Technology in the oil and gas industry has been largely focused on digitizing processes and implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the workflow. With the conclusion of another year, the next decade will continue to adopt even more changes with technology and expand on the tools already in place to make mobile field operations more efficient and effective.
Looking forward, here are three trends I foresee making an impact on the way businesses run in the oil and gas field:
Increased mobile capabilities
As technology improves, field personnel will experience increased mobility by utilizing mobile technologies in their everyday workflow. This includes using things like cell phones, iPads, or wearables in order to capture data and increase efficiency throughout the workday. Mobile capabilities will allow for improved processes to be implemented so that workers can make decisions quicker and speed up the overall procedures. This concept will be a motivator for businesses to be more efficient and effective in their everyday actions and operations.
AI enterprise-wide
AI will be implemented at an enterprise-wide level. Management won’t be the only one utilizing and benefitting from data in order to make decisions. Instead, all aspects of the company, from frontline workers to supervisors, will have access to these conveniences. Initiatives to digitalize aspects of the workflow process will take into account field workers and allow for a more convenient set of tools that all coincide with each other. Historically, technology has not been in fieldwork, or if so, it is an antiquated solution. Putting technology and more specifically AI in the hands of workers will empower personnel to document the work they are doing and finish the work effectively. Collecting data from different stages of the well and compiling them into one source of information helps tell an aggregate story that can predict things like daily spend and budget. Ultimately, increasing the use of AI to an enterprise-wide tool coincides with mobile capabilities for all workers, leveraging the ability for improved processes across the board and allows for a detailed and customized pool of information.
Condensed training
Field workers are consistently in demand and teaching new employees how to properly do the job is not an easy or quick task. It takes time, proper tools, and effective methods in order to make sure all personnel is informed on not only workflow processes but also safety expectations. Training for this position will be developed in a more efficient way with the concept of eLearning. The aspect of eLearning is tailored to a younger workforce with a more interactive form of training, involving videos and gamification in order to engage new employees more efficiently. The utilization of quizzes, earning badges, and providing certifications can determine the knowledge and preparation of a trainee. This can also speed up the training process and provide a well-rounded insight into the job, preventing important factors from being skipped over or forgotten. Teaching not only necessary skills but also how to use the proper and required tools and technologies in the training period will allow workers to be comfortable with using these tools in the everyday workflow and keep data flowing in. Overall, there will be a reduction in training time, risk, and the complexity of training.
With the factors of mobile applications, AI capabilities, and eLearning, the oil and gas industry will continue to develop. I believe mobile field operations will adopt these practices in the next year and even decade in order to become a more efficient and effective environment.
 Travis Parigi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at LiquidFrameworks. Travis focuses on growing LiquidFrameworks’s software platform and evangelizing its benefits to customers. He plays an active role in the technology, architecture and overall product vision of the company. Prior to LiquidFrameworks, Travis was a founding member and served as a Senior Engagement Manager for Emerging, Inc., an e-Business professional services firm funded by Austin Ventures and Benchmark Capital with offices across the US. |
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