Sibur Upgrades Digital Navigation Across Production Sites
Sibur has upgraded digital navigation systems at the Gubkinsky and Belozyorny gas processing plants. At both facilities, the company has updated its system of digital tags used for mobile equipment inspections.
Sibur has taken another step in digitizing routine inspections at its northern assets. A combination of digital tags, a mobile application, structured inspection procedures, and route tracking shifts routine monitoring from paper to a fully digital workflow. The tags help personnel quickly identify inspection points, track required parameters, and confirm route completion.
The solution is specifically designed for harsh northern operating conditions. Tag casings are 3D-printed directly at the plant, allowing rapid adaptation to frost and humidity typical of the region, as well as to mechanical stress. At the same time, these digital inspections are deployed not in office or laboratory settings, but in real hazardous production environments in Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, where equipment reliability, route discipline, worker safety, and resilience to extreme climates are critical. These applied use cases increasingly define the landscape of industrial digitalization in Russia.
Sibur’s mobile inspections are part of a broader digital architecture. The company has long been developing its own tools for inspections, maintenance, IIoT, video analytics, and augmented reality, with some solutions already brought to external markets. This indicates that Russian industry is not only generating demand for IT but also building its own product capabilities.
Navigating by Tags and Color Codes
Digital tags are placed next to process units, pipelines, and other critical production nodes. During inspections, employees scan them using a corporate mobile device. This action provides access to key information – what equipment is located at that point, which parameters must be checked, and what actions may be required. The system also records that the employee has completed the required section and performed the inspection. This type of digital navigation reduces inspection time while making equipment monitoring more transparent.
At the Gubkinsky plant, color-coded tags visually structure the site and simplify navigation. This makes it easier to track which equipment belongs to which area and clarifies accountability among maintenance personnel. The tags themselves are housed in durable plastic casings.
The site also includes tags and codes linked to an on-site weather station. By scanning them, employees can access current weather conditions, helping them select appropriate personal protective equipment for outdoor work.
Adapting the System at the Belozyorny Plant
Deploying the solution at the Belozyorny plant required adaptation. Its operational structure has specific characteristics: while inspection points for plant personnel and instrumentation and automation teams are often located close to each other, they fall under different areas of responsibility. Now, information for both groups is consolidated on a single physical tag, also produced using 3D printing.
As a result, the number of physical tags has been significantly reduced. Navigation across the site has been simplified, and the working environment and logistics have become clearer for employees. The solution also enhances the safety of technological processes.
Drivers Behind the Shift
In 2021, Sibur’s mobile inspection tools were used by thousands of employees across dozens of facilities. The solution was applied for early defect detection and to improve reliability. That same year, the company introduced the solution to external markets.
In 2022–2023, Kazanorgsintez, Nizhnekamskneftekhim, and Sibur-Neftekhim reported measurable economic benefits from digitalization. Tools cited included mobile inspections, digital work permits, wireless sensors, and analytics. The nuclear sector is also moving in this direction. For example, Beloyarsk Nuclear Power Plant has implemented digital equipment inspections and previously reported expanding the number of information terminals along inspection routes.
The Gubkinsky and Belozyorny case aligns with a broader strategy of scaling standardized digital solutions, reflecting both industry-specific and cross-sector industrial trends.
