creating a digital twin
Project Overview
Fox & Waterman served as the 100% developer, financier, and owner of a next generation digital twin platform built in Europe to support the operations, optimization, and long-term performance of a major refinery located in the Middle East. The refinery itself is a strategic asset that Fox & Waterman co owns and originally designed, built, and commissioned, making the digital twin a natural extension of the company’s development and operational capabilities.
Duration: Multi-year digital development and integration program
Location: Digital Twin Development in Europe, and Refinery Supported in the Middle EastClient / Partner: Refinery co owned by Fox & Waterman and regional partners
The Challenge
The refinery required a sophisticated, real time digital environment capable of:
• mirroring physical operations• predicting performance issues• optimizing throughput and energy use• supporting operator training• enabling scenario modeling for planning and risk management
Traditional monitoring systems were insufficient for the complexity and scale of the asset. The solution needed to be high fidelity, predictive, and fully integrated with live plant data.
Our Role
Fox & Waterman led the entire digital twin development lifecycle, including:
1. Platform Architecture & Design
• Defined the digital twin’s functional and technical architecture• Built a high resolution virtual model of all refinery units and systems• Integrated process engineering models, control logic, and operational workflows
2. Full Financing & Ownership
• Financed the entire digital twin development independently• Retained 100% ownership of the platform• Structured long term service and integration arrangements with the refinery
3. Data Integration & Modeling
• Connected the digital twin to live plant data streams• Built predictive models for equipment health, energy consumption, and process optimization• Developed simulation environments for planning, training, and scenario analysis
4. Deployment & Operational Integration
• Implemented the digital twin across refinery operations• Trained engineering, operations, and maintenance teams• Integrated the platform with existing control systems and performance dashboards• Established continuous update and model refinement cycles
impact
The digital twin transformed the refinery’s operational model by enabling:
• real time visibility across all units• predictive maintenance and early warning alerts• optimized throughput and energy efficiency• reduced downtime and improved reliability• advanced operator training through simulated scenarios• long term planning and risk modeling
This project positioned the refinery — and Fox & Waterman — at the forefront of new age industrial technology, combining deep development expertise with cutting edge digital innovation.