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Wael Radwan, country sales director Rockwell Automation. (Image source: Rockwell Automation)

Wael Radwan, director, software and control and intelligent devices for Middle East, Türkiye and Africa at Rockwell Automation, highlights the shift to targeted digitalisation that delivers measurable ROI and enables future-ready autonomous operations

In a sector accustomed to long project timelines and substantial capital outlay, Middle East oil and gas operators are now applying even more strict investment discipline. Digital initiatives must demonstrate their value through clearly defined returns, not merely conceptual promise. Every project must now serve a multi-dimensional purpose, supporting profitability, reducing emissions, strengthening compliance and enhancing resilience. A digital solution that cannot fulfil those aims does not survive the business case. In contrast to earlier waves of digital adoption which were about exploring potential, what matters now is performance, efficiency and bottom-line value. Pilots and proof-of-concept studies have become essential tools for determining the viability of new technologies. If the data does not back the decision, the deployment does not proceed.

One recent successful pilot, undertaken by a national operator in the Gulf, trialled model predictive control (MPC) in a brownfield upstream facility to improve energy utilisation, opening the door to broader autonomy discussions across the asset portfolio. These pilots are now becoming the currency of confidence, demonstrating value in operational terms before scaling further.

From automation to autonomy

Automation has long been embedded across the Gulf's oil and gas infrastructure, but the future lies further along the spectrum, with autonomy, which represents a strategic response to some of the region's most pressing operational challenges. Remote assets, hazardous environments and constrained technical labour pools all favour solutions that reduce reliance on human presence.

Unmanned operations are no longer an aspiration; they are entering deployment. In one offshore pilot, an autonomous robot has been deployed to monitor pipeline integrity, replacing routine manual inspection. The robot patrols assigned zones, records video and sensor data, and integrates this information into the control system, eliminating the need for helicopter-supported human intervention. The cost and safety implications are profound.

In another case, robotics is being tested in high-temperature process units where human access is restricted. Temperatures exceeding 500°C and strong electromagnetic fields make maintenance work dangerous and infrequent. By using robotic platforms coupled with intelligent control software, inspections are being conducted without shutdown, significantly improving equipment uptime and reducing operational risk.

This step change from automation to autonomy is underpinned by increasingly sophisticated digital architectures. It is no longer just a matter of automating manual steps. It requires systems capable of interpreting alarms, predicting failure modes, and executing closed-loop responses without human command. These are currently being piloted, with the Middle East's largest operators leading the charge.

Data without context is not intelligence

The foundations of autonomy, and indeed all ROI-based digitalisation, depend on the ability to contextualise data. Oil and gas assets generate enormous volumes of sensor, process and transactional data. But raw data is not intelligence. It must be connected, contextualised and made accessible across operations. Contextualised data is the enabler of predictive asset strategies, advanced planning models and autonomous control.

Many Gulf operators still contend with fragmented data environments. OT and IT systems remain siloed. Cloud strategies are currently under development but not yet universally adopted. This fragmentation impedes predictive maintenance, slows root-cause analysis and creates decision-making bottlenecks.

To address this, operators are investing in unified data platforms that consolidate operational and enterprise data into a single, structured layer. A major pilot project underway in the UAE involves aggregating data from multiple upstream installations into one real-time environment. The aim is to transition from a system of fragmented visibility to one of integrated insight, where data from production, maintenance, energy management and logistics can be analysed collectively to drive better outcomes.

Trust is also evolving. Historically, there was deep scepticism toward cloud-hosted industrial data. Concerns around ownership, security and transparency were barriers to adoption. That resistance is diminishing. Operators are becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea that cloud platforms can offer not only flexibility and scalability but also security and control, provided that governance frameworks are in place.

Consultancy over technology

The shift from trend-based to outcome-based digitalisation has also reshaped how technology is delivered. There is growing recognition that digital tools are only as effective as the strategies behind them. This has driven increased uptake of digital consultancy services, where solutions are co-designed with operators around their specific goals, asset constraints and regulatory context.

For oil and gas producers in the Middle East, this consultancy-led approach is proving essential. The region's operators face unique challenges, including environmental, geopolitical, and infrastructural ones, and there is no single blueprint for transformation. Effective digitalisation must be locally informed and globally benchmarked.

Recent engagements have focused on redesigning operations around ROI-centric principles. Rather than starting with a technology suite, consultants begin with operational KPIs, production targets, energy efficiency thresholds, and maintenance budgets and work backwards to identify the digital tools that best support those goals. This approach avoids over-investment, accelerates value and reduces resistance among internal stakeholders.

Energy management is a key area where consultancy is delivering results. By applying machine learning and data modelling to existing instrumentation data, operators are identifying inefficiencies previously hidden in the noise. The result is not just reduced energy expenditure but also improved emissions performance and enhanced reporting capabilities for regulators and investors alike.

As these digital strategies mature, modular platforms are allowing operators to scale their transformation gradually, starting with monitoring, progressing to analytics and ultimately embedding AI in control decision-making. This staged approach supports faster ROI realisation while building the digital confidence needed for more ambitious moves toward autonomy.

ROI is the new currency of transformation

Flashy dashboards, pilot projects with unclear value, or technology for its own sake no longer pass muster. Every deployment must deliver clear, measurable outcomes. ROI is not a hopeful result, it is the starting condition.

The operators that will thrive in this next phase are those that treat digital not as a silver bullet but as a structured discipline. They will define business objectives first, validate solutions through field-tested pilots, and scale only what works. They will integrate data at every level, automate where it makes sense, and explore autonomy where it drives true business advantage. They understand that smarter production and faster payback are not just aspirations; they are realities and requirements. And they are achievable if you start with value and build from there.

The new system support remote operations. (Image source: FET)

Forum Energy Technologies has launched its next generation remotely operated vehicle (ROV) control system – ICE Unity

The system, introduced in response to the growing demand for data and control access from outside the main control system, can be rolled out across FET’s range of ROVs, which support underwater industry applications globally. It is compatible with the latest sensors and tooling.

Key features of ICE Unity include:
• A modern user interface with physical and touchscreen controls;
• One common user interface across different ROVs, minimising operator training;
• Network connectively which allows for remote operations as well as live streaming of survey data, and system monitoring.

Network connectively also enables machine learning, predictive maintenance, and remote support and updates.

Kevin Taylor, FET’s vice president operations – Subsea, said, “ICE Unity brings together innovation with seamless collaboration. This a step change in ROV controlling, bringing immense time and cost-saving benefits by enabling remote operations from outside the core control system.

“One major benefit is the ability to monitor performance remotely and reduce downtime by allowing the replacement of components when needed rather than using fixed maintenance intervals.”

With the establishment of the new office, the company will be better able to support national priorities in data rules, innovation, and skills training. (Image source: Cloudera)

Cloudera, the company bringing AI to data anywhere, has announced plans to establish an office in Saudi Arabia in early 2026, underlining its commitment to the Kingdom and its support for Vision 2030 plans for accelerated digital transformation

Cloudera has supported customers in KSA for more than six years, across all major industries, including Telco, Banking & Financial Services, Oil & Gas, and Government. By establishing a local legal entity, the company will be better able to support national priorities in data rules, innovation, and skills training. In light of Saudi cloud and data regulations, establishing a local legal entity also supports compliance obligations.

Cloudera in Arabia will support the country’s strategic priorities around data sovereignty, regulatory compliance, and digital acceleration, while enabling scalable, enterprise-grade AI initiatives across diverse operating environments.

Cloudera provides a unified, open-source foundation that gives 100% access to 100% of the data, regardless of where it resides. For Saudi Arabia’s highly regulated sectors, such as oil and gas, finance, health, and government, Cloudera’s platform supports strict governance, traceability, and compliance in GovCloud, Sovereign Cloud, and air-gapped data centers. This ensures real-time reasoning and predictive insights without compromising control or security.

By leaning on a robust open-source ecosystem and decades of innovation, Cloudera enables Saudi organizations to assert control over data, workloads, deployments and spend. This reduces vendor lock-in, accelerates innovation cycles, and aligns with national digitisation goals.

Ahmad Issa, regional vice president, Cloudera, said, “Customers want trusted partners on the ground who understand how the rules work in practice. This announcement solidifies our relationships, helps build stronger partnerships, and creates opportunities to train and hire local talent so Cloudera Arabia can grow alongside the Kingdom’s transformation.

“Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in building one of the most ambitious digital economies anywhere. By creating a local entity, we are making clear our commitment to the Kingdom’s long-term goals. Customers can rely on our hybrid platform to keep their data where it belongs, meet compliance requirements, and still unlock the full benefits of AI at scale.”

Sercel WiNG DFU-3C passive seismic sensors can be used to image subsurface hydrogen-generating systems with greater precision and efficiency. (Image source: Sercel)

Viridien, an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company, and Mantle8, a French geoscience company specialising in natural hydrogen exploration, have formed a strategic partnership to accelerate hydrogen exploration across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region

Under the partnership, Mantle8 will leverage GeoVerse, Viridien’s world-leading geological database, to support natural hydrogen exploration in EMEA, as well as using WiNG DFU-3C passive seismic sensors from Sercel, Viridien’s Sensing & Monitoring business, for the imaging of subsurface hydrogen-generating systems. Through the combination of Viridien’s subsurface data and Sercel’s advanced sensor technology, Mantle8 will accelerate its prospect generation and scanning for high-potential zones across EMEA.

“Europe is blessed with abundant, low-emission natural hydrogen, and the drive to map these resources and start drilling is stronger than ever. This partnership gives us the ability to reach that goal much faster,” said Emmanuel Masini, founder and CEO of Mantle8. “Access to Viridien’s GeoVerse database gives us the scale of data needed to fuel our prospect generation and sharpen our targeting of promising zones in line with Mantle8’s thesis. Building on that foundation, deployment of Sercel WiNG DFU-3C sensors provides the capability to image entire hydrogen systems and de-risk drilling programs.”

“Viridien is committed to working with partners to develop knowledge and solutions that will accelerate the energy transition. Natural hydrogen is one area, alongside geothermal energy, critical mineral exploration and carbon storage, where our advanced geoscience and data science technology can support the global effort to meet net-zero targets,” said Chris Page, EVP, New Business Development, Viridien. “Together, we are enabling faster, more accurate identification of promising natural hydrogen zones, supporting a cleaner energy future for the EMEA region.”

Mantle8 has confirmed some of the highest recorded hydrogen concentrations at its Comminges prospect in the French Pyrenees. Utilising Sercel WiNG DFU-3C sensors, combined with Mantle8’s HOREX multiphysics imaging technology, the first-ever images of an entire active hydrogen system have been produced, validating Mantle8’s proprietary exploration technology and reinforcing the commercial case for natural hydrogen as a low-cost, low-carbon energy source.

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The system sets a new standard in reservoir flow control. (Image source: Halliburton)

Halliburton has launched the next-generationTuring electro-hydraulic control system, with bidirectional choking and built-in position sensors for fast and accurate flow control

Part of Halliburton’s of SmartWell intelligent completions technology, this system sets a new standard in reservoir flow control suitable for all completion applications, improving recovery and reducing well count.

The Turing electro-hydraulic control system facilitates fast zonal optimisation through integrated position sensors that help operators manage well performance with speed, precision, and confidence. Its simplified, flexible design reduces rig time, operational risk, and production delays to deliver measurable value to our customers.

Operators can remotely and selectively adjust zonal ICV positions in seconds. Built-in high-resolution sensors increase fidelity and expand choke position options. Fast, precise bidirectional control of the ICVs enables flow control from or into each zone without closing the ICV. This capability supports routine, active well optimisation and supports the adoption of fully automated, data-driven optimization technology.

Paired with the Clariti® digital reservoir management suite, the Turing electro-hydraulic control system provides customers with added insights and real-time advice on opportunities for well production and field optimisation. The system can manage up to 12 zones with three control lines, two hydraulic and one single-wire tubing-encapsulated conductor (TEC). The TEC line communicates with downhole sensors through the DataSphere permanent monitoring suite to eliminate additional lines and reduce subsea infrastructure costs.

“As the pioneer of SmartWell intelligent completions, Halliburton’s advancements in this technology strengthen our industry leadership. Our new Turing electro-hydraulic control system builds on that legacy. It empowers our customers to improve recovery, manage subsurface uncertainty, and achieve lower costs with greater operational efficiency,” said Maxime Coffin, vice president, Halliburton Completion Tools

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