Using AI to Optimize Natural Gas Storage Operations

Energy industry professionals still rely on natural gas, but this does not mean facilities must operate with antiquated methods and workflows. Rather, natural gas should be streamlined with modern tools like artificial intelligence (AI), which can save resources and reinforce corporate foundations by moving to more eco-conscious standards. AI's capabilities assist with maintenance, forecasting and more. However, the energy sector faces unique implementation hurdles.

Predictive Maintenance
Companies must train their AI models with natural gas-specific data points. Machine learning will reinforce these algorithms to be more accurate, detecting issues before they exacerbate. The more comprehensive and specific the training, the better AI becomes at notifying operators of concerns. These assets improve productivity and efficiency while reducing waste in the natural gas sector.

An AI sensor could notice the beginnings of corrosion buildup or seismic disturbances impacting operations, overseeing and providing suggestions for smart predictive maintenance. An offshore platform or refinery’s management system can have AI collecting analytics about performance and comparing it against historical data.

Additionally, AI could notice anomalies to identify a potential public safety incident before it occurs. Natural gas personnel may repair drills or notice chemical imbalances based on collected data. AI catalogs all maintenance instances and gets familiar with its connected equipment. As a result, preventative and predictive maintenance schedules have become more precise and effective.

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Demand Forecasting
Natural gas is subject to market fluctuations many of which are outside suppliers’ control, such as international conflict and social media trends. AI improves a natural gas company’s responsiveness to these changes with demand forecasting.

While data displays past cycles, AI considers market interactions against numerous players. This could include everything from news headlines causing a perception shift about natural gas to social media trends promoting sustainable habits.

AI models visualize consumption patterns by businesses and individuals, enabling companies to provide accurate projections to their end users. An estimated one in five marketing teams rely on AI for outreach and strategy, yet it could be the most prominent powerhouse for natural gas companies. Knowing how much product to collect and sell prevents overstocking and shortages by keeping a reasonable supply on hand.

Inventory, Reservoir, and Supply Chain Management
Data entry and inventory tracking are some of the most time-consuming activities in any energy setting, including natural gas. AI integrations minimize operational costs, delegate workers to high-value tasks and provide more accurate insights. For example, AI could simulate a reservoir’s production with digital modeling, guiding managers’ decision-making. A black box AI delivers justification for its suggestions.

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More robust and accurate information will improve communications and B2B relationships with natural gas partners. AI-enabled collaborative digital environments can update project timelines, reduce downtime and eliminate confusion about asset utilization.

This is critical for timing inventory distribution through supply chains for optimal gains. AI tools engage in remote monitoring, expanding oversight on countless inventory variables. A poorly timed shipment could make or break efforts, and AI could be more proficient at pricing and timing deliveries.

Integration Challenges
The energy sector comprises three distinct segments — upstream, midstream, and downstream, each facet leveraging vastly different technologies. For example, upstream uses field exploration devices like pump jacks, while downstream focuses on distribution and storage for exporting.

Refining AI for each truck, pipeline, and marketing tool is time-consuming yet rewarding when teams invest in strategy. This is a unique hurdle for the energy sector, which has some of the most diverse machinery internationally.

Data security is difficult to standardize because of equipment and workforce variances. Each device and tool needs curated solutions to prevent cybersecurity breaches. Though AI assists analysts in identifying and isolating potential threats, designing targeted, sector-specific AI requires attentive dataset training for reliability and consistency.

Making Natural Gas Smarter
The natural gas industry must undergo digitization and increase visibility over its assets to transition into a new era of energy management. In the age of renewable power, this is the only way for natural gas companies to decarbonize and waste fewer resources until greener transformations occur internally. Corporations ignoring AI will lose out on market competitiveness, while those taking the risk will reap the seemingly endless rewards.

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Discover how AI can drive innovation in the oil and gas industry at our upcoming events:

Methane Mitigation Canada Summit
September 30 - October 2, 2024 | Hotel Arts, Calgary, AB

Methane Mitigation America Summit
December 3-5, 2024 | Houston, TX