How Smart Technologies Are Modernizing Refineries Across North Africa

The refining sector across North Africa is undergoing significant modernization. A combination of cutting-edge technologies is enabling refineries to operate with greater reliability, safety, and environmental responsibility.

Many North African countries rely heavily on oil and gas production as cornerstones of their economies. However, much of their refining and petrochemical infrastructure has suffered from underinvestment, aging facilities, and inefficiency. By introducing advanced automation, analytics, and specialized software solutions, refineries can drive higher performance and prepare themselves for even greater innovation ahead.

Drivers Behind New Smart Technologies

Several factors are motivating North African refineries to actively pursue digital transformation:

Increasing fuel demand: Rising vehicle ownership, economic development, and population growth throughout North Africa has spurred higher gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel consumption. Refineries require optimized technologies to keep pace.
Government reforms: Many countries are implementing pricing reforms and business incentives to boost private investment in fuel infrastructure. Smart systems help dramatically improve refinery economics.
Environmental goals: North African nations are adopting cleaner fuel standards to mitigate pollution while promoting sustainability. Intelligent optimization assists energy efficiency and emissions reduction.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for more agile, automated refinery operations in the face of sudden demand fluctuations and supply chain challenges.

Leading Smart Solutions for Enhanced Refinery Operations

Refineries across Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia are at various stages of technology modernization:

Advanced Process Control (APC)

APC systems utilize sophisticated software, algorithms, and predictive analytics for real-time optimization and control. This enables automatic adjustment of operational parameters to maximize yields, reduce variability, and improve product quality.

By stabilizing process operations, plants also mitigate safety risks and minimize unplanned downtime. The newest APC platforms incorporate artificial intelligence for continuous self-adjustment as feedstocks and conditions change.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

Networks of smart, interconnected sensors supply vast amounts of refinery performance data to centralized software platforms. Continuous measurement allows for remote monitoring, control adjustments, predictive maintenance, and even augmented reality support.

Edge computing and advanced analytics translate raw IIoT data into actionable, simplified insights for faster and better decision making. Machine learning algorithms also detect underlying issues to recommend solutions for efficiency gains.

Integrated Operations Centers

These state-of-the-art centers consolidate data feeds from various refinery units and external sources to optimize management via specialized teams and tools. Large video walls provide sophisticated visualization while predictive models leverage machine learning to enable rapid responses to operational challenges.

Ops centers facilitate seamless coordination between planning, scheduling, supply chain, production, and maintenance groups through shared situational awareness on a single integrated platform.

Advanced Operator Training Simulators

Virtual simulation technology creates highly realistic models of specific refineries. By replicating a plant’s various units and control systems, advanced simulators enable immersive training without putting facilities at risk.

Operators gain invaluable experience through simulated procedural operations, major process transitions, upset conditions response, and even worst-case emergency scenarios. Simulation training drastically accelerates competence development and is integral for new plant startups.

Smart Refinery Advancements Across North Africa

Oil companies and technology providers are collaborating on ambitious digital initiatives across the region’s refining sector. Here are some recent notable projects:

Egypt

The Middle East Oil Refinery (MIDOR) in Alexandria completed a large-scale modernization utilizing Honeywell technologies to optimize production across 43 process units. Results after one year included 2% higher throughput, 8% lower energy intensity, and 20% reduction of flaring incidents.
The Assiut Oil Refining Company invested over $40 million into digitalization including APC, IIoT sensors, and simulation systems. This helped increase diesel production by 10% and slash unplanned downtime by 35%, saving an estimated $12 million annually.

Algeria

Extensive infrastructure upgrades at the Algiers Refinery incorporated over 5,000 intelligent devices and APC hardware from Yokogawa. This delivered 4.1% higher liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) output and reduced volatile organic compounds emissions by 11% annually.
State-owned fuel manufacturer NAFTAL partnered with Schneider Electric on digitizing its entire distribution infrastructure spanning across the country. Cloud-based platforms provide full visibility into fuel storage levels, transport vehicle tracking, and delivery coordination.

Morocco

At its Mohammedia refinery, Morocco’s national oil company Afriquia SMDC integrated operations data with scheduling software from AspenTech. By optimizing crude selection, operational planning, and inventory management, $8 million in working capital costs were eliminated within the first technology deployment year.
Industrial AI experts SparkCognition implemented a new automated system at the Samir refinery to forecast atmospheric corrosion rates. By analyzing weather data the predictive model minimizes inspection costs while also alerting when corrosion prevention steps are necessary.

Tunisia

The Tunisian Company of Refining Industries (STIR) engaged technology services firm Anisolis to model process flows and heat transfer within the Bizerte refinery. The resulting dynamic simulation uncovered ways to reach 4% higher fuel yields while optimizing steam consumption.
At its Skhira refinery, Tunisia’s Societe Tunisienne des Industries de Raffinage (STIR) recently inaugurated a $15 million operations center leveraging systems from Honeywell Process Solutions. This includes APC implementation and adds improved analytics with decision support tools to enhance energy efficiency.

Comparing Smart Refinery Capabilities

	Basic Controls	Advanced Controls	Smart IIoT Infrastructure	Integrated Operations
Production Optimization	Manual monitoring and inputs from control room	Advanced algorithms and machine learning for automated, real-time optimization	High density of sensors across units enables precise monitoring and analytics	Consolidation from all data sources provides complete production visualization with decision support
Profitability Gains	Lower and more inconsistent yields	Significant uplift to yields, fuel quality, and reduced off-spec production	Better predictive maintenance lowers unexpected downtime	Holistic coordination of planning, scheduling, and economics
Safety & Environmental	Manual compliance tracking and accident response	Stabilized operations and rapid anomaly detection mitigates risks	Earlier detection of leaks, runaway reactions, equipment fatigue etc.	Simulators provide realistic operator training for emergency preparedness
Resilience & Adaptability	Heavy reliance on set schedules and predefined operating modes	Self-adjusting controls adapt to changing inputs or ambient conditions	Continual measurement of corrosion, fouling, equipment health	Scenario testing and predictive analytics better handle supply shocks
Data-Driven Insights	Periodic analysis from laboratory tests	Optimization recommendations from software models	Flood of enriched data from thousands of sensors	Single source of truth about asset health, performance, economics etc.
Implementation Complexity	Simple individual upgrades using existing infrastructure	Challenging integration across DCS and SCADA systems	Major CAPEX investment for instrumentation and IT/OT infrastructure	Significant integration of data, teams, and related business processes

DCS – Distributed Control System, SCADA – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, CAPEX – Capital Expenditures, IT – Information Technology, OT – Operations Technology

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some key benefits realized from smart refinery technologies?

Some major benefits include:

Increased fuel production and operational efficiency gains over 5%
Reduction in unplanned downtime over 30%
Lower energy usage and emissions by 10% or more
Improved productivity and reliability enhancing asset utilization
Superior planning and economics from integrated data analytics
Enhanced safety via predictive risk identification
Greater resilience against market volatility and supply uncertainties

How quickly can refineries see positive returns on digital investments?

With proper planning and implementation, measurable improvements can begin within 6-12 months. Refineries investing heavily in automation and connectivity can achieve 15-30% internal rate of return (IRR) on these projects. With smarter infrastructure in place, there is greater potential for further innovations utilizing the IIoT data foundation.

Which technology systems provide the fastest impact?

The fastest payback typically originates from advanced process control solutions. APC can deliver 4-8% in operational gains out of the gate. Expanded benefits require adding IIoT infrastructure and consolidated operations centers next. Integrating predictive maintenance and reliability programs also assist rapid returns.

Are there downsides to introducing more automation?

There are manageable challenges mainly stemming from cultural adjustments, required skill building, and change management demands on the workforce. With more advanced technologies, additional specialized personnel may be necessary as some roles and required competencies shift. However, refineries also create new jobs dedicated to IIoT infrastructure, data analytics, and specialized engineering around integrated smart systems.

What cybersecurity measures should refineries take with increased automation?

With more interconnected systems and remote access capabilities, refineries need to implement comprehensive cybersecurity protections. This includes identity and access management controls, network segmentation, multi-factor authentication, endpoint security solutions, intrusion detection, and constant vulnerability management. Regular penetration testing is also essential.

How can refineries use IIoT platforms to improve energy efficiency?

The mass flow data from smart sensors allows software analytics to model heat and mass balances. This identifies opportunities for heat integration and waste energy recovery to optimize furnace fuel consumption. Detecting equipment fouling and steam leaks early also improve energy efficiency.

Do these technologies reduce staff requirements?

While routine manual tasks may decrease, smart systems require dedicated experts to handle critical functions like data science, reliability engineering, electrical and control systems management, IT/OT infrastructure, and cyber defense. Enriched analytics creates more high-value roles to interpret insights. Operators still handle procedural operations, planning and interventions.

How can refineries with limited capex budgets approach modernization?

The modular nature of smart systems allows a phased rollout by area or unit. Smaller pilots demonstrate value to secure further funding. Some hardware and software functionality can even be provided “as-a-service” to limit initial capital costs. Partnering with technology players or EPCs also spreads out payments long-term.

Which skills from other industries apply to these new refinery technologies?

The increased connectivity and data platforms share commonalities with advanced IT/OT environments in sectors like chemicals, mining, utilities, and discrete manufacturing. Many operational principles also crossover from large data center management. Expertise from consumer Big Data analytics provides useful perspectives on harnessing insights.

Can vinegar or biofuel production integrate into existing refineries?

Yes, additional processing units can be added for specialty chemicals or biofuels – leveraging shared infrastructure like piping networks, wharfs, storage tanks and utilities. Integrated Operations Centers provide the information connectivity to optimize these supplementary supply chains holistically across assets.

How can refineries accelerate their modernization efforts?

Refineries can speed up technology adoption by:

Prioritizing digital transformation under a broader corporate strategy
Securing greater funding through government incentives and public-private partnerships
Utilizing modular implementation rather than aiming for full-scale changes immediately
Leveraging experience data from flagship projects at analog facilities
Commencing cultural transition and employee training early in the process
Working closely with trust technology partners

Over time, greenfield designs will increasingly incorporate smart infrastructures by default making for inherently more productive assets. Nonetheless, through committed initiatives existing brownfield sites can also achieve significant modernization.

The Future of Refining Lies in Intelligence

As North African countries continue pursuing economic growth and higher living standards, optimizing the fuel supply chain is integral. By harnessing the latest automation, connectivity and analytics capabilities, refineries can meet growing product demands in a more efficient, reliable, and sustainable manner.

Ongoing digital advancements also provide a bridge to even greater possibilities ahead through artificial intelligence, edge computing applications, cloud-enabled platforms, electrification opportunities, and other emerging technologies. As refineries get smarter, their trajectory of innovation accelerates further.

Through both greenfield designs and brownfield revamps, North Africa’s refining backbone is getting a major boost in efficiency, productivity, safety – and intelligence. Operators embracing this digital transformation reap the rewards today while establishing data-enriched infrastructures to support the refineries of the future.

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