To talk about Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) , every body would think of petroleum. That is right but not enough. Petrolimex has many other aspects in which Information and Automation Technology is a field of spearhead which Petrolimex has nurtured over nearly twenty years ago. On the occasion of ten years anniversary of Petrolimex Information and Telecommunication Company (PIACOM) (Aug.19, 2003-Aug.19.2013) , the journalist of Industry and Trade Periodical (ITP) had an interview with Mr. Phan Thanh Son, Director of PIACOM on this matter.

Journalist: First of all, ITP would like to congratulate you and the staff of PIACOM on the occasion of ten years anniversary. And thank you for the interview. If you use a single sentence to tell about PIACOM, what would it be?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son: Thank you and the ITP. With regards to PIACOM, there are many things to talk about, however if I use only one sentence, it would be:” We are Petrolimex”.

Director Phan Thanh Son

Journalist:Many people are not clear about PIACOM, as well as its practical works . What is the product that makes PIACOM different?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son:PIACOM is working in Information and Automation field. We mature from Petrolimex. Since 1996, Vietnam National Petroleum Corporation (now Vietnam National Petroleum Group) established Petrolimex Information and Automation Center. In compliance with the guidelines of the Prime Minister, the First General Meeting of Shareholders on Aug. 19, 2003 unanimously established Petrolimex Information and Telecommunication Joint Stock Company, abbreviated as PIACOM. And August 19 is the founding anniversary of our company. We are prouder because it is also the anniversary of the August Revolution.

Our main activities are the application of information and automation technology in petroleum production and business.

Chart of growth of revenue, benefit and budget contribution,2008-2012 by PIACOM

There is really a difference in each PIACOM product. Every product by PIACOM is the integration of IT with automation, advanced technology with production and business experience gained over many years by Petrolimex. This is really valuable because not all IT enterprises in Vietnam have the experience in petroleum management like Petrolimex with its long history in petroleum business.

Journalist: Would you give names of products that differentiate PIACOM?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son: We have many products but the ones that make PIACOM different over the past ten years are:

With regards to IT, we had Petrolimex Information System (PIS), Petrolimex Business Management (PBM), Service Stations Management System (EGAS), in which the PBM controls 2 main areas of business and accounting. PBM has been applied since 2000; and this is very practical and effective. In 2008 PBM was honoured with Sao Khue Award which is the award of glorification for valuable IT application in Vietnam. The award was the recognition of PIACOM labour and efforts. Most recently, in the position of a sub-contractor, PIACOM together with FPT successfully developed the resources management project (ERP-SAP) at sub-levels: financial accounting, management accounting, storage and procurement management, sales and aggregation. At present PIACOM is now conducting the service stations management system (EGAS) at 2,200 service stations belonging to Petrolimex on a nation-wide scale, and the system of resources management developed by PIACOM for petroleum business enterprises.

Ceremony for golive SAP-ERP by FPT and PIACOM for the 2nd batch at Petrolimex Group

With regards to automation, there were loading automated system (Lerry LAS, Truck LAS, EGAS…) by which the storaging, delivery at depots, terminals and service stations are handled and measured automatically at high precision. At points of delivery PIACOM automation system helps in the automated delivery with high accuracy, at only plus/minus of 1 liter/ time in quantity and plus/minus of 0.25o C in temperature. At service stations, the automation system helps in the total management of sale, incoming and storaging of goods. The automation systems integrated in the internet helps in the distant control of activities at depots and service stations. The use of automation systems , apart from the raising of productivity, helps in the reduction of mistakes and shortcomings in the process of manual operation, contributing to the transparency of oil business.

Introducing automation systems in oil sector

Besides, PIACOM has various advantageous services and products such as operation of datacenter, centralized application like AD, OCS, VoIP , VC, exchange, network security, IT training etc…

TATSUNO team exchanging with PIACOM engineers about automation integration at service stations

Journalist: To gain the status of today, PIACOM has got the cooperation of big partners and customers, is that right?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son: That is right. We had Petrolimex, PetroMekong, Hai Linh Company Limited, Laos Petroleum Company… as our customers. We had Microsoft, HP, IBM, Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Phoenix Contact, FPT… as our partners.

Journalist: In your opinion as the Director, what made PIACOM successful?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son: I was introduced by Petrolimex leadership to work in the Board of Management of PIACOM as the Director since 2008. .
To talk about “success-failure”, I think, that is the man that decides. To have the status of today, first of all, that is thanks to the strategic vision of Petrolimex leadership. After that, that is the inheritance and development by younger generations of precious experiences of former generations Next to it , the stength of the collective and each and every member of the staff is brought into full play.

In the information and automation fields, I roughly divide into 3 groups: The creative group (IT group) , the construction group (engineers group) and the admin and human resources group. From that point, suitable ways of working were drawn. To put in a nutshell, to manage an enterprise is to manage the relations between man and man for a common goal of the enterprise, in the interest of partners, customers, shareholders and the society.

Journalist: On the occasion of the 10th anniversary August 19, what would you like to say?

Mr. Phan Thanh Son: I fully respect and thank all organizations and individuals for their contribution to the development of PIACOM as well as to continue receiving their trust and belief in the services and products of PIACOM. Besides, I would like that the leaders as well as nearly 100 IT experts, automation engineers and workers of PIACOM to further their unity and promote their creativeness to build PIACOM to be not only leading enterprise in Vietnam in IT and automation application in petroleum production and business but also move further together with other petroleum enterprises, partners, customers and shareholders.

PIACOM staff on the 9th anniversary of the company

Jounalist: Thank you for the interesting interview.