Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), the leading exploration and oil and gas production company in the Sultanate has purchased GE Digital’s Advanced Energy Management System (AEMS).

The GE Digital software is designed to enable PDO to plan, control, and optimise renewable power generation to help keep its oil production plants operating reliably and efficiently.

The press release sanctioned by GE Digital reads: “PDO delivers the majority of the country of Oman’s crude oil production and natural gas supply.

“The company runs its own electric network – a microgrid – to serve their business. A microgrid is a local controllable grid that can run autonomously from the main grid. By using a microgrid, PDO can be more resilient, potentially lower costs, and run more efficiently. Conversely, when connected to Oman’s main grid, PDO can supply power back to the country.”

PDO strives to operate in an environmentally responsible and sustainable fashion. To be a more sustainable business, PDO has also launched a Lean program to streamline operations, cut waste, eradicate inefficiency, and avoid duplication of activities.

Zahir Al-Busaidi, the Infrastructure Power Systems Department Manager for PDO, said: “Our goal is to meet our electricity needs and support a stable grid. To do that, we needed effective system management that allows us to be proactive.

“The addition of GE Digital’s software will support the efficient management of our microgrid to keep our business operating and assist in the preparation for challenges and opportunities with renewables in the future.”

GE Digital’s AEMS is designed to integrate with electric utility functions, such as plant and field management, asset and maintenance management, IT internal services, security services, substation automation systems, HVDC line control, power plant control systems, and other EMS interchanges.

GE Digital’s AEMS is natively integrated into the Renewables & DER Orchestration solution and Wide Area Management System (WAMS) software which are expected to become essential solutions for PDO as they progress in their renewable journey.

Jim Walsh, the General Manager of GE Digital’s Grid Software business, was quoted as having said: “The global economic landscape will change rapidly in the next 10 years and it is critical to incorporate renewable energy sources into all grids.

“Industrial companies like Petroleum Development Oman are utilising contemporary digital tools to deliver a reliable, more sustainable microgrid to support their core operations.”