MINING & ResouRcesPoRtfolIo 18/19Committed to solving the problems that really matter for global competitiveness through technology integration www.novasystems.com

MINING & ResouRces

AustrAliA & New ZeAlANd

Mining and Resources companies continue to face significant and sustained challenges against a global backdrop. These encompass: volatile commodity prices; shareholder pressure to meet return on investment targets; an imperative to continue improving perfor-mance in health, safety and environment outcomes; unpredictable and increasing regulatory change and the associated compliance burdens; and, the challenge of rapidly integrating new technologies into increasingly complex operating environments. Adding to this, large corporations are now at the frontline of unprecedented and highly sophisticated cyber crime. Key performance indicators for executives and managers today extend well beyond revenue and profitability.

To help our mining clients meet these challenges, Nova Systems draws upon our deep and world-class systems engineering heritage in the Mining, Aerospace, Defence, Oil & Gas, Power, Water and Rail sectors. We bring a unique, proven and holistic view of the way complex systems interact, assuring the execution of complex capital, technology integration and asset management projects while meeting productivity targets, statutory regulations and safety requirements.

Our people are hand-picked and combine operating experience with highly developed strategic advisory and system engineer-ing capabilities to enable our clients to gain the most value from their assets across the whole asset life-cycle. We work as part of integrated project teams to reliably and consistently develop and deliver projects on time, within budget and to the required level of quality. We have a strong focus on early stakeholder engagement, change management, knowledge and skills transfer and achieving high service standards; measuring our success not just by seeing our clients succeed, but also by an enviable level of new work from previous clients.

We are specialists in the introduction of enabling technologies and are currently working with clients who are bringing world-leading autonomous systems into their operations. Our clients get the most out of working with us through early engagement in the project lifecycle – preferably at the concept stage, where our talents for getting to the core of the issue and crafting the best-fit strategy to deliver the right outcomes delivers them the optimal return. It’s never too late to call us, though. We have helped many clients recover from difficult situations faced well into project lifecycles.

Tim AndersonProgram Manager - Energy & Resourcestim.anderson@novasystems.com

Mining companies must deal with multiple and evolving challenges, all the while delivering:• Continual improvements in safety and environmental performance. • A leaner and more productive workforce, with fewer personnel exposed to site hazards and the psycho-

logical impacts of remote living.• Ongoing cost-of-production improvements to increase profitability.• Faster returns on investment and longer asset lives.• Improved operational adaptability and responsiveness to changing operating and market conditions.• Better and near real-time situational awareness across dispersed operations.• Reliable results and predictable outcomes across all their operations – with no surprises!

Nova Systems sees the future of mining involving:• Fewer personnel on-site and in harm’s way.• Increasingly autonomous production systems that are monitored and controlled remotely, protected from

cyber threats and inherently resilient.• Exponential growth in operational data, providing huge opportunities for improvement through analytics.• Appropriately detailed and fused visibility of mine-to-market performance in near-real time.• Asset health monitoring and predictive maintenance systems that optimise capital expenditure. • Management systems and tools that support flatter, more nimble organisational structures and distributed

decision making, and a single source of truth across the business.• Reduced environmental footprints and potential for unintended outcomes.• Optimisation and decision making supported by digital transformation programs.

MINING & ReSOuRceS

cONTAcT

cONTAcT Tim AndersonProgram Manager - Energy & Resourcestim.anderson@novasystems.com

• Systemsafetyassurance,includingsafetycasesandsafetymanagementsystemsdevelopmentforthemostcomplexoperationalscenariosandsystems.

• Operationalsafetysupport,includingindependentassessment,culturalchangemanagementandleadershipcoaching.

• Operationalresilienceanalysis,includingsupportwithimplementationofim-provements.

• Managementandoperatorsituationalawarenesssupport,includingneedsanalysisandsolutiondelivery.

• Cybersecurityassessmentsandsupporttoimplementdefensivestrategiesandtools.

• Operationalconceptdevelopment,userneedsanalysis,requirementsdefinitionandprocurementsupport,includingtenderevaluationandprojectengineeringmanagementforcapitalprojects.

• Verificationandvalidationservices,includingtestandevaluationsupportencompassingtrialsplanningandexecutionaswellasthedeliveryofbespoke,practitioner-centricleveltrainingintestandevaluation.

• Reliability,availabilityandmaintainabilityservices,includingsparingandsupplychainoptimisationsupport.

• Telecommunicationsengineeringsupport,includingsatellite-basedsystems,encompassingsystemdesignandmodelling-baseddeploymentplanning.

• DynamicsimulationmodellingofoperationsusingModelBasedSystemEngi-neering(MBSE)toolstoallowrapidandnon-disruptiveevaluationofmultiplescenariosforoptimisation.

• Shutdown,recommissionandfieldupgradeandmodificationsplanning.• Unmannedaerialvehiclesfeasibilitystudies,trialsandoperationsmanagement,

includingsupportwithdatacaptureandanalysis.• Digitaltransformation.• Complexproblemsolvingthroughour‘NovaVortex’methodologythatbreaks

downcomplexproblemstogettotherootcauses,andthenmapsoutasystemsapproachtoinnovationandtechnologyintegration.

cAPAbIlITIeS

Nova Systems offers integrated solutions to support our mining clients at every level to confront and overcome the challenges of delivering this future.

We provide comprehensive support ranging from tactical, ‘ground-up’ assistance through to portfolio-wide strategic planning, and have access within the Nova Group of Companies and our technology partners to skills, capabilities and technolo-gies that will help you succeed on many fronts. Nova Systems enables technologies to solve client problems that really matter.

TEST AND EVALUATION TRAINING

Nova Systems was engaged by a large multi-national min-ing company to deliver three-day introductory Systems Engineering and Test & Evaluation (SETE) courses to panels of technical staff from across Australia. The client is renowned for thinking big and relentlessly improv-ing its operations through the application of advanced technology.

Nova is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) offering bespoke, practitioner-centric Certificate IV and Diploma level courses in Test & Evaluation (T&E). As a consulting business that believes in helping our clients become in-formed buyers and operators, we are delighted to be able to offer such training in conjunction with coaching and review services. Many of our clients also learn valuable skills and insights simply by engaging us to perform work. Nova believes that we should not just leave our clients with a report or a document; we aim to help you on a journey to a consistent, controlled and effective approach to dealing with complex problems.

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SYSTEMS THINKING

Nova Systems draws upon our heritage in the Aerospace and Defence industries and systems engineering expertise to provide our clients with objective confidence that new technologies and operationally critical assets meet their intended purpose and achieve improved technical certainty, safety outcomes and cost savings.

We put the problem first, and apply proven tools and techniques to identify and define the operational needs of our clients, translating these into functional requirements from which suitable technology solutions can be selected. Using this approach, technology options can be comprehen-sively and systematically evaluated and the impact of deficiencies can be assessed before lengthy and expensive procurements decisions are made.

A common root cause of complex project failure is not having a complete, concise and correct set of requirements for the system being delivered. More than two out of three complex projects fail to de-liver within time and budget. A systems approach mitigates this likelihood and provides the best pos-sible chance for a project to succeed.

TEST AND EVALUATION TRAINING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Nova Systems has been engaged by multiple major mining companies to assist them introduce autonomous vehicle technology into their operations.

A major mining company had been trialling autonomous haulage but could not effectively measure the benefits and shortcomings of the available solutions. Nova Systems was able to create a set of objective measures for the system performance and then conduct a Testing & Evaluation (T&E) program to evaluate these meas-ures. Nova Systems was a key part of the owner’s team delivering and growing the autonomous haulage capability in the business and taking it from a small-scale trial to a site-wide system critical to productivity.

Nova Systems was engaged to assist the same company to understand and codify the safety systems and controls for autonomous vehicles on the mine site, including haul trucks and surface drilling machines. Through collaboration with the client, we introduced a new methodology and structure that allowed the mining company to easily understand and communicate the safety of these systems, both in terms of design and operation.

Nova Systems is a Partner member of the Australian Driverless Vehicle Initiative (ADVI). ADVI works with government, industry and academia to investigate and ultimately identify options and outcomes to help inform the development of robust national policy, legislation, regulation, facilities and operational processes to bring self-driving vehicles safely to Australian roads.

DIGITAL TwIN AND MODEL BASED SyStemS engineering (mBSe)

Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is an advanced methodology that is used to develop simulations of complex systems. A ‘Digital Twin’ is a software replica of a physical asset, process or system that can be used for various purposes, and is often used for deci-sion support and optimisation studies. In various industrial sectors, Digital Twins are being used to optimise the operation and maintenance of physical assets, systems and manufac-turing processes.

Digital Twins are a formative technology for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), where physical objects can operate and interact with other machines and people virtually.

Nova Systems was engaged to apply our Nova Vortex Methodology to develop an MBSE model of a major upstream gas operation experiencing unpredictable power cost spikes from the national energy grid. Nova Systems worked with the client to build an MBSE model of the operation from the extraction wells through compression and pumping sta-tions to the port operation for liquification and export.

The MBSE model was built using Nova Systems’ Technology Collaboration Partner, PTC, Integrity Modeler platform and allows the client to conduct scenario modelling to develop playbooks, protocols and plans for maintaining production while minimising energy con-sumption, especially during periods of peak electricity prices. Nova Systems continued to collaborate with the client to provide a complete digital asset strategy, including building a digital twin proof of concept.

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uNMANNeD AeRIAl VeHIcleS (uAV) FeASIbIlITY STuDY

As part of a major program to improve efficiencies, Origin Energy decided to investigate the feasibility of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Technologies to cost-effectively replace or enhance current prac-tices in its upstream Coal Seam Gas (CSG) production activities.

Nova Systems was engaged and undertook a multi-phased approach to the UAV Feasibility Study, col-laboratively engaging with Origin Energy stakeholders to understand business needs and to identify a range of key objectives for assessing the value of UAVs to Origin Energy operations.

Nova Systems then engaged with stakeholders across the Upstream CSG business, to identify where potential existed for UAVs to replace or enhance existing processes. Nova Systems combined skills in systems engineering and cost benefit analysis, with expert knowledge of UAV operations, provided Origin Energy with an independent expert view of expected returns on investment.

PROOF-OF-cONcePT MASS-DYNAMIc FlOW MODelINFORMATION & cYbeR SecuRITY

Australia’s cyber security needs are becoming larger, more diverse and more sophisticated as organisations increasingly become subject to evolving and aggressive cyber threats.Information and cyber security in today’s highly networked environments is essential to ensure business continuity. Mining companies, as with other businesses, need to be suf-ficiently resilient to a cyber attack so that critical activities can still be undertaken when operating in a cyber denied environment.

Nova Systems’ Information and Cyber Security Program brings together a capability of highly qualified professionals that has acquired specialised knowledge to support organisa-tions in achieving their objectives.

Nova Systems implements cyber security through a risk management framework that is based on the Australian Department of Defence Information Security Manual methodology. The methodology is best practice in mitigating or minimising the threat to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems. However, there is no one–size–fits–all approach to cyber security due to the varying complexity of different ICT systems. Nova Systems adopts a risk management approach to cyber security providing the flexibility to allow for differences in environment, business operating strategy and the businesses appetite for risk. This approach allows companies to balance the operational and economic costs of informa-tion security measures with the need to protect the information and systems that support their organisational functions.

Nova Systems works with our clients to establish the estimated costs of malicious cyber at-tacks and how to best detect, deter and respond to cyber security threats in the context of the business operating model. The developed mitigation plan provides recommendations that balances the recommended security controls, operational constraints and economic cost.

Nova Systems has extensive cyber security capabilities and experience in accrediting Aus-tralian Department of Defence SECRET systems. Nova Systems is also proud to have been a Gold Sponsor of the inaugural 2017 Defence Industry Cyber Security Challenge, hosted by the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (ACSGN).

Nova Systems was engaged to develop a Proof-of-Concept for a mass-dynamic flow model of a major CSG-LNG gas gathering system. The system resolves mass flow on a faster-than-real-time basis to provide operators with an understanding of the pressure conditions within the gathering system. This enables calculation of the available line pack within the system which is used to predict the survival time of wells given a downstream compression failure or interruption. Accurate prediction of well survival time will provide operators with the confidence to appropriately avoid or delay well curtailment, leading to a reduction in well loss due to compression challenges, without lost production.

The requirement for a detailed operational model was drawn from Nova Systems work to address the gas producer’s Operational Resilience and implemented as a Digital Twin of the gas distribution network. Improved understanding of the gas gathering system, via the Digital Twin, will enable fine control of the upstream asset. This will increase op-erational freedom and allow for better planning of field and maintenance activities. Fine control of the gathering system will enhance operational aspects throughout the asset.

Delivery of the system relied upon Nova Systems strong working relationships with key Technology Collaboration Partners in themodelling and simulation and Internet-of-Things (IoT) industries. As a technologically agnostic solution provider, Nova Systems works with a range of suppliers to always deliver best-of-breed solutions to key clients.

Nova Systems was formed in 2000, rapidly becoming one of the pre-eminent providers of specialist engineering services to the defence sector.

Today, Nova Systems employs more than 500 specialist consultants across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Singapore, collaborating with its blue chip clients across industry sectors including mining, oil and gas, utilities, aerospace, government and rail.

We provide industry and government with world class, independent expertise. We work not just as consultants, but as trusted partners, as committed to your success as you are.

Our size and extensive network allows us to resource project teams tailored to specifically meet client needs and objectives, yet we remain nimble and flexible. We apply innovation and ingenuity, drawing on the talents and expertise of our people, applying cross-sector thinking, national as well as global perspectives and emerging best practice initiatives.

Specialist services

• Commissioning and test• Capability development and delivery• Project development and delivery• Specialist engineering design• Certification and design approvals• Operational and systems safety• Asset management and logistics• Training (registered RTO)

www.novasystems.com

AbOuT NOVA SYSTeMS

MINING | OIL & GAS | POWER | WATER | TRANSPORT www.novasystems.com