Spanish energy firm Repsol has collaborated with Google Cloud to deploy big data and artificial intelligence for achieving efficiencies at the 186,000 barrels-a-day refinery at Tarragona, located near Barcelona.
Under the partnership, Google will provide its Cloud technology for the project, which will be carried out at the Tarragona Industrial Complex.
Through the project, Repsol aims to optimise both energy and resource consumption.
The deployment of technology will also enable the company to improve the performance of the refinery’s overall operations.
Repsol downstream executive managing director María Victoria Zingoni said: “This is an efficiency project in all senses: it seeks to consume less resources; reduce energy consumption, which is the highest cost of a refinery; increase the unit reliability and, by extension, improve economic performance.
“This initiative belongs to a more comprehensive plan to take advantage of the possibilities afforded us by the latest in technology, and improve industrial processes.”
The company will have access to Google’s data and analytics products, as well as its professional services consultants.
In addition, Repsol will use Google’s machine-learning managed service, Google Cloud ML, toenable its developers to build and bring machine-learning models to production in the refinery environment.
Aimed at increasing the number of variables being managed at the refinery by more than ten times, the project is part of Repsol’s ongoing digitalisation, innovation and technology projects development.
It is expected to allow the company to bolster its margins by 30 cents a barrel at the facility.
Google Spain and Portugal manager Fuencisla Clemares said: “This project demonstrates the commitment from Spanish companies to digital transformation and the application of machine learning in industrial processes, of which Repsol is a pioneer.
“At Google, we are deeply committed to sustainability and ensuring that we have a positive impact on the environment and we see technology such as machine learning and data analytics playing an important role in helping our customers maximise their own efficiency.”
