Astron Energy
Astron Energy optimizes crude oil analysis with AVEVA Unified Supply Chain
Astron Energy, South Africa's leading independent refiner, had to take over maintenance of crude assays and databases previously managed by its very large parent company. The stakes were considerable: predicting feed characteristics from a central tank receiving various crudes, handling the additional assay workload with the existing headcount, and building standalone technology specific to an independent refiner. An inaccurate forecast costs the company $10,000 to $15,000 per day. Astron Energy deployed AVEVA Unified Supply Chain via AVEVA CONNECT in just three months to streamline assays and facilitate cross-team collaboration. The results illustrate the speed and scale of the gains: a complete process overhaul in under three months with a seamless transition, a reduction of more than 50% in the time needed to create assays from lab samples, improved refining margins thanks to more accurate forecasts, and lower IT costs thanks to the cloud solution hosted by AVEVA.
Testimonials
FAQ
How does AVEVA help an independent refiner take over its crude assay management?
Astron Energy, South Africa's leading independent refiner, had to take over the maintenance of crude assays previously managed by its very large parent company. AVEVA Unified Supply Chain via CONNECT was deployed in just three months to streamline assays and facilitate cross-team collaboration. This transition, seamless for users, demonstrates AVEVA's ability to support structural changes in industrial organizations, securing the operational autonomy of a newly independent company without any loss of continuity.
How can the time to create a crude oil assay be cut by 50%?
Astron Energy reduced the time needed to create assays from laboratory samples by more than 50% thanks to AVEVA Unified Supply Chain. The solution automates workflows, standardizes data formats and makes it easy to share results immediately with the planning team for LP (linear programming) modeling. For a refiner where an inaccurate forecast costs $10,000 to $15,000 per day, this acceleration directly transforms operational profitability and responsiveness to supply fluctuations.
Why host your refinery supply chain on AVEVA CONNECT?
Astron Energy chose the cloud solution hosted on AVEVA CONNECT to reduce its IT costs and benefit from faster software updates. The cloud eliminates the burden of server administration, ensures resilience and cybersecurity, and facilitates remote access to planning tools. For an independent refiner that wants to focus its resources on its core business rather than IT, choosing the AVEVA cloud is strategic and frees up capital for higher-value investments.
How can more accurate forecasts improve refining margins?
AVEVA Unified Supply Chain improves Astron Energy's refining margin by more accurately predicting the properties of the crude oil fed to the refinery. The central tank receives varied crudes with limited blending, and every forecasting error is costly. With AVEVA, feed characteristics are anticipated precisely, allowing operators to push operating limits, optimize yields and maximize the value extracted from every barrel processed, in a sector where every point of margin matters.
What operational benefits does a three-month process overhaul deliver?
Astron Energy completely overhauled its crude assay management process in less than three months thanks to AVEVA CONNECT and Unified Supply Chain. This speed, combined with a seamless transition for users, shows that digital transformation in the oil industry can be achieved without a multi-year project. The benefits add up: shorter assay creation times, improved margins, lower IT costs and technological autonomy. It is a model of accelerated transformation well suited to companies undergoing change.