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The oil and gas industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation. Activity is driven by the need for more efficient production, improved safety and long-term sustainability. Digital technologies are playing a transformative role in meeting these objectives and this is characterised by the growing importance of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, internet of things, and robotics. In the last three years alone, there have been over 534,000 patents filed and granted in the oil & gas industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Robotics in Oil & Gas: Predictive maintenance systems. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 256,000 patents to analyse innovation intensity for the oil & gas industry, there are 40+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Predictive maintenance systems is a key innovation area in robotics
Predictive maintenance is an important part of asset management strategies that are employed in every industry to help maximise the operational life of equipment and infrastructure. It uses an innovative data-driven approach to assess the state of the field equipment or infrastructure and provides a detailed picture of its expected operating life. This enables decision-makers to schedule maintenance activities without affecting normal functioning. These insights can also be utilised to determine whether any machinery or infrastructure requires a substantial overhaul.
Robotics technology has further improved the effectiveness of predictive maintenance systems by offering superior mobility during data collection. Robotic crawlers, both autonomous as well as remote-operated, can be used to detect faults even in constrained areas that may be otherwise inaccessible to humans. These devices can survey almost every corner of enclosed spaces, such as storage tanks to identify early signs of corrosion, cracks, and other defects.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established oil & gas companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of predictive maintenance systems.
Key players in predictive maintenance systems – a disruptive innovation in the oil & gas industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to predictive maintenance systems
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Fanuc | 394 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Siemens | 104 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Kawasaki Heavy Industries | 83 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ABB | 35 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Rockwell Automation | 32 | Unlock Company Profile |
| General Electric | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Okuma | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lincoln Electric Holdings | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| JANOME SEWING MACHINE | 9 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fuji | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Klingelnberg | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Nidec | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| DMG Mori Seiki | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Bobst Group | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Makino Milling Machine | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Sumitomo Electric Industries | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Leading robotics providers in predictive maintenance systems include ABB, General Electric, and Siemens. They offer a wide range of critical equipment including automated robotic systems to improve efficiency and operational safety at industrial facilities. These robots are integrated with predictive maintenance systems to ensure reliable performance and timely repairs. This integrated product offering ensures longer operational life and reduced downtimes to customers.
ABB supplies robotic equipment to improve performance of routine oil and gas operations. It also offers predictive maintenance service for its robotic fleet deployed with the respective industrial users.
Siemens offers retrofit and modernisation services to improve plant lifecycle as well as to reduce maintenance costs. Retrofitting older equipment with robotic elements helps eliminate the need for manual data collection for predictive maintenance systems and other use cases.
To further understand how robotics is disrupting the oil & gas industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Robotics in Oil & Gas (2021).
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
