The existing software for marketing, processing, allocation and billing was completely replaced
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Consolidation of gas sector market processes
The gas infrastructure company Gasunie Deutschland Transport Services GmbH operates a 4.300 kilometer long gas pipeline network. The requirements for gas transmission system operators in the German and European market with regard to data availability, data quality, cost efficiency and automation have continuously increased in recent years. In the case of Gasunie, these requirements resulted in a consolidation of the system landscape. The gas sector market processes were transferred to a completely new, homogeneous IT system and the company‘s existing system infrastructure was completely replaced. In two extensive projects, the legacy systems for marketing, processing, allocation and billing were bundled in Sopra Steria‘s software solution GAS-X Grid.
During the project, the project team had to quickly adapt to the new legal requirements for setting up virtual interconnection points (VIPs). For Gasunie Deutschland, it is a significant advantage to work with only software system and one point of contact for mapping the entire transmission system operator (TSO) process. The system operator is thus technologically and procedurally future-proofed in this IT field for the coming years in order to efficiently map the upcoming requirements in the market environment together with its business partners.
Key points
One software for the entire TSO process chain including remote meter reading, energy calculation (GDM module) and billing (Billing module)
MANGAT project: implementation of the Grid module components for processes following the gas transmission process
VIP project: setup and mapping of virtual interconnection points in GAS-X
MAXIMA project: implementation of the Grid module components preceding the gas transmission process
Challenges
The central challenge for the project team was to merge eight different legacy systems into an all-in-one solution in the GAS-X Grid module. The requirements and wishes of the different internal departments at Gasunie, which handled separate processes and systems before the introduction of GAS-X, had to be reconciled. In the course of the project, the team had to respond to various circumstances. These circumstances included new legal requirements and organisational adjustments in collaboration and project communication via online channels as a result of the Corona pandemic. There was also a change from the waterfall methodology initially used in the MANGAT project to an agile project approach in the VIP projects and in the MAXIMA project.
Our solution
Over a project period of several years, Sopra Steria has consolidated large parts of the process chain at Gasunie Deutschland in GAS-X Grid with the supplementary modules GAS-X GDM, ZFA and GAS-X Billing. In close cooperation with the customer, the project team created a system that maps a large part of the customer’s value chain. From the marketing of capacities, nomination, metering and allocation to balancing and billing, GAS-X controls all relevant processes using a single software system. During the project, the customer also initiated a number of organisational changes in order to be able to react more quickly to new requirements. However, not only the software and the organisation, but also the approach changed during the project - from a waterfall-oriented approach with requirements and functional specification to a completely agile project process. When harmonising the software systems, the project team also took into account future requirements that will become relevant for Gasunie with the completion of Nord Stream 2/ EUGAL.
How we worked together
Consulting and coaching took place in cross-departmental teams, so that organisational changes could be initiated which significantly increased efficiency. The various requirements of the specialist departments were obtained, prioritised, consolidated and optimised within the framework of the projects. Thanks to the successful project results and the respectful cooperation, further joint projects are already planned.
Results and benefits
With the implementation of the GAS-X Grid module, the consolidation of Gasunie‘s gas market processes and the setup of the VIPs are successfully completed. The grid operator now has a uniform software platform that maps all of the company’s gas market processes end to end. The processes in energy volume calculation as well as in capacity marketing and commercial dispatching were restructured in GAS-X.
The development of portal applications for self-service processes and data provision complete the service for Gasunie‘s transport customers. Taking into account the requirements of all departments has also triggered further
organisational change processes at Gasunie.
Working with the Sopra Steria team was and is professional and always fun. I‘m already looking forward to the next projects!
Michael Grenz, Head of Business Systems, Project Manager
About the customer
Gasunie Deutschland is responsible for the management, operation and expansion of an approximately 4,300 kilometer long gas transmission grid in Germany. The pipeline network of Gasunie, one of Europe‘s
leading gas infrastructure companies, is over 17,000 kilometers long. Due to its geographical location, Gasunie’s pipeline network functions as a gas hub for northwestern Europe and
thus makes a significant contribution to security of gas supplies. Gasunie‘s main activities cover two core areas: regulated transport services via the gas transport grids in the
Netherlands and Germany, and other infrastructure services in the energy sector, which Gasunie also offers in cooperation with other partners.
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