Maintaining peak performance and maximizing operations of these geographically remote rigs was a major challenge due to their disparate technology systems and manual processes. The lack of fully automated procedures, integrated technology across the offshore rig operations led to process inefficiencies, increased costs and production delays.

As an example, business processes such as tracking and scheduling routine rig maintenance, ordering and acquiring parts for malfunctioning instruments, or engaging contract workers required a written service order that was e-mailed to corporate purchasing in order to generate a purchase order. This hours-long process required multiple systems and generated a significant e-mail and paper trail.

Microsoft  SAP Alliance Team worked with the architecture group to craft a vision of a simple but flexible automation architecture backed by a powerful integration solution based on Microsoft and partner products.

framework and platform for integrating outlying systems into its backbone architecture. This two-month initiative enabled the client to create an integrated solution streamlining their service order management system and purchasing system providing the following key benefits:

• Service orders are automatically transferred to the purchase order system, streamlining the request, approval and delivery process

• The robust dashboard provides up-to-date performance data that enables effective forecasting and decision-making

• Customer satisfaction has increased by 15% Average work order process duration was reduced by 40%

• Percentage of automatic updates to SAP with changes from IBM Maximo increased from 0% to 90%

Working closely with members of the client’s architecture team and one of Microsoft’s integration specialists, MPS Partners:

• Seamlessly integrated the client’s existing applications—IBM Maximo for workorder management, SAP for materials management, order processing and financials—into the new architecture

• Incorporated Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) as a composite application environment and BizTalk as an integration platform in this architecture.