With decades of expertise in addressing the complex needs of the energy sector in challenging marine environments, Honeywell Technologies is at the heart of shaping the future of offshore energy operations. Our advances are supporting a fundamental shift in the industry, helping transform traditional offshore operations into becoming more connected, intelligent and data driven.
As digital technologies continue to evolve, we see that operators can leverage real-time data, advanced analytics and integrated operational platforms to gain deeper insights into asset performance and operational efficiency. This shift is enabling organizations to make more informed decisions, optimize maintenance and production strategies and create more agile, resilient offshore operations.
Offshore operations are entering a new era
Offshore energy operators are confronting a convergence of pressures that traditional ways of working were never designed to handle. Aging infrastructure is becoming a primary constraint today. While equipment ages, operational complexity continues to increase, experienced offshore professionals are becoming harder to replace and the pressure to improve reliability and safety while managing costs remains high.4,5
The key to solving many of these challenges can be found in data. Modern offshore facilities generate massive volumes of operational data. Historically, much of this information was underutilized, trapped in individual systems or available only after issues had already occurred. Some operators are now moving beyond traditional maintenance strategies to embrace digital technologies that enable smarter, faster operational decision-making.
The organizations making the greatest progress are those that convert operational data into actionable intelligence. Rather than simply collecting information, they are using analytics and connected systems to identify risks earlier, optimize maintenance activities and improve operational performance before failures impact production.
Why predictive operations matter
Reactive and time-based maintenance have clear limitations. Waiting for equipment to fail means unplanned downtime, lost production and elevated safety risk. Servicing equipment on a fixed calendar schedule, regardless of actual condition, wastes resources and can compromise assets through unnecessary intervention.
Condition-based maintenance (CBM) offers a proactive alternative, focusing on real-time monitoring rather than adherence to fixed schedules. Operational and equipment data are continuously monitored to assess actual asset health. By combining real-time monitoring with advanced analytics, operators can identify emerging issues before they develop into significant failures. The benefits of this approach are substantial:
· Reduced unplanned downtime
· Better maintenance prioritization
· Improved equipment availability
· Reduced operational risk
· Enhanced workforce productivity
By assessing the actual state of equipment, operators can conduct maintenance only when conditions warrant it, effectively reducing unnecessary downtime and optimizing resource allocation.
CBM moves beyond simple data collection. When data, analytics and human expertise are connected, operators gain the ability to move from reacting to problems toward anticipating and preventing them. That helps people make faster, better decisions.
Aker BP: A case study of CBM in offshore operations2, 3
Aker BP, a leading energy exploration and production company operating on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, offers a practical illustration of CBM in action. Like many offshore producers, their challenges included managing equipment reliability and conducting maintenance across multiple offshore assets while maintaining high safety standards and operational efficiency.
To overcome these challenges Aker BP adopted condition-based maintenance using Honeywell Technologies Forge Asset Performance Management (APM), a connected platform that integrates real-time data from multiple equipment types and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) into a single dashboard, creating a unified, OEM-agnostic approach to asset health monitoring that facilitates proactive decision-making.
With Honeywell Technologies Forge APM now providing enterprise-wide control, Aker BP can continuously monitor equipment conditions on six of its assets in the North Sea, ensuring that maintenance is carried out only when necessary.
Aker BP reports that the real benefits of using CBM strategies have been meaningful:
· Earlier identification of equipment issues
· Reduced dependence on manual inspections
· Better prioritization of maintenance activities
· Improved situational awareness
In addition, equipment essential for safety—such as safety valves, pressure sensors and critical control systems — receives focused attention based on its operational status.
The new approach also carries clear safety benefits for Aker BP. By reducing the frequency of scheduled maintenance (some of it unnecessary), CBM minimizes disruptions to their ongoing operations, thereby decreasing the chances of accidents during maintenance activities.
The advantages gained were not simply from software deployment. Dedicated ownership and continuous refinement were also essential. Experienced technicians at Aker BP set up their own models in the system specifically for their required calculations. They engaged ongoing improvement and adaptation to the monitoring process that allowed engineers to tune the system more effectively, minimize false alerts and concentrate on critical issues.
This is a reminder that predictive maintenance is fundamentally a new operating model. Success requires connected data, advanced analytics and experienced personnel working together to make better decisions. Technology provides visibility and insight, but operational excellence still depends on informed human judgment.
Lessons for the offshore industry
The Aker BP experience points to several broader ideals for the offshore industry:
· Connect data across systems. Operators need a unified view instead of isolated monitoring tools. Integrating data from multiple equipment types and OEMs into a single dashboard enables proactive decision-making.
· Focus on actionable insights. The goal is not more alerts—the goal is better decisions. Minimizing false alerts keeps attention on critical issues.
· Combine technology and expertise. Analytics support engineers, but people remain central to decision-making.
· Create a culture of continuous improvement. Condition-monitoring systems become more valuable as teams refine models and operating practices over time.
Building the offshore operation of the future
Putting these ideals into practice to create future-ready offshore operations requires an integrated operating environment that connects production systems, assets, people, safety functions and sustainability objectives. Honeywell Technologies engages in all aspects of transforming offshore operations through six connected domains that collectively support safer, more efficient and more resilient offshore production.
For the operational foundation we bring operations and control capabilities, including SCADA, process control, telemetry and connectivity that provide visibility across offshore assets. We enable digital transformation technologies such as Industrial IoT, predictive analytics, AI-enabled operations and digital twins to help organizations transform data into operational intelligence.
Honeywell Technologies asset performance solutions support reliability and optimization through asset performance management platforms, turbomachinery optimization, measurement technologies and energy management capabilities. Our people and collaboration technologies enable remote operations, expert collaboration, knowledge management and workforce training, addressing the growing workforce challenges across offshore operations.
Our safety and security systems integrate process safety, cybersecurity, and fire and gas systems into a unified operational environment. We compliment these with sustainability solutions that incorporate emissions monitoring, energy optimization and carbon management capabilities.
The entire portfolio of Honeywell Technologies’ offshore production capabilities creates a connected operational ecosystem where data flows across functions, enabling faster decisions, improved efficiency and greater resilience.
