One of the UK’s leading onshore pipeline operators, British Pipeline Agency Ltd (BPA), is working with data company, Klarian Ltd, to improve efficiency, through increased throughput, reduced power consumption and other related OPEX costs.
At the end of 2022, BPA asked Klarian to investigate the pumping operations of a single-product jet fuel pipeline supplying a major UK airport. Deploying its secure real-time analytics platform, Digipipe, Klarian identified several potential opportunities for BPA to improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness.
Klarian built analytics models using total draw, pump utilisation, flow rates, valve states and system pressure gradient data. Analysis of pumping conditions revealed how BPA could increase their system throughput. Reconfiguring pump usage for one route would improve throughput and reduce pumping costs. Klarian found further potential cost savings for BPA by analysing one month's pumping schedules against the variable electricity tariff. In doing so, Digipipe identified a retrospective optimal pumping schedule that would have saved BPA 2.7% in energy costs.
Klarian’s Digipipe platform processes and analyses pipeline data to help businesses monitor and optimise their operations. With a customisable dashboard that shows key performance metrics such as flow rate, energy consumption, pressure and efficiency, Digipipe helps operators achieve maximum value from their data.
“We are proud and delighted to be working with BPA. Klarian’s technology and data capabilities combined with BPA’s desire to innovate, present a distinctive opportunity to optimise their operations for an efficient and data-driven network,” said Rob Clegg, Chief Executive Officer of Klarian Ltd.
“Working with Klarian on one of our jet fuel pipelines has revealed several areas where we can make significant efficiency gains and increases in throughput. We’re looking forward to seeing what they reveal as we expand their offering across our network,” said John Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of BPA.
Klarian successfully identified potential throughput and cost savings for BPA. After the initial project’s success, BPA has approved the expansion of Klarian’s Digipipe platform into their wider UK pipeline network. Ultimately, BPA plans to progress Digipipe to its more complex multiproduct pipeline infrastructure. Klarian will optimise BPA’s pumping operations by transforming data into performance clarity for greener and more efficient operations.