What is the expected profitability of Emerson Electric Company (EMR) once the industry starts spending money on upgrades and efficiency improvements 
he -- it is going to change the mix. It's going to change -- you're not going to see a lot of new energy resources go into play. What they're going to figure out how to do is get more out of it, more efficiency, more productivity state [Phonetic] and all those different things which will be good for us. It's a good thing, other than the fact that there won't be any new fields for many, many years for us to deal with from an installed base. So, we'll be -- the KOB3 will become more and more significant for us and the upgrades they're going to have to spend around that to be -- from a productivity and quality and safety issue, which are all good things for us because that's not a jump ball-type of big project, it's going to be -- you're going to be mining your installed base. And we have the strongest, the strongest by far of the global service support organization around the world for all the oil and gas industry. And as you know, we've been making huge investments in that over the last couple of years and that will really pay dividends for us as they start changing that mix. But that's why I think what's going to happen is, we'll see that industry continue to shrink relative to investments, but our profitability should be pretty good once they start spending that money. So, that's the way I see it.
Lal, what are you hearing from your guys in the field right now?
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
Yeah. I think that's right, David. Just three things to add there, Andrew. The first is, I still believe and we still are executing around the investments for the globalization of natural gas.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Correct.
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
Methane will continue to be a viable energy source in industry and in power generation combined with cycle and we're seeing those investments continue, be it at Exxon, Shell, anyone around the world. So, that's important to note that it's not purely an oil and gas across the board. The second is the technology investments that drives reliability, safety, smart operations are still -- will continue to be very viable. A lot of those fall within our digital transformation business and we continue to see those go forward.
And then lastly, Andrew, we talked about a little bit earlier is the applicability of our technology for the decarbonization efforts.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Correct.
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
For the sustainability efforts that these customers are driving and a very broad set of applications which we'll flesh out in more detail for you in February and highlight but that's an opportunity for us to change our mix within the customer spend.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
So, all the big oil and gas customers right now are engaging pretty heavy with Stuart Harris and Lal's business profile on digitalization and how they're going to try to reduce their carbon use. And that's where -- that's a benefit to us because it's a sensor business. It's more of a technology business and we're -- that's our strength. So, as that shift happens, we'll still have pretty good sales and we'll definitely have better profitability over the long-term. So, it is a shift that we're all going through, but I think it's going to benefit us as a Company, given our presence and our digitalization position and all the things we've been doing relative to that over the last 20 years. I like the hand we have right now.
Andrew Obin -- Bank of America -- Analyst
Got you. And just a follow-up question on Commercial & Residential Solutions. Asia and Middle East and Africa down. Just a little bit surprising given the pace of recovery in China. Is it China, is it something else and maybe more color on what's happening specifically -- what are you seeing in China specifically? Thank you.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Go ahead, Jamie.
James Froedge -- Executive President, Emerson Commercial
he -- it is going to change the mix. It's going to change -- you're not going to see a lot of new energy resources go into play. What they're going to figure out how to do is get more out of it, more efficiency, more productivity state [Phonetic] and all those different things which will be good for us. It's a good thing, other than the fact that there won't be any new fields for many, many years for us to deal with from an installed base. So, we'll be -- the KOB3 will become more and more significant for us and the upgrades they're going to have to spend around that to be -- from a productivity and quality and safety issue, which are all good things for us because that's not a jump ball-type of big project, it's going to be -- you're going to be mining your installed base. And we have the strongest, the strongest by far of the global service support organization around the world for all the oil and gas industry. And as you know, we've been making huge investments in that over the last couple of years and that will really pay dividends for us as they start changing that mix. But that's why I think what's going to happen is, we'll see that industry continue to shrink relative to investments, but our profitability should be pretty good once they start spending that money. So, that's the way I see it.
Lal, what are you hearing from your guys in the field right now?
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
Yeah. I think that's right, David. Just three things to add there, Andrew. The first is, I still believe and we still are executing around the investments for the globalization of natural gas.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Correct.
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
Methane will continue to be a viable energy source in industry and in power generation combined with cycle and we're seeing those investments continue, be it at Exxon, Shell, anyone around the world. So, that's important to note that it's not purely an oil and gas across the board. The second is the technology investments that drives reliability, safety, smart operations are still -- will continue to be very viable. A lot of those fall within our digital transformation business and we continue to see those go forward.
 And then lastly, Andrew, we talked about a little bit earlier is the applicability of our technology for the decarbonization efforts.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Correct.
Lal Karsanbhai -- Executive President, Emerson Automation Solutions
For the sustainability efforts that these customers are driving and a very broad set of applications which we'll flesh out in more detail for you in February and highlight but that's an opportunity for us to change our mix within the customer spend.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
So, all the big oil and gas customers right now are engaging pretty heavy with Stuart Harris and Lal's business profile on digitalization and how they're going to try to reduce their carbon use. And that's where -- that's a benefit to us because it's a sensor business. It's more of a technology business and we're -- that's our strength. So, as that shift happens, we'll still have pretty good sales and we'll definitely have better profitability over the long-term. So, it is a shift that we're all going through, but I think it's going to benefit us as a Company, given our presence and our digitalization position and all the things we've been doing relative to that over the last 20 years. I like the hand we have right now.
Andrew Obin -- Bank of America -- Analyst
Got you. And just a follow-up question on Commercial & Residential Solutions. Asia and Middle East and Africa down. Just a little bit surprising given the pace of recovery in China. Is it China, is it something else and maybe more color on what's happening specifically -- what are you seeing in China specifically? Thank you.
David N. Farr -- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Go ahead, Jamie.
James Froedge -- Executive President, Emerson Commercial