Case Study

Custom MES (LEGO) - Manufacturing Execution System

Led the development, and deployment of LEGO, a custom Manufacturing Execution System (MES) built to orchestrate operations across oil & gas production, spanning well data capture, production scheduling, field workforce management, and real-time reporting across multiple facilities.

MES Development Oil & Gas Real-time Monitoring KPI Dashboards System Integration Team Leadership

Executive Snapshot

Objective
Design and implement a comprehensive MES solution to orchestrate oil & gas production operations, providing real-time monitoring, automated reporting, and digital workflows for operators and engineers across multiple facilities.
My Role
Technical Lead. Led development, change management and support; managed cross-functional teams; partnered with OT/IT stakeholders; guided system integrations.
Scope
Multi-facility deployment • Well data capture • Production scheduling • Field workforce management • Real-time reporting
Scale
Thousands of wells/facilities • Cross-functional teams • Multiple sites/users • High-volume time-series data
Impact
30% reduction in manual reporting • Improved production accuracy • Enhanced operational visibility • Cost savings through automation
Real-time Production Monitoring Digital Workflows Automated KPIs System Integration Mobile Access OEE Tracking

Outcome

  • Achieved 30% reduction in manual reporting effort through automated KPI dashboards and real-time data capture.
  • Delivered cross-functional visibility across multiple oil & gas facilities with unified reporting.
  • Reduced well test reporting time from 24 hours to 15 minutes through automated data capture and validation.
  • Scaled system to support thousands of wells and facilities with high-volume time-series data processing.
The LEGO MES system transformed operational efficiency and provided unprecedented visibility into production operations.

Problem

Oil & gas production operations lacked a unified system to orchestrate well data capture, production scheduling, and field workforce management. Manual reporting processes were time-consuming and error-prone, with well test reporting taking up to 24 hours. Cross-functional teams needed better visibility into operations, and legacy systems couldn't scale to handle high-volume time-series data across thousands of wells and facilities.

Solution

  • Designed and developed LEGO, a custom MES to orchestrate operations across oil & gas production.
  • Implemented real-time production monitoring with automated KPI dashboards and OEE tracking.
  • Created digital workflows for operators and engineers with mobile access capabilities.
  • Built automated reporting systems integrating SCADA, historians, and enterprise systems.
  • Established system integrations with ERP (SAP), historians (PI, XSPOC), and GIS platforms.
  • Implemented scalable architecture to handle high-volume time-series data across multiple facilities.

System Capabilities & Functional Highlights

Capability Description Business Impact
Real-time Production Monitoring Live dashboards showing production metrics, well performance, and operational status Immediate visibility into production operations and performance
Digital Workflows Automated processes for operators and engineers with mobile access Streamlined operations and reduced manual intervention
Automated KPI Reporting OEE, downtime tracking, throughput metrics, and production analytics 30% reduction in manual reporting effort
System Integration Seamless integration with SCADA (Ignition), historians (PI/Canary/XSPOC), ERP (SAP), and enterprise systems Unified data platform for comprehensive operational view
Mobile Access & Dashboards User-friendly interfaces accessible across devices and locations Enhanced user experience and field accessibility
Well Test Automation Automated data capture and validation for well testing processes 24 hours to 15 minutes reporting time reduction

Technical Leadership & Architecture

Architecture Decisions
  • Data Pipelines: High-volume time-series data processing and storage
  • API Integration: REST APIs for seamless system connectivity
  • ERP Integration: SAP integration for enterprise data flow
  • Historian Integration: PI and XSPOC historian connectivity
  • GIS Integration: Geographic information system integration
Technology Stack & Approach
  • Languages & Frameworks: C# .NET, Objective-C for Mobile App.
  • Databases: SQL Server, time-series optimized storage
  • Deployment: On-premises and Mobile architecture
  • Security: Industrial cybersecurity controls and compliance
  • Scalability: Designed to scale across thousands of wells/facilities

Business Impact & Measurable Outcomes

Operational Efficiency
  • 30% reduction in manual reporting effort
  • 24 hours to 15 minutes well test reporting time
  • Improved production accuracy through automated data capture
  • Enhanced operational visibility across all facilities
System Adoption & Scale
  • Dozens of sites and hundreds of users supported across organization
  • Thousands of wells and facilities integrated
  • Cross-functional team support (IT, OT, production, maintenance)
  • Cost savings through operational efficiency gains

Innovation & Problem-Solving

Technical Challenges Solved
  • High-Volume Data Processing: Designed scalable architecture for time-series data
  • Legacy System Migration: Seamless transition from existing systems
  • Cross-Functional Integration: Unified platform for IT, OT, production, and maintenance
  • Scalable Workflows: Designed to handle thousands of wells and facilities
Innovation Highlights
  • Mobile-First Design: Field-accessible interfaces and workflows
  • Real-Time Analytics: Live production monitoring and KPI tracking
  • Automated Validation: Data quality and integrity controls
  • Unified Namespace: Consistent data structure across all systems
  • Technical Leadership: Led development and deployment for the MES platform.
  • Team Management: Led cross-functional development teams including developers, analysts, and integration specialists.
  • Stakeholder Partnership: Collaborated closely with OT/IT stakeholders to ensure alignment with business requirements.
  • Strategic Guidance: Guided integration with ERP (SAP), historians (PI, Canary, XSPOC), SCADA (Ignition, XSPOC), Enterprise Data Warehouse and other enterprise systems.
  • Support Structure: Designed support framework to minimize downtime and ensure system reliability.
  • Release Management: Implemented structured upgrade and enhancement cycles for continuous improvement.
  • User Collaboration: Worked closely with business users to evolve the system based on operational needs.
  • Continuous Improvement: Established feedback loops and iterative development processes.
  • ERP Integration: Seamless connectivity with SAP and other enterprise resource planning systems.
  • Historian Integration: Connected with PI and XSPOC historians for real-time data access.
  • SCADA Integration: Integrated with supervisory control and data acquisition systems (Ignition, XSPOC).
  • GIS Integration: Connected with geographic information systems for spatial data.