Tech - Oil Review Africa

Technology

Importance of integrating IT and OT systems

Vertiv’s digital infrastructure solutions are designed to assist with power supplies and distribution. (Image source: Vertiv)

In a challenging global economy, it is critical for oil and gas companies to digitalise their systems and processes, thereby allowing for the harnessing of data volumes from day-to-day operations

As outlined by global IT consulting company BirlaSoft, the IT-OT convergence within the oil and gas sector allows companies to harvest data within the OT layer and then ‘cross-contextualise it to build valuable insights and automated control and orchestration mechanisms’.

According to BirlaSoft, IO/OT convergence in the oil and gas industry is a key step to harnessing the business benefits of big data. Operational technology generates a vast amount of data when IoT sensors are attached to various parts of critical machinery to record intended parameters. This data is usually in the form of time series. Analysing it with the right artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques can help organisations anticipate potential risks or if the operations as a whole are generating a strange footprint. In other words, IT-OT convergence is the bridge to seamless, proactive, and resilient oil and gas operations.

By maximising a mix of more modern IT systems intertwined with legacy OT systems, and capturing important information, oil and gas companies can derive insight for enhancing operational efficiencies, increasing performance and improving decision-making.

To enable such strategic aims around the necessary digitalisation to link IT and OT systems, Vertiv’s digital infrastructure solutions are designed to assist with power supplies and distribution, as well as thermal management solutions, as follows:

*Critical power products, such as efficient, reliable uninterruptible power supplies (UPS); scalable, flexible hybrid DC power products; power distribution systems; switchgear; and Vertiv’s battery energy storage system (BESS), which delivers scalable, high-capacity battery energy storage systems for data centres and critical infrastructure

*Thermal management solutions, including Vertiv air handling and chillers for climate control of large electronic systems located outside the data room; cooling solutions for data centres, IT rooms, laboratories, and other critical applications; as well as small thermal systems, incorporating room, and row/ rack cooling

*Vertiv Integrated Solutions, including prefabricated rack, row, aisle, and modular data centres, featuring built-in flexible designs based on proven configurations, and

*Monitoring and management options, such as Vertiv Avocent DSView solution, a family of IT management devices and software that provides solutions in edge, enterprise and engineering lab environments.

There is a well-known saying which notes that ‘knowledge is power’, and in any industry, information is vital for understanding that sector’s own outlook through the harnessing of facts, statistics and trends. With the oil and gas industry in Nigeria poised for robust growth that will be driven by strategic investments and technological advancements, the importance of being able to access information digitally is critical.

The strategically-placed implementation of robust yet high-performance data centres will work to form the backbone for this critical data and support the necessary IT-OT convergence of individual oil and gas companies, while at the same time also supporting the overall aims of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 at a national level.

This is the second of a two-part article by Gary Chomse, regional director, Central-Southern Africa at Vertiv

Leveraging data in the oil & gas sector

Oil & gas sector requires effective technology infrastructure. (Image source: Vertiv)

As with all modern industries, the oil and gas sector globally is under pressure to embrace the critical convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems to maximise efficiencies and productivities

This shift is equally important in Nigeria, where the oil and gas industry plays a pivotal role in the national economy.

Oil production is a major source of income and a substantial contributor to the GDP of many African countries, and Nigeria remains consistently in the top spot as Africa’s largest producer of crude oil. In addition, it possesses significant quantities of natural gas reserves. The country’s oil and gas sector is critical to the economy, contributing over 85% of export earnings and approximately 30% of budget revenue, but it has been performing below its potential in recent years due to a number of challenges.

Against this background, the newly operational Dangote Refinery in the Lekki Free Zone outside Lagos, which began production in January 2024, is a positive symbol of the hoped-for revival of the oil and gas arena in Nigeria. This newest addition to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is Africa’s biggest oil refinery and also the largest single-train facility in the world (meaning a facility where all the major processing units for the crude oil entering the refinery are contained within a single integrated complex).

However, despite the positive symbolism of this beacon within the Nigerian oil and gas realm, the sector is still navigating through the complex regulatory landscape and fiscal reforms introduced by the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. The Act’s intention is to restructure fiscal terms, institutional frameworks and regulatory policies, and thus attract investment and boost efficiency.

Prior to the implementation of this Act, Nigeria’s oil and gas arena had seen years of under-investment in exploration and production which, together with persistent infrastructure issues and other challenges, had suppressed growth and innovation, as outlined by Nigerian credit rating agency Agusto & Co.

The implementation of effective technology infrastructure in the oil and gas field can help support strategic business and national objectives and assist in overcoming legacy infrastructure challenges.

Supporting key African markets in their digitalisation journeys

Vertiv is engaging with industry representatives within Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria, which also possessess substantial natural gas reserves. Nigeria’s natural gas reserves are, in fact, estimated to be one of the largest in Africa, as outlined by global research company, Mordor Intelligence, in its report entitled ‘Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)’.

Natural gas is considered a cleaner and more environmentally friendly source of energy compared to other fossil fuels, and investments in natural gas infrastructure would allow Nigeria to diversify its energy mix and meet both domestic and international demand for cleaner energy sources.

According to the Mordor Intelligence report, it appears that, considering the issues holistically and despite certain challenges, there is much to anticipate for the growth of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry over the next few years. One important key is enabling the true convergence of IT and OT systems, to be able to ‘mine’ facts and data as well as oil and gas, and thereby drive informed planning and decision making.

This is the first of a two-part article by Gary Chomse, regional director, Central-Southern Africa at Vertiv

MODEC, AFC collaborate on FPSO projects in Africa

MODEC has extensive African experience.

MODEC has executed a co-operation agreement with infrastructure solutions provider, Africa Finance Corporation, to collaborate on floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units projects as well as other maritime infrastructure projects in Africa

MODEC has extensive African experience, having delivered 11 FPSOs/FSOs, MOPU and TLPs in West Africa in the past. Currently MODEC is providing charter service for FPSO.

AFC is a multilateral financial institution, established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. With 45 member countries and having invested over US$15bn across the continent, AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs.

This CA is a framework aiming at future cooperation and information exchange in technical studies, market studies, structuring of finance solutions and sourcing of potential projects for future maritime infrastructure space in Africa.

MODEC group president and CEO, Hirohiko Miyata, said, “We are honoured and excited to execute the CA with AFC. Africa is a core market for us with infinite potential for offshore development. MODEC is committed to supporting the development of African countries through our offshore solutions.”

This agreement, signed during AFC’s visit to Japan for the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development, marks a significant step for both companies as they work together to contribute to the sustainable development of maritime infrastructure and economic growth in Africa, thereby supporting the advancement of local communities.

Bourbon signs advanced vessels contract with ExxonMobil

The new crewboats have been made to especially serve ultimate capacity for passenger transfer.

Bourbon Mobility has signed a five-year contract with ExxonMobil, officialising a charter of 34m vessels for the transportation of personnel between Soyo and Block 15, 80 miles offshore

The new crewboats have been made to especially serve ultimate capacity for passenger transfer and comfort, while maintaining energy efficiency and technical reliability.

These features are an upgrade on the 32m crewliners that are currently being used, introducing enhanced efficiency, reliability, design and on-board technologies. Combining performance and sobriety, they boast a cruising speed of up to 38 knots, a reduction in fuel consumption of over 10/15% compared with the previous generation, and an enhanced passenger experience to offer a premium standard on board.

The vessels are equipped with 60 passenger seats with enhanced comfort; 18 sq m of foredeck space, for small parcels; a redesigned navigation bridge, with improved visibility and enhanced ergonomics, and a real-time energy performance monitoring system (EFMS) integrated right from the construction stage.

"This contract confirms the solidity of our partnership with ExxonMobil and the relevance of our customised offer. With this new vessel, we reaffirm our ability to innovate to support our customers in their operational and environmental requirements, while maintaining a reliable and sustainable technical solution' emphasises Nicolas Elizon, operations and new buildings director of Bourbon Mobility.

Deployed on Block 15, these new vessels will complete a Surfers fleet of five units.

CorrosionRADAR launches compact CR Node

This solution is an expansion on the long-range CorrosionRADAR: LR solution. (Image source: CorrosionRADAR)

CUI risk monitoring solutions provider, CorrosionRADAR, has launched a new compact CR Node, designed in consideration of modern usage requirements

An expansion on the long-range CorrosionRADAR: LR solution, this latest providing in hardware datalogger retains its original performance standards, now made available with ultimate optimisation. This ensures seamless deployment even in inaccessible spaces, leading to ultra solid systems integration.

The new offering brings enhanced thermal handling and optional integrated temperature sensing.

Prafull Sharma, chief technology officer at CorrosionRADAR, said, “The new datalogger as a component of our industry leading CorrosionRADAR: LR solution, represents a strategic step forward in long-range CUI monitoring.

“It brings together performance, practicality, and scale, enabling operators to extend continuous monitoring into more areas of the asset. This enhancement reflects our commitment to field-ready innovation that supports smarter, data-driven integrity decisions.”

With the new model, operators can tailor their long-range CUI monitoring infrastructure with greater flexibility, helping to extend predictive maintenance strategies across broader sections of their asset base.

Sidebar