Optimising operations with smart digital reality solutions

In an exclusive interview with Oil Review Middle East, Joseph El Bitar, vice president and general manager of Hexagon, speaks about the company's vision for the Middle East and its smart digital reality solutions

What are your main activities in the Middle East currently, and how do you view the market for developing your business in the region?

Hexagon is the global leader in digital reality solutions, combining sensor, software and autonomous technologies. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, public sector and mobility applications. Our technologies are shaping production and people-related ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous – ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Our main activities in the Middle East focus on supporting the region’s specific needs with advanced digital solutions. We empower customers to unlock data, accelerate industrial project modernisation and digital maturity, increase productivity, and move the sustainability needle.d our footprint by partnering with local stakeholders, governments and industries to accelerate this transformation.

How are your smart digital reality solutions helping companies in the energy sector to enhance safety and efficiency?

Hexagon’s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division has been instrumental in integrating AI and digital solutions to improve efficiency and enhance safety in energy services. One of our flagship initiatives is the deployment of a digital backbone (which is also called digital twin or Smart Digital Reality™), which creates a virtual replica of physical assets and integrates with existing solutions. This digital twin enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and optimization of operational systems, resulting in significant cost savings and reduced asset downtime. We go beyond a mere physical replica to create a comprehensive digital solution.

For example, our collaboration with leading EPCs on AWP, Smart Materials and Smart Completion has achieved remarkable results in projects. By utilising AI-driven analytics and digital workflows, we have streamlined project production management (PPM) and automation in project material management. This has resulted in a reduction in the project timeline and a decrease in material wastage

What are the benefits of your new HxGN SDx2 solution? Are there any other products or enhancements you would like to highlight, and how are advancements in AI and technology impacting your offering?

HxGN SDx2 is Hexagon’s next-level, cloud-native SaaS solution that integrates critical data, promoting transparency, efficiency, productivity, and more informed decision-making while mitigating risks and reducing costs. It reshapes operational boundaries for organisations engaged in digital transformation. Its robust features unveil and nurture previously untapped opportunities, positioning organisations for sustainable profitability through engineering and operational excellence.

The key to HxGN SDx2 is unprecedented accessibility and usability of data. It breaks down information silos across the asset lifecycle and improves the relationship between digital and human workflows across projects, assets, and operations. It forms a ‘digital thread’ of information that grows stronger as more systems connect to it and users leverage its power to better inform their day-to-day decisions and responsibilities.

What was your focus at ADIPEC this year?

At ADIPEC this year, our primary focus was on showcasing autonomous technologies and smart digital reality solutions that address the evolving challenges and opportunities in the Middle East region. With the industry's shift towards sustainability and digital transformation, we presented technologies that enhance operational efficiency, improve safety, and support the global transition to cleaner energy.

This year, ADIPEC's theme – “Exploring the power of energy in accelerating an economy-wide transformation that delivers for people, the planet, and our collective prosperity” – aligns seamlessly with our own vision of creating sustainable solutions for the energy industry.

Our theme for this year, “Two worlds, one sustainable reality,” encapsulates our approach to bridging traditional and emerging energy systems. We focus on integrating cutting-edge technologies, digital transformation tools, and advanced data analytics, with existing infrastructures. By doing so, we aim to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable energy reality –one that balances economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social well-being.