Oil & Gas

AI and machine learning are no longer buzzwords in plant reliability; they’re game changers. By predicting failures before they happen, uncovering hidden patterns in data and powering digital twins, these tools are helping operators cut costs, boost uptime and strengthen safety.

Predictive Maintenance

Instead of waiting for equipment to fail, AI uses algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models to predict failures in advance. This allows maintenance teams to intervene just in time, avoiding costly downtime.

Automated Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Traditional FMEA is labor-intensive. With AI:

• Natural language processing (NLP) extracts failure modes and mitigating actions from logs and documents.
• Machine learning (ML) ranks failure modes by frequency and severity.
• Engineers can update risk registers faster and with more accuracy
• Establish and manage a dynamic FMEA library

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) 

Failures rarely happen in isolation. AI-powered RCA uses pattern recognition and data mining across multiple systems to identify not just what failed, but why. This accelerates investigations and prevents repeat issues.

Digital Twins

AI helps power virtual replicas of physical assets or systems. By combining live sensor data with predictive models, digital twins can:

• Simulate on historical data providing “what-if” scenarios.
• Suggest prescriptive actions.
• Enable real-time diagnostics and scenario planning.

Quality Control and Inspection

Computer vision, powered by deep learning, enables automated defect detection. From weld inspections to corrosion monitoring, these systems catch anomalies earlier and more consistently than human inspectors, reducing error and increasing throughput.

Designing the Optimal Reliability System Landscape

In industries such as LNG, where downtime can mean millions lost each day, reliability cannot be left to chance. Building an optimal reliability system landscape means integrating people, processes and technology into a single, connected ecosystem. This holistic approach ensures that decisions are data-driven, risks are minimized and every part of the plant lifecycle – from design to decommissioning – is supported by reliable systems.  Embedding AI into the people and technology process ensures greater success and adoption.

Core Components of the Reliability System  

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM)

An Enterprise Asset Management system acts as the central nervous system of plant reliability. It houses all asset data, work orders and maintenance schedules in one platform. Solutions such as HxGN EAM provide visibility across the entire asset base. By digitizing work orders and automating preventive maintenance, HxGN EAM ensures consistency and reduces the risk of overlooked tasks.

AI/ML Predictive Analytics Platforms

EAM is most powerful when paired with advanced predictive analytics. Tools such as HxGN APM apply machine learning to sensor data, maintenance records and operational histories. These platforms detect anomalies, forecast equipment failures and estimate remaining useful life (RUL). This allows operators to move from scheduled maintenance to condition-based interventions, cutting costs while improving uptime.

Hexagon’s AI + Reliability Footprint 

System Integration 

Maximizing reliability depends on connectivity. By linking HxGN EAM with the following systems, organizations ensure data consistency and operational resilience. For example:  

• Historian data for time-series equipment performance.
• Alarm management such as Hexagon’s PAS AlarmManagement™ solution, powered by the PlantState Integrity™ (PSI) platform, is designed to tackle alarm fatigue, improve operator awareness and align with industry best practices. 
• Commissioning and handover systems, such as Hexagon’s Intergraph Smart^® Completions captures as-built data.
• Learning management systems including Hexagon’s AcceleratorKMS^® to ensure operators and technicians are properly trained on accurate procedures.
• Operations management tools such as Hexagon’s j5 Operations Management Solution digitalize and standardize critical plant communication and recordkeeping. It replaces fragmented spreadsheets, paper logs and ad hoc systems with structured, auditable workflows. These solutions also include critical functions such as Lock Out, Tag Out (LOTO) and permitting.
• Safety systems – including SIS, ESD and F&G – unite reliability and compliance into a connected, cohesive framework. This ensures that every decision – from maintenance scheduling to safety testing – is informed by the same reliable data.

By integrating HxGN SDx2 as the data and process backbone, operators can integrate across tools creating a fully connected, insight-driven reliability infrastructure for a true Smart Digital Reality^TM. This ensures every decision is based on accurate, connected information – driving safer, more reliable operations.

Advanced Sensors and Digitization

Sensors are the front line of reliability. Advanced vibration, pressure, temperature and acoustic sensors feed real-time data into analytics platforms. Combined with digitized processes (inspection checklists, work orders, compliance records), they enable consistency, reduce human error and enhance margin improvement. In LNG, sensors monitoring cryogenic cycling or boil-off gas recovery directly prevent safety incidents and production losses.

Why a Reliability System Matters

When these elements work together, the result is a proactive reliability ecosystem. Instead of chasing failures, operators anticipate them. Instead of siloed data, leaders see a single source of truth. And instead of treating reliability as a maintenance task, it becomes a driver of profitability, safety and resilience.

“Digital twins and predictive analytics aren’t buzzwords anymore – they’re essential.” – LNG Executive

Conclusion

Reliability is no longer just about avoiding downtime – it’s about protecting revenue, safety and reputation. The plants that succeed in 2026 and beyond will be those that:

• Design for reliability from the outset
• Leverage predictive maintenance and AI to reduce unplanned downtime
• Foster a culture of reliability where leadership, strategy and accountability align

In today’s competitive environment, reliability is the difference between surviving and leading.

Are you ready to build a reliability-first strategy? Explore Hexagon’s Digital Solutions and contact us to learn more today!

Rediscover: Part 1, Plant Reliability: Your Biggest Untapped Revenue Lever and explore how downtime, safety risks and poor reliability practices silently drain millions in lost revenue—and why addressing reliability early delivers lasting business value. Or check out Part 2: Building a Holistic Reliability Strategy and see how leading organizations integrate people, processes and technology to create proactive, data-driven reliability across the entire asset lifecycle.