) degree in Electrical & Electronics, from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani-India.