Shell chooses EPMT tools

EDMvisualExpress™ is being used to develop Shell’s downstream model. When it is completed the data model will be used to specify Shell’s information requirements in all downstream activities, ie the distribution, marketing and sale of energy and petrochemical products.

Matthew West, head of Reference Data Architecture at Shell in London explains: “The data model project is part of a larger project to globalise Shell’s businesses and processes. Traditionally we have customised our systems for particular environments or countries. However, we see that having global processes provide significant benefits, particularly in the field of information technology. That is why we are now developing our processes so that we can operate our businesses in the same way worldwide.”

As one of the developers of the ISO 15926 data model, West believes that if you are going to do something jointly, you have to have a shared language. “In our case that language has its source in reference data, combined with the data model,” he says.

The reference data include all the static data for products, materials and production processes. This is stored in Shell’s database. The data model provides a logical and structured method for identifying and organising the necessary data, as well as specifying Shell’s information requirements with respect to its downstream operations.

West explains that he and his colleagues at Shell wanted to use Jotne EPM Technology, and in particular EDMvisualExpress™, because they had already had positive experience of both the company and the product.

Other important factors in the selection of EDMvisualExpress™ include the fact that it is relatively simple to use and has a good publishing solution. It also allows several models to work with different, but integrated, forms.

Matthew West and his team of developers have been working on a downstream data model since June 2005. “One of our strategies has been to divide the downstream model into forms,” he says. “This makes it possible to give the different forms to different data modellers. We have eight modellers in the team and each one has one or more forms working in parallel. With the capacity afforded by EDMvisual- Express™ we are now able to create references between the forms, which means we can work more efficiently.”