S-OIL’s Digital Transformation Journey and Asset Performance Management Approach

S-OIL's refinery in South Korea is one of the largest single-site refineries in the world. The company needed to address common industry challenges by undergoing a digital transformation.

First, competition was growing more intense due to the entry of new players with advanced technologies and more efficient approaches, in addition to the rivalry among existing companies. S-OIL needed to differentiate itself and pursue innovation to stay ahead in the market.

Second, it was increasingly difficult to predict the failure of aging facilities, which raised the risk of unplanned downtime resulting in higher Operations & Maintenance costs. They also faced a generation shift with many skilled operators who had extensive experience and knowledge on commissioning and operations readying to leave the company. S-OIL needed to transfer the knowledge and experience to the new generation.

On top of these internal pressures, they had to contend with uncertainties in economics and geopolitics causing fluctuations in oil prices and demand. Finally, the energy transition push was changing fuel demand and requiring efforts to reduce emissions.

In this challenging environment, S-OIL still had to operate its refinery more reliably, more efficiently, and safely. Ultimately, for S-OIL, digital transformation was no longer a "nice to have" — it became a "must" for survival.

S-Oil shared their digital transformation story with a focus on GE Vernova APM as part of this journey.

Learn how the company: