Technology is advancing at a fast pace. That brings advanced technology in oil and gas industry that is helping to improve efficiency, offer better environments for workers, and create new jobs in the energy sector.
In short, they are helping with the digital transformations of the sector while, in many cases, also helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the business.
Advanced Technology Innovations in the Oil and Gas Industry
The oil and gas industry is growing and changing thanks to advanced technology and IT trends. As a result, these new ideas are making their way into every part of the sector and helping to make it faster and safer.
Digitizing workflows can save time. In addition, implementing data analytics will improve customer satisfaction, help the business save money, and make energy production and distribution more efficient.
Data Analytics and Big Data
There is a huge amount of data created every day, and it potentially holds insights into the processes, customer patterns, and workflows of the industry.
Previously, data analysts would have to break this huge amount of data into smaller and smaller pieces and sometimes lose the bigger picture as a result. Now, improved data storage and methods of analysis have allowed experts to dissect the data without losing its integrity.
Data analytics is this process where data is collected and analyzed. After that, only the meaningful information is extracted from it to be used by the business. The computer analyzing is able to choose the relevant data thanks to AI and other pattern recognition algorithms.
These large data sets, which previously had to be broken down are usually unstructured and unordered, are called big data.
The sets are too large and complex to benefit from regular data processing software and advanced technology innovations in the oil and gas industry has to step in with algorithms, machine learning and advanced computing.
Big data has helped with a foundation of predictive analytics and maintenance. A large data set commonly made is equipment analysis data.
When fed into the analytics, the information is analyzed and used to predict when service is required for the equipment. Otherwise, to know when the equipment will fail before it does so a replacement can be ordered.
This early warning system saves time, reduces downtime, and allows the business to operate smoothly without interruptions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Applications
Like many businesses, the oil and gas sector has adopted AI applications that learn and adapt to new data to boost performance. Data science has allowed companies to optimize drilling operations, implement more efficient workflows, and monitor pipelines in remote locations.
Machine learning applications, a subset of AI, can use models trained on datasets to learn to record and analyze consumption patterns. Thus, they can use the data they organize to control production.
By rewriting production schedules, they can help avoid overproduction and, with a better efficiency even reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The need for programmers to create new situations for AI is creating new jobs in data science. There is an increase in engineer positions with the growth of machine learning and automation, which are used to operate equipment in dangerous and repetitive jobs.
Integrating Renewable Energy and Hybrid Energy
Climate change has dramatically shifted the need for renewable energy and to move away from traditional energy sources. While this change can’t happen overnight, many oil and gas companies are trying to integrate renewable or hybrid energy.
Offshore drilling platforms are turning to wind and solar energy to supplement their needs and the needs of their crews. Likewise, onshore drilling rigs are reducing their reliance on diesel engines and turning toward biofuel hybrids or supplementing with renewable sources.
Supplementing traditional energy sources with renewable sources that have a smaller carbon footprint creates many jobs for engineering graduates, renewable energy students, and those with a knowledge of hybrid energy systems and energy storage.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented reality (AR), which adds to what a person sees in their daily lives, and virtual reality (VR), where a 3D world is created and then places the viewer into it, have become very important parts of the oil and gas sector.
In effect, trainers can teach workers on offshore oil rigs how to complete tasks while they are in the field. Moreover, they can relay instructions in real-time, live on the screen, so workers see them in context. Overall, this wealth of information is helpful for training maintenance workers or assisting in inspections.
VR is useful before employees go out into the field. The virtual environment can be programmed to replicate dangerous situations without any possible harm to the person wearing the headset. It’s a better learning strategy for people who prefer hands-on learning to reading or lectures.
The simulated environment is safe and reduces the need for travel and housing costs during the initial training period. Emergency protocols can be practiced and run through until the worker and company feel comfortable with the outcome.
There is a new training environment being developed thanks to the increasing use of AR and VR. They have started cultivating jobs related to training and development. Graduates with human resources skills could find teaching new workers in a new way interesting and fulfilling.
Cybersecurity Protection
Cybersecurity solutions are any protocols or programs that help prevent breaches of security and work to protect the data and digital infrastructure the business has.
These solutions can include programs like firewalls, or account takeover protection, secured networks, and protection against intentional floods of internet traffic called Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks.
Protecting against cybercrime brings in new jobs for people qualified to protect data against outsiders. IT professionals, data scientists and computer science graduates may find there are oil and gas job vacancies.
Blockchain for Security
Blockchain for security works as a safeguard against fraud and ensures contracts are fulfilled appropriately.
It operates as a tamperproof ledge that ensures everything that goes into it is correct, safe, and properly executed. With some additional layers of cognitive security, the blockchain can record, store, and execute every contract the business accepts.
For smart contracts, equipment sensors pair with the blockchain and ensure that the contract is handled in accordance with its terms. When the full amount is delivered, the system begins the payment process.
Job areas like contract management, computer science, IT security, and supply chain logistics all contribute to new blockchain technology.
Cloud Computing for Collaboration and Data Storage
Cloud computing and greater data storage make many of the advanced technology innovations in the oil and gas industry possible. Being able to store and manipulate big data requires a company to be able to hold that amount of data without loss and work with it.
Thankfully, moving data from local computers to the cloud enables businesses to hold information, move it around, and share it with other business members.
The cloud gives data a centralized location to host information and allow remote working. It also supports the implementation of AR and VR. Because it doesn’t take up physical space, it reduces the cost of physical data storage.
Cloud computing is opening jobs for graduates with experience in cybersecurity, cloud architecture, and collaboration tools. Other programs are also expanding their abilities and allowing access to the cloud to share information.
Robotics and Automation
The oil and gas industry has used robotics for decades to replace humans in dangerous and remote locations. In fact, people have used them for generic and repetitive tasks, and now they are creating them to specialize in just one task.
Where advanced technology steps in to create innovation is that now AI and machine learning are able to control robotics and automations to be efficient and have a smaller carbon footprint.
BP have trialed the AI-driven Spot Robot, created by Boston Dynamics, that can move through a refinery and collect data to analyze for inefficiencies. The same robot could also use that data to alert to potential issues and move workers away from hazardous areas.
These robots and automations could reduce the need for humans in certain areas but it has increased the needs for humans to design, program, maintain and debug them. Thereafter, companies need graduates from systems design programs, programming courses, and computer science degrees.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of devices that connect together to receive and transmit data. The biggest example of this is smart sensors, which companies use all over drilling platforms and oil rigs to expand the abilities of drilling equipment.
The sensors allow operators to read information relating to the drill and characteristics such as temperature, speed, and density of the material. Smart sensors can also work with blockchain to send or receive payment at the appropriate time.
This is a sector with a variety of applicable skills, although many people who obtain these positions look at designing sensor systems and how they work with existing systems.
Skills for a Career in IT in the Oil and Gas Sector
- Digital analysis programs
- AI and machine learning
- Cybersecurity awareness
- Compliance with relevant regulations
- Assessing financial information
- Risk management
- Problem-Solving
- Teamwork
- Adaptability for new technologies
Conclusion
The oil and gas industry is no stranger to a technological trend. If fact, when it comes to these innovations, it’s also embracing the new programs as potentially industry changing pieces of technology.
IT trends are creating new jobs to employ future data scientists and computer science majors and encouraging the development of new data analysis sets. At the same time, cloud computing is making it easier than ever to keep a business global and collaborate anywhere in the world.
