Virtual reality has emerged as a cost-effective option. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Industry leaders such as Shell, and ExxonMobil are using VR simulations to train their employees in critical operations. This provides a highly safe and cost-efficient approach to introduce personnel to a new facility in both offshore and onshore terrains, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData has released its strategic intelligence report, titled, 'Virtual Reality in Oil and Gas' that looks into areas of application of virtual reality in the industry, from rigs and pipelines to refineries. Oil and companies are now investing on training modules for the workforce and visualising the asset under consideration for planning and decision making.

Ravindra Puranik, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, said, "VR enhances the operational safety through immersive training programmes. It can help develop safety procedures at production facilities to address smaller accidents as well as for emergency response."

Leading oil and gas companies such as Shell, bp, Chevron, and ExxonMobil, have adopted VR to train as well as aid regular workflows in operations. It offers a cost-effective means to acclimatise the workforce to various environments through immersive training programmes. It also offers safe environment for the workforce to understand the workflows by participating in virtual walk-throughs, without being in proximity of heavy industrial equipment.

Puranik continues, “Industry technicians work in hazardous environments, such as offshore rigs or at a densely packed equipment maze in a refinery. VR can be used to relay important information and instructions to the technician onsite, without the need to fly out experts to that location or carrying detailed instruction manuals for referencing.”

VR plays a key role in the digital twin set up, helping companies recreate scenarios through detailed simulations. During planning and development, the collaborating teams can share information using VR to simulate various scenarios. It is useful in optimizing equipment performance and maximizing the asset life. Digital twins help to design workflows and identify bottlenecks to optimize a plant’s performance. Twins also help to create a 3D visualization of the seismic data using VR simulations.

Puranik concludes: “Various aspects of a production platform can be modeled through VR simulations to enhance the understanding of personnel for on-field tasks. They can simulate the processes using VR before implementing on the operational floor. It thus reduces the scope for human errors during critical operations. Besides, designers and engineers can better visualize the layout under development using VR technology. This can potentially help to improve designs, and carefully plan its execution to optimize the project costs.”

AR360 modules will be developed as Petrel subsurface software plug-ins to create a suite of powerful and specialised tools. (Image source: AIQ)s

Abu-Dhabi based technology company AIQ, has partnered with SLB to integrate its Advanced Reservoir 360 (AR360) solution with SLB’s Petrel software

AR360 uses AI to visualise reservoirs and optimise development, reducing planning time while increasing well life and recovery rates by ensuring the right balance between drilling new wells, boosting performance of existing wells, and optimising injection and production volumes.

Petrel software offers a comprehensive suite of physics- and AI-based technologies in an integrated, model-centric architecture to deliver critical insights into the subsurface. It facilitates more efficient well planning, field development, and optimisation for oil and gas reserves, as well as solutions supporting the energy transition, including CCUS and geothermal.

While traditional forecasting technologies require working across multiple software platforms and data sets, which can be time-consuming, combined with Petrel software, AR360 enhances workflows with an end-to-end approach to reservoir development and utilises AI to save time and enable better and more proactive decision-making. AR360 modules will be developed as Petrel software plug-ins, utilising the SLB Ocean software development framework to create a suite of powerful and specialised tools.

ADNOC has deployed AR360 on more than 30 reservoirs across its upstream operations, following the solution’s successful initial deployment in early 2024 on two ADNOC reservoirs at Bab and Umm Shaif fields.

Magzhan Kenesbai, acting managing director of AIQ commented, “Petrel software is globally reputed, and incorporating AR360 into its capabilities will deliver an improvement of asset reservoir understanding through data integration. This partnership reinforces the emergence of AIQ as a developing global AI supplier-of-choice for the energy sector. We are driving greater efficiencies in upstream operations and beyond, and partnering with leading technology providers in our pursuit of excellence.”

The new solution extends SLB's autonomous drilling capabilities. (Image source: SLB)

SLB has added AI-driven geosteering to its autonomous drilling solutions with the launch of Neuro autonomous geosteering, which dynamically responds to subsurface complexities to drill more efficient, higher-performing wells, while reducing the carbon footprint of the drilling operations

Using artificial intelligence (AI), Neuro geosteering integrates and interprets complex real-time subsurface information to autonomously guide the drill bit through the most productive layer or “sweet spot” of the reservoir. Instead of geologists needing to manually interpret this data to identify a well target, update the well plan and trajectory, and communicate this to the directional driller, Neuro geosteering performs all of these steps end to end — without any human intervention.

“Neuro autonomous geosteering is a remarkable industry-first achievement that is for drillers what the autonomous vehicle is for drivers,” said Jesus Lamas, president, Well Construction, SLB. “Using advanced cloud and edge AI capabilities, the system automatically selects the best route for drilling the well based on high-fidelity downhole measurements, bringing the well trajectory in line with the real-world conditions of the reservoir. By drilling more consistent and higher-producing wells, our customers can optimise their field development plan while reducing operational emissions from drilling over the lifetime of the asset.”

Neuro autonomous geosteering builds on SLB’s Neuro autonomous directional drilling, introduced in 2022, which drills wells to a defined well target in accordance with the well plan, using AI with surface and downhole automation workflows to self-determine steering sequences and deliver the well trajectory on plan. Neuro autonomous geosteering takes this a step further — incorporating high-fidelity downhole measurements that ensure certainty of well placement in the best part of the reservoir.

The new services can help operators benefit from improved well insights, extended asset life, and reduced total cost of operations. (Image source: Halliburton)

Halliburton has introduced the Intelli suite of diagnostic well intervention wireline logging services, which can help operators benefit from improved well insights, extended asset life, and reduced total cost of operations

The Intelli suite of services can be used separately or as a package. In the latter case, it acquires data in a single run, saving time and costs. The Intelli suite consists of the following services:

The IntelliSat pulsed-neutron logging service provides reservoir insights either in open hole or after a well is completed. It improves recovery with the detection of bypassed pay, and provides spectroscopy and KUTh measurements. The IntelliSat service delivers a more robust and efficient method of reservoir saturation measurement, fluids monitoring, and borehole diagnostics compared to legacy sensors.

The IntelliFlow array production logging service enhances reservoir insights with the incorporation of co-located fluid ID and flow rate sensors. IntelliFlow provides more accurate production profiles, precision phase analysis, and dynamic flow information. The compact design allows for a simpler, more efficient operation.

The IntelliGuard corrosion evaluation service represents the latest generation of high-definition casing inspection technology. It quantifies metal loss in up to seven concentric casings, and pinpoints damage without the need for costly well intervention.

The IntelliScope leak and flow diagnostic service identifies precise leak sources and flow paths vertically and radially behind pipe in a single, continuous pass.

“As customers look to maximise production and improve the efficiency of their wells, our Intelli suite helps improve downhole insights in a highly customisable way. Because each job is unique, we wanted to develop a suite of products that could be used individually, or as an integrated solution, ultimately, delivering a better experience and result for our customers,” said Chris Tevis, vice president of Wireline and Perforating.