NARTC 2026: Operationalising Refiners’ Digital Ambitions

As the refining industry faces growing operational complexity, the conversation around digitalisation is shifting. Digital twins, AI, and data-driven technologies are no longer experimental — but turning them into trusted, day-to-day operational systems, especially during abnormal or high-risk operating conditions, remains a challenge for many organisations.

Ahead of NARTC 2026, we spoke with Miguel Valdez, Vice President, Growth – Americas at Kongsberg Digital, to share his perspective on what matters most right now. The dialogue shifts from ambition or experimentation towards execution: embedding digital capabilities into real workflows, supporting operational decisions, and scaling systems that can be relied on under real-world conditions and at scale across assets and sites.

Below, Miguel outlines expectations for NARTC 2026 and explains why the next phase of digital progress will be defined by what works in operations.

Q: What are you hoping to achieve at NARTC 2026?
A: NARTC is a chance to engage in practical, grounded conversations about how digital technology is being used in real operations today. There’s a lot of momentum around digital twins and AI, but also a shared understanding that value only comes when these capabilities are applied to real decisions and workflows. We’re excited to connect with teams who are working through that transition and to share what we’re seeing work across different operational environments including complex activities like turnarounds and major maintenance events.

Q: What conversations are you most looking forward to?
A: We’re particularly interested in conversations with operators and leaders who are moving beyond pilots. The most meaningful discussions tend to focus on execution — how digitalisation shows up in day-to-day operations, how context is maintained across systems particularly in centralised or remote operations environments, and how decisions are supported end-to-end. These conversations often centre on reliability, resilience, and performance under real constraints.

The conversations that matter most are the ones rooted in real operations and shared experience.

Q: What should attendees expect from Kongsberg Digital at the event?
A: A grounded, experience-based perspective. We’ll be sharing how operational digital twins and the industrial work surface being used today to support planning, optimisation, and response including high-risk, time-critical operational scenarios — not as standalone tools, but as part of integrated operational workflows. Just as importantly, we’re keen to listen and learn from others about what’s working, where friction remains, and how digital capabilities are being scaled responsibly.

Q: How does NARTC fit into your outlook for 2026?
A: It aligns closely with what we’re seeing across the industry. There’s a clear shift towards strengthening core operations while being more deliberate about how innovation is applied. The focus is moving away from isolated initiatives and towards operational systems that improve decision quality, resilience, and confidence over time not just at individual units, but across entire operations.

Final Thought
Ultimately, what makes events like NARTC valuable is the focus on what actually works. As the industry continues to balance reliability, digitalisation, and change, the conversations that matter most are the ones rooted in real operations and shared experience especially where execution under pressure defines outcomes. That’s the dialogue we’re looking forward to contributing to.

Event Information
Kongsberg Digital will be participating in NARTC 2026 February 10-12 in Houston, Booth 29. . Attendees will have opportunities to connect with the team and continue conversations around operational digital twins and data-driven decision-making.

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