Dragon LNG / AtkinsRéalis
Dragon LNG optimizes its energy efficiency with AVEVA Process Simulation
Dragon LNG, one of the UK's leading liquefied natural gas terminals, capable of sending out nearly 300 GWh of gas per day, was operating within safe but conservative design parameters. This caution prevented it from capturing significant potential savings, as grid pressure and cargo composition fluctuated constantly and operators maintained high safety margins with additional equipment online. In partnership with AtkinsRéalis, Dragon LNG deployed AVEVA Process Simulation, AVEVA PI System and AVEVA PI Vision to build an industrial digital twin for real-time process optimization. The benefits are compelling: $1 million in energy savings identified, increased confidence in the results enabling a gain-sharing business model, and the development by AtkinsRéalis of a new commercial offering to deploy this type of digital twin at other industrial clients. Dragon LNG demonstrates that digital innovation and environmental performance can converge to transform the efficiency of a critical energy asset for the long term.
FAQ
What is an industrial digital twin for real-time process optimization?
The digital twin deployed at Dragon LNG combines AVEVA Process Simulation, AVEVA PI System and AVEVA PI Vision to reproduce the behavior of the liquefied natural gas terminal in real time. The rigorous simulation is fed by live operational data and continuously calculates optimal conditions despite fluctuating grid pressure and cargo composition. It is the archetype of digital transformation in a critical energy asset capable of sending out 300 GWh per day.
How did AtkinsRéalis identify $1 million in energy savings at Dragon LNG?
Dragon LNG operated within safe but conservative design parameters, with extra equipment online as a precaution. The AVEVA digital twin enabled AtkinsRéalis to precisely model the actual margins and identify optimal energy configurations without degrading reliability. The result: $1 million in quantified, validated energy savings, demonstrating that digital innovation and environmental performance can converge on a critical LNG asset.
Why does a gain-sharing commercial model become possible with AVEVA?
Dragon LNG and AtkinsRéalis have enough confidence in the results of the AVEVA Process Simulation digital twin to contract a gain-sharing arrangement. Savings are measurable in real time via AVEVA PI System and visualized in PI Vision, eliminating debates over who created the value. This innovative business model turns the integrator into a performance partner and sets a benchmark for the oil and gas sector.
What role does AVEVA PI Vision play in managing an LNG terminal?
AVEVA PI Vision gives Dragon LNG operators real-time visualization of energy efficiency KPIs and deviations from the optimal setpoints calculated by the digital twin. Dashboards make optimization tangible and accessible in the control room, enable immediate decisions on bringing equipment online and feed performance reviews. It is the decision-making interface that makes the simulation model's recommendations usable day to day.
How can an AVEVA digital twin be industrialized for other industrial customers?
Building on its success at Dragon LNG, AtkinsRéalis has developed a new commercial offering to deploy this type of digital twin for other industrial customers. The approach is replicable because it relies on three standardized products (AVEVA Process Simulation, AVEVA PI System, AVEVA PI Vision) and on a gain-sharing business model that aligns interests. It is an example of industrializing digital transformation, in which an integrator's know-how becomes a product in its own right.