A systematic review of Industry 4.0 maturity models: applicability in the O&G upstream industry

Purpose: The study aims to review the currently available Industry 4.0 (I4.0) maturity models (MMs) for manufacturing industries and analyse their applicability in the oil and gas (O&G) upstream sector. Knowing that the growth in demand for energy through crude oil and natural gas is still viable over the next decade, there is the drive to ensure sustenance and improvement in production. The study sees an opportunity in harnessing the gains of Industry 4.0 technologies for better solution-driven strategies in production processes, equipment availability and reliability which would translate into higher production performance. So, a review on the Industry 4.0 MMs is considered important. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic and in-depth literature review was performed to identify the specific requirements of this industry. This study examined the key characteristics of the O&G upstream sector and identified research gaps that need to be addressed to successfully support this industry for Industry 4.0 implementation. An Industry 4.0 MM that reflects the industrial realities for this industry more accurately from insights drawn from reviews of existing MMs is proposed Findings: The review of 19 selected Industry 4.0 MMs revealed that the existing MMs are not a direct fit for the O&G upstream industry. Only a few of the models were clear on validation but with subjectivity, low number of persons and industries involved as limitations; none of the models confirmed validation with the O&G industry. There are varying views on the model dimensions and maturity levels by each author and not all required areas specific to the O&G industries were acknowledged by the models. An MM specific to this industry is therefore required. Originality/value: Although the journey of digitisation has commenced in the O&G industry, a reduction with the challenges of transition towards Industry 4.0 implementation and provision of support for improved efficiency is assured using a robust MM, as proposed in this paper.