Chat on software-led sustainability with AVEVA's CEO

Earlier this month, The Oilholic had the pleasure of visiting industrial software firm AVEVA's London office for a long overdue meeting with its Chief Executive Officer Caspar Herzberg.

Theme(s) of the riveting discussion, which extended way beyond the time allocated, touched on the proliferation of AI, IIoT, digital twin tech, big data and predictive analytics in the energy industry. 

All have been exponentially deployed in recent years by major energy operators conscious of their carbon footprint. Many have done so in partnership with AVEVA and the pace of adoption is only going to accelerate. 

The top 20 oil and gas companies by market capitalisation have all pledged to achieve net zero by 2050, as well as eliminate routine gas flaring by 2030, and are incrementally turning to tech solutions that AVEVA and its competitors are happy to provide. 

Herzberg told The Oilholic: "The energy majors have rapidly come around to the viewpoint that optimisation enabled by software serves the purpose(s) of improving their throughput and operating margins, reducing downtime as well as lowering their carbon footprint. 

"I also think most energy majors are now subject to significant societal pressure to lower their carbon footprint. This pressure is only going to increase. And every summer it will be ever more pressing, especially in liberal democracies where citizens are free to express their opinion and see climate change as a key concern."

It is here that the true potential of "connected solutions" may indeed be realized by the energy sector (and beyond) driven by continually improving corporate efficiencies and returns in tandem. "I would say that connected software makes things that are already possible, quicker, and frees people up to deal with more pressing issues in the value chain, rather than routine, but time-consuming tasks."

"Ultimately, AI, IIoT, digital twins, big data and analytics are all purposeful tools but at their inner core is data centricity – essentially, talking hold of data and getting value out of it."

The possibilities are infinite for the energy firms both large and small, Herzberg said. AI driven carbon capture, physics-based simulation, predictive asset optimization, streamlining processes for a green hydrogen future, making the power grid more resilient and reducing refinery or plant downtime are just some of the use cases, the AVEVA boss noted, while personally and very kindly showing yours truly a simulation on an absolutely ginormous screen. 

Away from exclusive snippets for this blog, do read The Oilholic's interview with Herzberg for Forbes here. It offers a much wider perspective on AVEVA and Herzberg's strategy for the business in the energy sector and beyond, and the company's very vocal stance on improving process efficiencies in the wider industrial world's march to a low-to-zero carbon future. Well, that's all for the moment folks, more musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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© Gaurav Sharma 2024. Photo: Gaurav Sharma with Caspar Herzberg, Chief Executive Officer of AVEVA. © AVEVA, March 2024. 

Automation, AI and Robotics: On scare stories and opportunities

Automation, artificial intelligence and robotics keep cropping up in discussions, conferences and speaking engagements the Oilholic least expects them to these days – from trading seminars to oil and gas congresses, economics forums to academic debates. 

The energy industry talks of connected plants, exploration and production firms talk of advanced robotics, refineries and downstream companies send drones out to monitor facilities and traders fret over algorithms replacing them. 

So is this ‘Robocalypse’ or ‘Robotopia’? This blogger’s close industry colleague, friend and renowned economist Jason Schenker says mankind is somewhere in between, and has attempted to address the information gap via his book Jobs for robots: Between Robocalypse and Robotopia; a most impressive narrative summing up the tremendous opportunities as well as significant threats the future holds with a healthy infusion of pragmatism, analysis, wit and humour. 

The tone of this book, of just under 200 pages split by nine engaging chapters, is neither alarmist nor utopian about the fourth industrial revolution that's underpinned by technology or 'Industry 4.0' as some prefer to call it.

What the author is attempting to do is review the way forward – that is unquestionably fraught with challenges – and see how we can prepare ourselves, bridge the gap, especially the skills gap, between the rapidly evolving present and the imminent future.  

In parts, the narrative is blunt because it needs to be. Some jobs that exist today, will most likely disappear tomorrow. This isn’t something new, as the author points out. Past industrial revolutions led to millions of jobs disappearing, but also led to the creation of newer ones. Industry 4.0, Schenker stresses, will be no different with downsides and upsides. 

It’s how we embrace the upside and mitigate the downside via education, reforms and re-skilling so that individuals and society can reap the benefits from the upcoming age is what it’s all about. My overriding impression upon reading the book is that its for everyone. Afterall, it is discussing the future and how we should gear up for it – and that’s something that concerns everyone.

What is so brilliant about Schenker’s work is that its part analysis, part historical perspective, part futuristic, part career advice and part financial planner. And the sum of all parts makes it among the most informative and engaging works on future planning out there in the market, written in free-flowing simple language that would appeal to as diverse a readership base the Oilholic can possibly imagine.

This blogger immensely enjoyed Schenker’s book and is happy to recommend it to fellow beings eyeing what the future holds for us, and how we need to embrace and prepare for it. 

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© Gaurav Sharma 2017. Photo: Front Cover - Jobs for robots: Between Robocalypse and Robotopia by Jason Schenker © Prestige Professional Pulishing