MechChem Africa April 2019

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

Joint venture offers fully integrated automation solutions

expertise to help customersmaximise the value of their investments. The JV will offer scalable, cloud and edge-enabled process automation, in- cluding information and process safety solutions. From intelligent systems to fully engineered life-cycle management automation solutions, the partnership will help customers drive efficiency gains through measurement and data driven intelligent automation. “Oilfield operators strive to maximise

Rockwell Automation and Schlumberger announced a joint venture agreement (JV) that will create the first fully inte- grateddigital oilfieldautomation solutions provider. The joint venture entity, Sensia, will be the first fully integrated provider of measurement solutions, domainexpertise andautomation to theoil andgas industry. It will combine Rockwell Automation’s integrated control and information solu- tions with Schlumberger’s oil and gas

cost-effective and is based on data gathered during condition monitoring – remedial work is done when it is needed and before it becomes a disaster. Many Zimbabwean companies have embraced this concept and, as a result, improved their efficiency. Robinson who is committed to uphold- ing the company’s analytical standards at world class level, highlights the value of ongoing staff training to keep up-to-date with global condition monitoring trends. He is also prioritising on-going investment into state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, as is evident in the installation of an array of new instruments, including a new viscometer. www.wearcheck.co.za “Sensia will create a leading tech- nology provider that will further drive optimisation of E&P oilfield assets,” says Paal Kibsgaard, chairman and CEO of Schlumberger. “This joint venture is the next step in our vision to offer our cus- tomers smart, connected devices with rich diagnostic capabilities, coupled with measurement, automation and analytics that improve oilfield operations, facilitate business decisions and reduce total cost of ownership throughout the life of a field.” www.rockwellautomation.co.za the value of their investments by safely reducing the time fromdrilling to produc- tion, optimising output of conventional and unconventional wells and extending well life,” says Blake Moret, chairman and CEOof Rockwell Automation. “Currently, no single provider exists that offers the end-to-end solutions and technology platform that address these challenges. Sensia will be uniquely positioned to con- nect disparate assets and reduce manual processes with secure, scalable solutions that are integrated into one technology platform.” Under the terms of the agreement, Sensia will operate as an independent entity, with Rockwell Automation owning 53%andSchlumberger owning47%of the JV. Sensia is expected to generate annual revenue of $400-million and will employ approximately 1000 teammembers serv- ing customers in more than 80 countries, with global headquarters in Houston, Texas.Themanagementteamwillbeledby AllanRentcome,whowill serveasCEO.He is currently director of global technology for Rockwell Automation’s Systems and Solutions business.

A new joint venture entity will combine Rockwell Automation’s integrated control and information solutions with Schlumberger’s oil and gas expertise to help customers maximise the value of their investments with Sensia.

Condition monitoring services boost Zimbabwe mining Zimbabwean mining and industrial opera- tions that invested inWearCheck’s oil analy- sis and condition monitoring programme have reported that their operations are run- ning at optimumefficiency, which translates into enhanced profitability. “The WearCheck way is to help custom- ers save money and time by offering the full spectrum of reliability solutions for getting plants to perform optimally, all under one roof,” says Neil Robinson, managing direc- tor, WearCheck. “In addition to traditional used-oilanalysis,WearCheckZimbabwealso conducts thermography, vibration analysis, balancing, laser alignment, motor-current analysis and milling.

Condition monitoring specialist, WearCheck, first opened in Durban, South Africa, more than 40 years ago. Today, the company processes over 750 000 samples a year inanetworkof 16 laboratories spanning nine countries across Africa and beyond. WearCheck Zimbabwe was formed in 2016, after WearCheck acquired the long- established Tribology Services oil analysis laboratory in Harare.

“These preventive maintenance tools substantially reduce premature machine failure, which canhave a catastrophic impact on a production linewhile repairs are carried out and spare parts are ordered,” he says. Planned component down-time is more

34 ¦ MechChem Africa • April 2019