Modern Mining January 2020

COVER STORY

service provider that has years of industry experi- ence as well as the technical expertise. “Our digital offering goes beyond engineering and design, to operations, safety and efficiencies,” says Dreyer. “The digital technology that we are bringing to the table will help our customers reduce costs and operation risk, improve productivity, reduce risk to the asset and the environment, and reduce risk to human life.” He says that globally the organisation is driving digital transformation to offer customers cutting- edge digital capabilities, through collaboration between locations – especially South Africa, Kolkata and Perth – to share digital knowledge. Hull adds that one of the current initiatives the company is working on is undertaking design reviews which draw on Worley’s global expertise. “We will soon have, say, six or seven of our people from Worley offices around the world virtually walk- ing through a process plant together – even though they may be thousands of miles apart – using Virtual Reality technology and discussing the design. This simply wasn’t possible just a few years ago.” The company has also formed a new division that is purely focusing on digital technologies, and is investing in independent software companies that are pioneering digital tools that can be applied to provide valuable data. For example, Worley is collaborating with Arundo Analytics, which has developed software that enables advanced ana- lytics to provide data-driven insights for industrial operations, allowing Worley to bring best-in-class digital capabilities to its customers. Another exam- ple is SaltGrid, a cloud-based platform that applies artificial intelligence to customers’ health, safety and

environmental data that not only predicts the num- ber and types of incidents likely to occur but will also give you indications of the areas and people who may be affected. Using these digital tools, Worley is compiling data from every project undertaken by the company glob- ally. “By analysing the data from previous projects, we can look at statistical patterns regarding safety and predict typical risk areas. This enables our cus- tomers to take proactive measures based on the history of similar projects,” explains Hull. “We are also currently looking at options for incorporating this data into the BIM process which will enable cus- tomers to make statistical projections about things such as the highest risk phases and specific areas of a project lifecycle. “Beyond the project scope, sustainability is the highest-ranking agenda on any board, and tools such as SaltGrid and BIM will help mining compa- nies quantify and manage issues such as access to energy and water, and the need to reduce carbon emissions.” “As the pre-eminent global provider of pro- fessional services to the energy, chemicals and resources sectors following Worley’s acquisition of Jacobs Engineering Group’s Energy, Chemicals and Resources division, we now have far greater exper- tise, more resources and access to latest technology to help our customers navigate the challenges they face, from the front-end studies to every phase of a project across the full mining value chain,” says Dreyer. “Our combined global footprint, skills and capabilities have created a new force to be reck- oned with, which is set to be a clear world leader in the mining, minerals and metals space.” 

A platinum processing plant designed by Worley for one of its customers.

“Our digital offering goes beyond engineering and design, to operations, safety and efficiencies.”

January 2020  MODERN MINING  19