With expansion in operations of city gas distribution (CGD) companies, the adoption of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) solutions has been gaining traction. The need for automation has also been increasing in the CGD segment as it leads to better customer satisfaction, facilitates future marketing and business strategies and ensures efficient collection of customer data. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL), which is one of the leading piped natural gas distribution companies in India has started shifting towards IT and OT solutions to enhance its operational efficiency. The company has adopted various technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, smart metering of commercial and domestic connections, compressed natural gas (CNG) optimisation software and automation at CNG stations. The company has also set up various dashboards for different operations. Further, the company collects all operational information and furnishes various reports such as the mother station reports, CTV reports, daughter booster station reports and route reports among others.
At a recent conference on IT OT in oil and gas organised by India Infrastructure Publishing, Pratap Ayarekar, Deputy General Manager, MGL discussed about the various IT OT solutions adopted by the company and the scope of automation in the CGD segment.