JGC, NEC collaborate for efficient plant operations using AI and IoT

JGC Corporation and NEC Corporation announced their cooperation in the provision of data analysis services for plant operations using AI (Artificial Intelligence) and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies.

The cooperation, which the two companies agreed to in a memorandum concluded in November 2016, involves joint development of systems that detect signs of abnormalities in plant operations and provide related services for plants serving the oil refinement, chemical, LNG (liquefied natural gas) and gas, power, resource development, and other fields.

Energy and chemicals industries in Japan and other developed countries are currently seeking to lower overall operating costs, including maintenance costs, while sustaining plant stability and safe operations as plant life lengthens and plant operators become older.

At the same time, emerging countries are seeking to maintain stable and safe operations and ensure plant efficiency amid difficulties securing skilled plant operators. In this environment, significant expectations have emerged for utilization of AI and IoT in plant operations.

In January 2016, JGC launched a specialty organisation to provide services that analyse plant operating data utilising its broad, advanced engineering knowledge accumulated through the implementation of many construction projects for energy and chemical plants.

The data analysis services for plant operations provided jointly by JGC and NEC analyse a broader scope of operating data, covering entire plants (enhanced data coverage), and shorten the analysis time for abnormal signs (faster analysis speed) when compared to the services supplied individually by the two companies.

Additionally, the service identifies cause-effect relationships in abnormal signs based on operating data for the entire plant and contributes substantially to trouble avoidance and mechanization and automation of early prevention.

The two companies have received an order for the plant operation data analysis service and are providing this service as a first step in their collaboration. They also intend to strengthen joint efforts with the goal of providing services to 30 plants in Japan and other countries within the next two years.