Digital twins are virtual models that represent an exact digital counterpart of physical objects, systems, or process. Digital twins are already extensively used in urban planning activities, design and testing of complex mechanical systems (e.g. vehicles, aircrafts, railcars), running operations at large physical structures (e.g. airports, train stations, drilling platforms, tunnels, bridges) and predictive maintenance of power-generation equipment (e.g. engines, turbines).
Particular to chemical production plants, connected sensors collect data from functional areas of a physical asset in real-time and map it into the digital model, so that crucial information about the actual performance is easily accessible for monitoring and optimisation purposes. This technology allows for remote operations, reduced physical inspections and automation in production. It also helps to achieve greater efficiency by streamlining maintenance, reducing equipment downtime and increasing production capacity.
Digital twins: Revolutionising intensive assets management
By implementing digital twins across its global assets portfolio, Shell is accelerating its digital transformation to enhance efficiency and performance. Shell is deploying digital twins across its conventional and new energies assets. Connected sensors embedded into existing production assets feed the corresponding digital twins with relevant information about the current operational conditions, reducing the necessity for physical inspections in hard-to-reach areas and offering the ability to perform structural assessments from anywhere and at any time. Digital twins also embed AI technology such as predictive maintenance which improves energy efficiency of production facilities and industrial processes. By more accurately predicting when equipment may fail, Shell can reduce unnecessary pre-emptive part replacement. Over 15,000 pieces of equipment are currently monitored across Shell’s refining and chemicals facilities, as well as in its upstream and integrated gas assets.
Associated SDG
