Making Informed Decisions in an Emergency.

Case Study: Making Informed Decisions in an Emergency

Learn how SAIM helped to minimize business interruption during an off-spec fuel event at a major airport.

The Situation

The operator of the fuel storage facility for one of the nation’s busiest airports was notified by the upstream terminal that it received fuel that did not meet Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Test (JFTOT) standards. This is one of 16 required criteria to certify fuel to go in an aircraft.

Challenges

Supply chain received fuel that did not meet standards for JFTOT into terminal storage.
The terminal receives Jet-A from a multiproduct pipeline and stores it in dedicated tankage until it can become certified. It is then pushed to the airport.
Two large tanks were impacted and taken out of service. If the tanks were not emptied by the time the next pipeline cycle was scheduled, the pipeline would have to be shutdown.
To avoid impact to flight operations and manage fuel storage reserves, stakeholders needed to quickly identify a plan to address the off-spec fuel.
The situation required 24/7 monitoring for several days.
All stakeholders needed to be kept informed throughout the event, including:
- Local Airport Facility Operator: onsite staff responsible for addressing the JFTOT issue and maintaining routine operations.
- Airline fuel representatives: key decision makers to determine if off-spec fuel would impact ability to support airline operations.
- Fuel suppliers: responsible for maintaining fuel supply to support operations and addressing off-spec fuel.
- Engineering: supporting infrastructure/operational decisions to receive treated fuel at the airport facility.

SAIM Solutions

A protocol was developed where the required additive was injected into the flow stream as the fuel was transferred to the airport.
In parallel, both onsite and remote airport stakeholders used SAIM’s cloud data management features to easily gather information and make informed decisions on how to respond to the receipt of treated fuel.
Airport storage tanks were selected for the deliveries and were to remain quarantined until additional testing could be performed to confirm the fuel met specification.
Mechanisms were added to ensure off-spec fuel was not co-mingled with on-spec fuel.
Projections of on-spec fuel availability were forecasted based upon the duration of the response to the off-spec fuel and future deliveries.

The Impact

Using the SAIM platform, the operator and the Engineer of Record could quickly respond and monitor the situation over several days to address the off-spec fuel and avoid costly interruptions to airport operations. Travel to the location was not necessary, saving crucial time and resources.

Everyone involved had immediate and real-time visualization of the current and historical daily uplift, and the quantity of fuel in storage that was available for use. Models were established of fuel availability based upon varying scenario inputs: actual and projected uplift, tank out of service duration, date/time of next scheduled delivery, and volume of scheduled deliveries.

Data supported informed business decision making and gave airline representatives confidence that it was not necessary to reduce airline flight operations at the airport, which is extremely impactful to nationwide air service and customers. It also helped avoid expensive fuel tankering operations.

Case Study: Monitoring Fuel During a Pandemic

Learn how the SAIM Inventory Module played a critical role in informing fuel storage and supply decisions as consumption halted due to COVID-19.

The Situation

The COVID-19 pandemic caused commercial airlines and airports to experience a sudden, significant drop in fuel consumption. The aviation fuel handling operator at one of America’s largest international airports went from 30,000 barrels of fuel consumption a day to 8,000. Changes needed to be implemented immediately to fuel receipt and storage protocols to avoid safety hazards and costly miscalculations.

Challenges

Previously ordered fuel deliveries were already in route via the pipeline to the tank farm at the airport.
The operator had to decide if it could receive all the fuel without shutting down the receipt pipeline.
Stopping and restarting pipelines is costly and raising fuel levels in the storage tank can jeopardize operations due to high-level (HL) alarm activity.

SAIM Solutions

The SAIM Inventory Module allowed the operator to easily monitor remaining tank storage capacity.
The SAIM Support Team provided immediate, remote assistance.
With clear data, the operator determined the incoming fuel deliveries would well exceed the HL alarm limit.
Accessible, electronic standards documents in the SAIM dashboard helped the operator quickly understand the high fuel level would breach protocols and violate ATA 103.
The data needed to solve this problem was all cloud-based and accessible for all parties involved.
The operator, owner, airport fuel committee and SAIM support team were able to quickly make an informed decision to divert the fuel and shut down the pipeline.

The Impact

The SAIM Inventory Module allows the operator to continuously monitor Days on Reserve to be in control of their supply chain and have foresight on the inventory versus the current demand. In crisis situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, SAIM provided the operator with real-time information to determine their total inventory accurately and to schedule next fuel receipts on an as-needed basis.

The SAIM platform provides transparency for owners to access data remotely, no matter where they are in the world.

Case Study: Evaluating Asset Fitness for Service

Learn how utilizing SAIM data trends helped detect faulty equipment and aided with critical decision making.

The Situation

The operator of the fuel storage facility of a major international airport relies on radar gauges on the fuel tanks to measure fuel level. SAIM collects and archives the fluid level data from these gauges in real-time. Using the live dashboards, SAIM support staff reviewed the historical data and noticed sudden, unusual spikes in fluid level values. They knew it was impossible for a tank to fill up so quickly.

Challenges

By reviewing historical data, the SAIM Support Team discovered the tank’s radar gauge had a glitch that showed false spikes in fuel level data, prompting the need for replacement or repair.
If the gauge continued to malfunction without the operator knowing, the operations parameters would become unreliable.

SAIM Solutions

The SAIM internet-of-things module was able to flag intermittent spikes in the values of gross volume.
By uncovering the incorrect information, the operator can make better, more informed decisions in critical times.
Without SAIM, the typical Human Machine Interface (HMI) would not show granular data and lacks historical trends capabilities. HMI simply displays data, leaving operators with no technical reference for what the quantities really mean.
HMI is also not accessible by remote subject matter experts. SAIM brought critical information to the cloud providing transparency for all stakeholders to see and understand the data and make informed decisions.

The Impact

SAIM is critical for equipment health monitoring, or assets fitness-for-service. In this case, the operator had solid evidence and historical data to engage with the radar manufacturer and request repair of the gauge per warranty.

The process led to upgrading all radars across the tank farm as well as regular maintenance by the manufacturer. SAIM confirmed the levels were accurate and no further anomalies have been detected.

In one sentence, describe the SAIM platform.

The platform is a one-stop application to view everything you need to know about the facility you maintain.

What does your role as Director of Application Development entail?

I oversee SAIM’s cloud infrastructure. I also manage our programmers and code architecture, and verify the cybersecurity implications from both the code and cloud infrastructure.

What do you like most about your job?

I like to know that SAIM is successful and growing from the work I have done with the development team and our business analysts.

What element of the SAIM digital platform has you most excited?

I am excited about the ability to give my input on the new features of our system based on user feedback.

How would you describe the culture of working for SAIM?

Our team is extremely friendly and cooperative. We work as one unit. I like the challenges and opportunities to grow here.

Industry Leaders Bring Strategic Expertise to Drive SaaS Innovation and Scalable Growth.

SAIM President Tina Lux-Boim is leveraging her deep expertise in SaaS business growth and digital transformation as she joins the Argus Companies Board of Directors. With a proven track record of driving innovation and expanding market reach, she will work alongside a distinguished group of industry leaders to help shape SAIM’s future.

Joining her on the Board are the presidents of Argus Consulting and Argus Construction Management, reinforcing the company’s strategic alignment across its subsidiaries. Additionally, two external technology and SaaS industry leaders, Colette LaForce and Scott Coons, have been retained by Argus and the SAIM team to help support strategic growth initiatives. LaForce joined the Argus Companies Board of Directors earlier this year, and Coons will serve as a strategic advisor to SAIM. Both bring a wealth of experience in scaling software companies, driving technological advancements, and unlocking new market opportunities. Their insights will be instrumental in accelerating SAIM’s growth trajectory.

Trip Frizell, a seasoned corporate attorney and business strategist, has also joined the Argus Board of Directors as Board Secretary. His extensive legal and strategic expertise will provide critical guidance, ensuring that SAIM continues to expand in a smart, sustainable, and well-structured manner.

As a subsidiary of Argus Companies, SAIM is poised for significant growth. The expansion of the Argus Companies Board creates a powerful synergy between internal leadership and external industry expertise. This dynamic blend of knowledge in SaaS, innovation, and business strategy will play a crucial role in guiding SAIM’s evolution as a leader in digital innovation for critical infrastructure.

Under Lux-Boim’s leadership, SAIM is not only strengthening its footprint within aviation but also extending its cutting-edge solutions into new industries. She said the new Board members provide valuable insights:

“The counsel, experience and industry know-how of experienced software executives like Colette and Scott and the expansion of our Board will undoubtedly enhance our strategic direction, sharpen our decision-making, and ensure that SAIM’s platform continues to evolve in ways that best serve our clients’ needs.”

LaForce, a recognized expert in SaaS innovation, mergers, and go-to-market strategy—notably in the emerging energy and technology sectors—expressed enthusiasm for SAIM’s potential.

“SAIM is at a pivotal stage in its growth, and I’m excited to help support the team’s journey as a member of the Argus Board. With a solid foundation and a focus on further innovation, the company is in an excellent position to scale efficiently while continuing to deliver real-world value for its clients.”

With this strengthened leadership team in place, SAIM is entering its next phase of expansion with a bold, forward-thinking strategy that combines innovation, market intelligence, and operational excellence to drive continued success.

Kansas City-based Smart Asset Integrity Management LLC (SAIM™) benefits from the experience and knowledge of the facility design engineers and specialists at its parent company, Argus Companies, Inc., a leader in fuels systems infrastructure. For more 30 years, employee-owned Argus has focused solely on program management, design, construction management, and asset integrity management of fuel receiving, storage and distribution facilities and systems.

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Kyle O’Leary serves as Vice President of Revenue & Operations for SAIM, bringing more than 20 years of experience in aviation fuel systems, airline operations, and SaaS-based fuel management solutions. His background across both operational and technology roles gives him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing today’s fuel infrastructure teams.

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In one sentence, describe the SAIM platform.

SAIM is your facility’s digital twin — all of the insight, none of the digging.

What does your role as Director of Business Analysis & Technology Operations entail?

I get to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. One minute I’m helping the team turn business needs into tech solutions, the next I’m making sure our projects and releases are running smoothly. Then, I might be answering support questions or building training so everyone feels comfortable. No two days look the same, and that’s what keeps it interesting.

What do you like most about your job?

It’s like solving puzzles every day. The project managers explain scenarios that pose problems we need to solve. Then, I get to ask questions and work with the team to come up with answers that will help us solve those problems. I am privileged to be the bridge between business and development, allowing me to work with many kinds of interesting people every day.

What element of the SAIM digital platform has you most excited?

What excites me most is our Digital Twin Module — it’s the heart of what makes us different. Everything you need is in one place; no more digging around. We’re also building predictive features to help spot issues before they become problems, and soon we’ll launch our Asset Map so you can see exactly where your moving assets are in real time.

What drew you to begin a career with SAIM?

I was drawn to SAIM because I thrive in fast-paced environments where I can solve problems and help people. I also knew I’d be joining a team where leadership truly values input, which made it the right fit from the start.

Where can you be found when you’re not at work?

Life outside of work is a mix of family time with my husband and our 14-year-old son, marathon training with the San Antonio Roadrunners, and plenty of yoga and meditation to keep me centered. Running helps me breathe easier, yoga keeps me from falling apart, and my family keeps me on my toes.