gatherBOT

The Next Evolution in Control Room Automation

Gathering System operation has long relied on PLCs and SCADA for operations. At CruxOCM, we’ve reimagined what PLCs and SCADA are capable of, bundling functionalities of multiple controllers to create fully automated procedures, checklists and rules of thumb. You may think you’ve reached the peak of what automation can do for your operations, but the reality is most industries are still just scratching the surface. CruxOCM is the engine that will drive the control rooms of the future.

What gatherBOT™ Can Do For You

The oil and gas gathering system transportation and storage process is rife with inefficiencies and tedious manual operations. Deploying gatherBOT™ to automate control room operations creates safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective systems. Here’s how we do it.

Reduce Control Room Operator Commands By Up to 99%

The amount of manual commands it takes for control room operators to manage pipeline gathering system and tank functionality is staggering. Implementing gatherBOT™ can reduce manual commands by up to 99 percent, which curbs control room operator fatigue and enables operators to perform more essential higher-level functions, all without sacrificing safety or performance.

Drastically Cut Pressure and Flow Variations

gatherBOT™ automates pressure and flow controls, which takes human error out of the equation. By turning to CruxOCM’s AI-enabled tech, operations are able to reduce pressure variations by up to 30 percent and flow variations by up to 45 percent. These reductions help maintain pipeline integrity and reduce maintenance costs. And, by optimizing throughput, you’re able to cut flow rate drift totals that can mean millions of dollars in additional revenue.

Maximize Nominations

gatherBOT™ works to maximize nominations, leveraging Crux's algorithms to automatically identify additional opportunities for volume that the system can handle and increase LACT capacity to run as efficiently as possible upon request of a shipper. This entire process is done without additional work put on control room operators, scheduling teams, and engineering teams, and the potential revenue increases can mean millions over time.

Automate Rateability and Maintenance Control

Managing nominations is a constant burden for control room operators. By integrating gatherBOT™, nominations can be optimized to nearly eliminate throughput delays, and intelligent rateability controls ensure that batches come through consistently at equal, organized intervals. And that’s not the only scheduling gatherBOT™ can automate; LACT flow advisory scheduling makes maintenance smarter and more effective than ever.

gatherBOT™ By the Numbers

CruxOCM begins with a foundational focus on the needs of control room operators, but the numbers don’t lie. Commercial team managers will love the ROI they’ll see with an automated system. Let’s break down some figures.

The ROI of Minimized Flow Deviations

gatherBOT™ optimizes flowrate which enables operations to maximize commercially salable storage capacity in tanks by reducing the buffer they are required to maintain by up to 45 percent. In a traditional system with a tank capacity of 3 million bbl, utilizing 90 percent capacity can amount to nearly $65 million annually. gatherBOT™ can consistently bump that capacity to 94.5 percent, which can mean more than $68 million in revenue over the same time period. We’re not sure if you could use an additional $3 million a year—depending on storage rates, of course—but it sounds pretty good to us!

Let’s take a look at some examples without (left) and with (right) gatherBOT™:

The ROI of Dynamic Calculation of Additional Nominations

The automatic calculation and maximization of additional LACT volumes represents a substantial opportunity for revenue increases. By automatically calculating how much additional volume the system can handle, and then implementing an automatic handling of inflow changes, operations can create a more efficient use of LACT capacity without increasing the workload of control room operators.

This automation also mitigates endless meetings with engineering and nominations scheduling teams and control room operators to determine how much additional capacity is available; it also curbs the inefficient trial and error method, ensuring midstream gathering companies can respond to their shippers with confidence when asked, “Can you move this volume?”

In an example scenario, with an additional nomination capacity of 100 bbl per hour at a $3 per bbl toll, midstream gathering companies can see an increase in revenue of more than $2.5 million. When that capacity is increased to 400 bbl per hour, that revenue increases to $10.5 million a year. When we said substantial, we meant it. Take a look:

The ROI of Maintaining Throughput Despite Upsets

Unexpected upsets happen across gathering systems each and every day, either due to a loss of permissives or a change in ESD status. Upsets result in reduced flowrate from the temporary loss of a LACT throughput; and this loss adds up over time, with major potential impact on revenue. Let's take a look at the numbers:

gatherBOT™’s algorithms not only autonomously restart pumps but also rebalance the system to maintain overall maximum nominated throughput. If a LACT becomes unavailable, gatherBOT will take action to increase the flowrate on other ones in operation—always within nomination—to ensure maximum steady flowrate on the system as a whole. gatherBOT™ ensures minimal lost throughput over time on pipeline gathering systems due to upsets or human error.

gatherBOT™ is the Future of Pipeline and Tank Automation.
Are you ready to learn more?