Statoil Establishing a Digital Center of Excellence

Statoil is establishing a digital center of excellence and launching a roadmap with seven specific programs for digitalization in the company towards 2020. Digitalization will help improve the safety, security and efficiency of Statoil operations.

Towards 2020 Statoil expects to invest NOK 1-2 billion in new digital technologies, accelerating the digital roadmap work. Digital technologies will also be part of other Statoil technology and research projects.

“Aiming to be a global digital leader within our core areas, we are now stepping up our efforts to capture opportunities provided by the rapid development within digital technologies,” says Statoil’s chief executive officer, Eldar Sætre.

The oil industry is already extensively utilizing IT technology and digitalization, but the rapid technological development creates new opportunities, particularly within the following areas:

• Digitalization of work processes
Improving the efficiency of the way we work by reducing the time spent on manual and repetitive tasks, where possible.
• Advanced data analytics
Improving our understanding of extensive and complex data for better decision-making by means of advanced data analytics and machine learning.
• Robotics and remote control
Increasing the operational regularity, reducing costs and improving safety and security by reducing human activity in physically intensive activities.

Examples of this are robotic drilling and automated installations.

“Digitalization can help improve the safety and security of our operations, both by means of data that provide us with a better decision-making basis, and through reduced exposure in risky operations. A combination of digitalization, standardization and a culture for continuous improvement may drive cost reductions, and form the basis for increased value creation and activity,” Sætre says.

Digital center of excellence

Statoil is establishing a digital center of excellence that will coordinate and manage the digitalization efforts across the company. The center of excellence will collaborate with external specialist communities, have dedicated units for data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, as well as leaders for digital programs. Statoil will recruit candidates for the center of excellence both internally and externally, and the leader will report to Statoil’s chief operating officer (COO).

Seven programs for digitalization

Statoil is establishing a roadmap with seven programs in the further digitalization process:

1 Digital safety, security and sustainability
Using data to reduce safety risks, improve learning from historical incidents, strengthen security, and reduce the carbon footprint of our operations.

2 Process digitalization
Streamlining of work processes and reduction of manual input across the value chain.

3 Subsurface analytics
Improving data accessibility and analytical tools for subsurface data, enabling better decision-making.

4 Next generation well delivery
Enhancing utilization of well and subsurface data for planning, real-time analytics and increased automation.

5 Field of the future
Smart design and concept selection by maximizing the use of available data, and integrating digital technologies in future fields.

6 Data-driven operations
Using data to maximize asset value through production optimization and maintenance improvements.

7 Commercial insights
Improving analytical tools and data accessibility within our commercial areas to enable better decision-making.

“The roadmap and the seven programs will help accelerate the digital development of Statoil. Utilizing the digital opportunities that large volumes of data provide, we make better decisions, enabling improved safety and security, reduced emissions and more efficient operations,” says Jannicke Nilsson, Statoil’s chief operating officer (COO).