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... only 24 percent of oil and gas employees reported using AI in their jobs, and 15 percent generative AI specifically
Knowledge transfer
A crucial second step, after knowledge retention, is knowledge transfer: imparting that knowledge to raise the level of competence of the‘ five-year’ average employee to that of a‘ 20-year’ veteran, making best use of available resources.
Artificial intelligence plays a significant role in this shift. Chatbots and other conversational tools are already integrated into digital twins and maintenance platforms, providing process guidance and access to asset data and documentation.
However, the sector still has a long way to go. As of 2024, only 24 percent of oil and gas employees reported using AI in their jobs, and 15 percent generative AI specifically. However, in line with the general population’ s appetite for these tools, the sector’ s workforce was eager to see them adopted: 71 percent of employees believed AI could make them more productive.
Leveraging technology to reduce on-site tasks
Lastly, companies have a strong interest in reconsidering which tasks need to be performed on-site and which could be done remotely.
Recent advances in imaging technologies, such as drones and handheld laser scanning, have helped extend the scope of tasks that can be performed by providing remote workers with a precise picture of the machinery and layout of the site, along with direct access to maintenance history and technical documentation.
These technological advances mean that facilities can be monitored from thousands of miles away and some processes, such as line walks, performed entirely remotely. This perspective is particularly attractive to oil and gas companies, whose sites can be remote and spread across a large territory.
Using imaging technologies like laser scanning data and a digital twin that housed all operational data and documents, Harbour Energy, the largest British North Sea leading North Sea oil and gas producer, was thus able to conduct certain inspections and line walks entirely remotely from India.
This reconsideration will lead to leaner industrial facilities but also to smarter ones. For example, shifting from reactive maintenance interventions to predictive ones prompted by automated data analyses has been shown to drive productivity gains of up to 25 percent according to Deloitte, a consultancy.
Such strategies are part of a broader reconsideration, spurred by the pandemic, of tasks that are unnecessarily laborintensive. The decline of Europe’ s workingage population will accelerate this trend, giving companies that have optimized their operations for leaner, distributed teams and effective knowledge transfer an edge. ■
Adrian Park hexagon. com
Adrian Park is Vice President, Pre-Sales EMIA at Hexagon Asset Lifecycle Intelligence. Hexagon’ s Asset Lifecycle Intelligence division helps clients design, construct and operate more profitable, safe and sustainable industrial facilities. Hexagon empowers customers to unlock data, accelerate industrial project modernization and digital maturity, increase productivity and move the sustainability needle.
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