KBC (A Yokogawa Company) announced the launch of Maximus® 7.6, its advanced modelling and flow assurance platform tailored for upstream oil and gas operations. Designed for production and flow assurance engineers, the new release bridges the gap between early field planning and real-world operations. Maximus 7.6 simulates the entire production system—from reservoir to process. By integrating live field data, it empowers operators to monitor performance, validate design assumptions, and optimize operations with confidence.
Tackling Downtime with Smarter Tools
A major challenge in upstream operations lies in the disconnect between planning tools and daily asset management. A Kimberlite study, cited by Processing Magazine, reports that offshore facilities experience an average of 27 days of unplanned downtime annually, costing up to $38 million per site. Maximus 7.6 directly addresses this challenge. By combining advanced thermodynamic and hydraulic modeling, it enables engineers to accurately assess system behavior. It also helps identify risks before they escalate and achieve production targets more reliably.
Unifying Engineering Models with Real-Time Data
“Maximus 7.6 brings continuity to upstream operations,” said Alessandro Speranza, Ph.D., Global Technology Portfolio Manager at KBC. “By unifying engineering models with real-time data, our solution gives teams the confidence to act quickly, mitigate risks, and optimize performance across the full asset lifecycle,” Speranza added. With its built-in flow assurance capabilities, Maximus 7.6 allows engineers to run “what-if” scenarios—simulating issues such as solids formation, corrosion, and flow instability. These insights provide actionable guidance for operational decisions and long-term reliability.
Enhanced Features for Smarter Operations
Maximus 7.6 comes with a suite of new features designed to improve accuracy, streamline integration, and support energy transition initiatives:
*Well Performance: Validates design and operating conditions against actual well behavior to align operations with optimal performance.
*Flow Tuning: Automatically adjusts correlation parameters to match field data, ensuring accurate flow rate and pressure predictions while minimizing flow assurance risks.
*VLP Import: Imports well performance curves from external models for seamless integration.
*CCS, Hydrogen, and Natural Gas Transport: Enhances physical property data and thermodynamic modeling for greater accuracy in low-carbon energy projects.
*Caltec Subsea Jet Pump: Enables advanced modeling and simulation of subsea jet pump systems, boosting production in low-pressure wells while reducing carbon emissions.
Deployment Options and Strategic Vision
Maximus 7.6 is available on-premise and as part of the KBC Acuity™ Industrial Cloud Suite, offering flexibility in deployment. As per the press release, the launch strengthens KBC’s broader mission of leveraging simulation-driven performance, operational insight, and smarter decision-making. It supports the company’s vision of Bringing Decarbonization to Life®.
