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MANAGING LINEAR ASSETS

Managing Linear Assets has always been a challenge;
find out how customers leverage SAP to meet industry requirements.

Venkatesh Pulijala,
EAM Consultant - Oil & Gas,
Wipro Technologies
Table of contents
02 Executive Summary

03 SAP Linear Asset Management

03 Conceptual Design & Architecture

06 Business Benefits with SAP Solution

06 Conclusion

07 About the Author

07 About Wipro’s Energy, Natural resources and Utilities (ENU) SBU

07 About Wipro Technologies

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Asset intensive industries like Oil & Gas, Railways and Utilities are struggling to manage their infrastructure or production networks which are

complex and difficult to maintain. Their business needs a unique solution to manage their network of assets. Currently these businesses rely largely

on different standalone, loosely integrated systems and manual processes (e.g. GIS, spreadsheets, LAM applications) to access linear asset

information and store/ access historical information. This makes their processes time consuming to analyze, track, identify work location, collate cost
information, and schedule and track work status.

These organizations need to optimize reliability, availability, and data. This paper highlights an SAP solution to fulfill the demand

maintainability, and safety of their networks and infrastructure. Most from business to have a well-integrated system which is cost effective,

asset management softwares have been designed around discrete which can aggregate linear and non-linear asset data, help in quick

assets and fail to address these demands. Hence there is a need for a decision making, avoid data redundancy and duplication, and provide a

comprehensive, integrated solution that facilitates and connects linear single source of information to all stakeholders.

asset management activities with the full gamut of enterprise processes

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SAP Linear Asset Management Conceptual Design & Architecture

SAP Linear Asset Management - This functionality within the SAP Non-Linear Assets – A non-linear asset occupies a defined space and
Plant Maintenance (PM) module which is specially designed to meet the can be tracked by its location or modeled as part of a parent child
business requirements to manage linear asset and maintain them. The
hierarchy. They can be installed, maintained replaced as a whole. E.g.
need to represent and model assets which extend for several kilometers
Physical Assets like Facilities or Mobile equipment’s like fleet or
with changing characteristics and conditions requires network modeling
and maintenance tools to provide specific capabilities to support and component based like ships.
manage these complex assets. The solution provides an integrated
Linear Assets - Linear assets have linear properties and often connect
solution which can improve the operations, safety, decision making and
reduce cost. with each other by their relationship with the linear infrastructure itself.
They can be preserved and restored in place, and in segments.
Deploying an integrated enterprise asset and maintenance management
solution for maintaining linear assets can significantly improve an E.g. Department of transportation managing roads or Railways managing
organization’s operation and achieve increased safety, improved access to rail tracks and signaling, or the Oil & Gas industry managing pipeline or
decision tools, enhanced regulatory compliance, and reduced in costs. Utility industry managing transmission towers.
These companies can now combine both performance and safety, across
Linear Asset Management deals with an asset whose length plays a critical
the network infrastructure with all key stakeholders involved. Natively
integrating within the existing SAP Plant Maintenance module; SAP Linear role in the maintenance of the asset. They are a special type of asset
Asset Management connects and coordinates the asset management which has an associated length dimension; this dimension is represented
processes across the organization. SAP LAM can do all of the following: by means of start points and end points. Linear assets are subject to
• Configure linear assets as Linear Reference Patterns dynamic segmentation and multiple characteristic combinations can be
• Improve safety, compliance and risk management defined with any portion of an existing linear feature independently of
• Integrate with SAP GEO.e (GEOgraphical Enablement) and
where it begins or ends.
Mobility for enhanced real-time information & operations
• Change linear asset conditions / characteristics can be
incorporated at ease.
• Automate asset maintenance & operations
• Evaluate operational status more accurately with
real-time information
• Reduce operation and maintenance costs
• Improve decision making and resource management
• Integrate maintenance and financial management

Linear Reference Pattern and markers enable modeling using both linear
and non-linear assets in one network. SAP Linear Asset Management thus
enables to connect business processes throughout the organization.

SAP Linear Asset Management enables to standardize and connect

business processes throughout the organization. Business can model
complex assets – both linear and discrete – in single SAP landscape.
This enables business to adopt changes to the network faster, helping
ensure data integrity across multiple asset types.

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The example below shows how we can achieve dynamic segmentation of pipelines. Markers & characteristics
can be maintained along the length of the network:

Pipeline Crude Oil-PLCO

300 Km Length (18” / 24” / 36”)

Oil Rig Refinery

Sections
PLCO-S01 PLCO-S02 PLCO-S03

100 km (18”) 100 km (24”) 100 km (36”)

Valve-1 Valve-2 Valve-3 Valve-4

Sub-Sections
PLCO-S01-01 PLCO-S01-02 PLCO-S02-01 PLCO-S02-02 PLCO-S03-01 PLCO-S03-02

Pumping Station - 1 Pumping Station - 2

Linear Reference Pattern (MARKERS)

MK01 MK06 MK11 MK21 MK31

A High Level Architecture Solution can be represented as below:

Mobility (SAP
SAP R/3 ECC6.0 Syclo SMART
& EhP6 Work Manager
(LAM enabled) & Inventory
Manager)

GEO.e AM
ENTERPRISE SAP Document
Management
BUS System

OSIsoft PI
SAP (SCADA, Plant
xMII data, Device
integration)

Linear Asset Management along with mobility and GIS solutions forms a highly effective solution
to manage the operational challenges.

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SAP Geographical Enablement (GEO.e) for Asset assets with ease. Syclo’s SMART Work manager application helps in
Management – SAP GEO.e as a Geographic Information System (GIS) accessing asset locations, historical information, workflow and
integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, approvals, and can also be tailor made to receive all the information
and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. GEO.e required by the field technicians as well as stakeholders. It also helps in
allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in improved regulatory compliance and employee safety, reducing
many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of potential fines and liabilities.
maps, globes, reports, and charts. It helps to answer questions and solve Inventory status while on the field, order requirements and approvals
problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and can be managed using the SMART inventory manager application thus
easily shared. Some of its key benefits are: saving time, paperless work and reduce cost of operations.
• Cost Savings and Increased Efficiency - Optimize maintenance
Mobile Work Permit Management for managing equipment
Optimize fleet movement, reduced fuel usage and labour time
lockout-tagout when an asset needs to be repaired and has to be
• Better Decision Making – Help making better decisions about
isolated can also be managed via mobile devices on the field thus
location of work which is critical
enabling enhanced safety features.
• Improved Communication – between different teams, field
professionals, departments and public OSIsoft PI with xMII – OSIsoft integrated with SAP xMII to provide
• Better Record Keeping – Maintaining change of assets within real-time information to SAP and to the field technicians on the status
geographic bounds and condition of the network thus further enhancing compliance, safety
• Better Geographic Management – Actions based on geography of and cost.
the work location Though this doesn’t relate to LAM directly, but can provide additional
GEO.e for Asset Management provides option to create or view information if required on the GIS maps like status of the valves or
maintenance information from the maps directly from the handheld breakers, supply or flow information etc.
devices. This makes the application much more user friendly
SAP Document Management System (DMS) – SAP DMS can
Mobility (SAP Syclo) – Syclo provides readymade solutions which can provide access to all compliance related, operation instruction
be implemented and integrated with SAP for managing linear & non-linear documents as and when required by the stakeholder or field technicians.

The illustration below shows high level steps on how the work order will flow using different systems showcasing
preventive maintenance cycle followed by corrective maintenance for a pipelines maintained as linear assets:

LINEAR ASSET
Linear Asset, Linear Create Order GEO.eAM
Reference Pattern, Maintenance Scheduling Work Order/
Maintenance Release Location map
Funcitional Locations Plan Notification
Plan & Route planning
& Markers

Perform
Complete Work & SAP OSIsoft xMII
Inspection
close work order DMS PI & Preventive
Maintenence

SAP SYCLO
Plan & Work Order Confirm & Complete Create
Order Complete
Perform for defects Order, View Multi Notifications
Update Inspection
Maintenance Identified level list report for defects
identified

05
Business Benefits with
SAP Solution Conclusion
• Maximizing Return On Investment - Manage continuous assets SAP Linear Asset Management along with close integration with GEO.e,
with dynamic segmentation within the existing Enterprise ERP Mobility, OSIsoft PI and xMII provides a good solution to businesses to
• Graphical representation and improved worker efficiency - Identify manage asset performance, improved compliance, reduced operational
exact maintenance locations (where to work) by linear attributes cost and improved equipment and worker safety by increasing the
like start/end point, length and offsets. Optimized solution with reliability of the network.
GIS integration
• Reduced Downtime and improved efficiency – Implementing an
Inherently, this will result is boosting revenues with greater asset
effective maintenance strategy for inspection and maintenance can
availability and can increase the return on valuable assets.
reduce downtime thus increasing efficiency
• Optimize Maintenance and spare part planning – By providing
day-to-day big picture of the linear assets and spare part
information via GEO.e AM maps and mobility information
• Improved decision making and fleet management - Improve
decision making and resource management and minimizing impact
on assets by connecting to Enterprise data Anytime & Anywhere
• Improved safety - Access to real time information about various
conditions via OSI soft PI & xMII improve safety and enable faster
decision making
• Better Emergency handling - Manage emergency responses and
incidents with full follow up

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 About the Author
Venkatesh Pulijala has more than 14 years of industry experience with seven years in SAP consulting and specializing in Enterprise Asset
Management and Project Management. At present, he is part of Wipro’s Oil & Gas CoE team and responsible for developing new technology
solution in SAP EAM space.

Venkatesh has led teams and played various roles for clients located in different geographies like USA, Canada, Australia and Switzerland and across
verticals like Utilities, Oil & Gas, Pharma and Mining.

About Wipro’s Energy, Natural resources and Utilities (ENU) SBU:

Wipro’s Energy, Natural resource and Utilities (ENU) Strategic Business Unit (SBU) has, over the last decade, established itself as a trusted partner to
clients across the globe to address their business challenges using its deep industry domain competency and technology expertise. It has over 6600
dedicated consultants serving businesses in the oil & gas, metals, mining, agriculture products, water, natural gas and electricity industries. Having a
strong relationship with over 40 customers spread across Americas, Europe, India, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the ENU
SBU has been continuously investing in building competencies to help them do business better. Recently, Wipro has acquired SAIC’s Global Oil and
Gas business unit, reinforcing its focus on this industry.

About Wipro Technologies

Wipro Technologies, the global IT business of Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT) is a leading Information Technology, Consulting and Outsourcing company,

that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro Technologies delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry

experience and a 360º view of “Business through Technology” – helping clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized

globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, a practitioner’s approach to delivering innovation and an organization wide commitment to

sustainability. Wipro Technologies has 140,000 employees and clients across 54 countries.

For information visit www.wipro.com or mail [email protected]

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