BP Amoco Streamlines Business Operations with E-Business Platform

Strategic Insights -

BP Amoco is joining forces with AppNet to create a business-to-business Web application for its natural gas liquids business, aiming to offer current, top-of-the-minute information to its customers. The new platform, scheduled to debut in late July or early August, will enable real-time interaction between BP Amoco's customers, employees, suppliers, and partners. This move marks a significant shift from the company's previous use of a combination of phone conversations, faxes, e-mails, letters, spreadsheets, and annual reports to conduct daily business with third parties.

Key Takeaways:

  • BP Amoco is partnering with AppNet to develop a business-to-business Web application for its natural gas liquids business.
  • The new platform is designed to provide current, top-of-the-minute information to customers, enabling 24-hour, 7-days a week access to contract details, prices, invoices, and annual contracts.
  • Customers will be able to access information about volumes listed versus contract allocations and truck and rail car activities.
  • The platform will offer a notification service by subscription, allowing customers to receive e-mail notifications for price changes, new invoices, and relevant truck and/or rail car information.
  • The e-business strategy is currently being rolled out in three phases, with the first phase focusing on linking internal systems with third-party users.
  • Other areas of BP Amoco are also developing portals to reach customers, and industry member groups are exploring similar initiatives.
  • The company's goal is to become a technology-driven organization, achieving efficiencies to benefit both internal operations and external customers.

Statistics:

  • The new e-business platform is scheduled to debut in late July or early August.
  • The platform will enable real-time interaction between BP Amoco's customers, employees, suppliers, and partners.
  • BP Amoco has previously relied on a combination of 5-7 different methods (phone calls, faxes, e-mails, letters, spreadsheets, and annual reports) to conduct daily business with third parties.

Sources:

  • Midstream, anonymous source from BP Amoco.