In response to the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF), a forum of The Open Group, many DCS suppliers are defining a new generation of products in which industrial control systems will be virtualized and “software-defined” to a much greater degree than today. This OPAF effort was initiated by ExxonMobil in 2016. This largely end user-driven initiative seeks to define “a standards-based, open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture that applies across multiple process industries.” The functions of any DCS in today’s plants could be replaced by these new systems, which consist of both servers and small automation edge devices. ExxonMobil sees its existing industrial control system (ICS) applications moving gradually from the installed DCS to these small devices or to on-premise, high-availability servers that can virtualize them.

or end users of process safety systems, cybersecurity certification should be a primary concern, especially after the costly TRITON/TRISIS malware incident that happened in the Middle East this past year. The emergence of TRITON/TRISIS adds a new dimension to the discussion of ICS and SCADA cybersecurity. Safety systems are not immune to cyber-attacks. As a result, end users will have to take a more considered approach to everything from management of change procedures to integration of process control and safety systems.

With today’s gradually improving prices, ARC has observed an increased focus on offshore and subsea drilling.  Renewed investments in deep water and ultra-deepwater projects by major oil & gas companies should help drive a recovery in the market for subsea control systems.  

Today’s gradually increasing oil prices have helped drive economic growth in energy-producing nations and supported renewed growth in the global operational technology (OT) industry.  However, rising energy prices have not been so good to countries such as India, which – while a major energy consumer – is neither a major energy producer or global OT supplier.  In fact, the rising fuel prices are putting additional pressure on India’s falling rupee.

Digital transformation has become an imperative for industrial companies and infrastructure operators.