Asset Management
Introduction
Energy production and distribution is a highly capital intensive activity. Investments are substantial and span decades, turning investment decisions into a complex strategic process. Operating and maintaining production assets, like oil & gas production facilities, power generation plants, wind farms, LNG terminals etc. is a critical business activity that can make or break the business case behind the investment decision.
Managing a power or gas transport or distribution network that meets demand, is robust, reliable and efficient to operate and maintain, is a critical activity not only from a business perspective, but also for society as a whole. Since power and gas grids are usually seen as “natural monopolies”, states take elaborate regulatory precautions to protect the public interest vested in these assets.
Asset Management is a methodology for making good asset investment decisions and meeting stakeholder requirements. It focuses on properly operating and maintaining physical assets and infrastructures throughout their life-cycle and within a regulatory framework.
Focus
UCPartners focuses on existing assets that are facing significant change from a strategic or regulatory perspective, as well as on relatively new asset categories, especially in the emerging field of renewable energy.
Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and distribution companies have to deal with unbundling and with changing demands from Regulators. Existing and new-build traditional power generators likewise have to deal with changing strategic perspectives and regulation, e.g. around the impact of CO2 credits and emission management. Innovative energy systems, e.g. for burning bio fuels, using solar or wind power, or for building closed-loop energy systems in greenhouses or office buildings, need customised asset management solutions to shorten time-to-market and the route to profitability.
In all these cases, the asset management framework offers support in making the right strategic choices and in managing the asset base to optimise its value for the business. UCPartners carries out or supports asset management analysis and design processes as well as implementation projects in project management roles.
Clients
The asset management model is applied by energy companies in generation, transport and distribution and by OEMs, service providers and contractors that supply energy companies.
Regulators are increasingly using the asset management model as a reference for setting quality and efficiency standards and tariffs. PAS 55 is emerging as a certification standard to demonstrate and sustain asset management best practice compliance, and is consistent with our approach.
Client benefits
By systematically implementing asset management best practices clients:
» Assure regulatory compliance
» Rationalise investment decisions and capital expenditure
» Save operating cost
» Optimise shareholder value
» Assure security-of-supply and public interests
» Optimise make-or-buy decisions and service provider relationships
Asset Management - Client case