ADNOC’s Digital Story in Oil & Gas 4.0

At ADIPEC this year, Oil and Gas 4.0 was in focus. People from across the oil and gas community discussed the promising future of energy with digitalization. ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) was and continues to be an integral part of this conversation.

The most valuable brand of Middle East, ADNOC needs no introduction. The growth story of Abu Dhabi has been shaped by ADNOC as this firm has played an integral part in the economic development of the nation over a span of 45 years.

The firm is now successfully integrating digital technologies into its operations and systems. Technology is one of the core foundations of ADNOC’s Vision 2030. “ADNOC’s 2030 strategy is enabled by a focus on Partnerships, Technology, and Human Capital and will be sustained through active engagement with stakeholders who are core to the development and sustainable implementation of our integrated strategy.”

Tour d’horizon: Panorama Digital Command Center, ADNOC Headquarters

During ADIPEC 2019, journalists from the leading Oil and Gas Publications were invited at ADNOC Headquarters in Abu Dhabi where the Panorama Digital Command Center is proudly positioned. We were introduced to a complete digital experience that strengthens the ADNOC growth story.

When we talk about putting Middle East on the global digital map, ADNOC has emerged as a leader. It was in the year 2017 that ADNOC set up the Panorama Digital Command Center. Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi, the Senior Vice President of Digital at ADNOC Group says, “This was established to support the decision-making process. ADNOC is a primary catalyst for Abu Dhabi’s growth and being one of the world’s largest energy producers, we cannot do it alone.”

Overview of Panorama Digital Command Center

• Draws insights from thousands of data points on a massive scale across ADNOC
• From upstream to downstream and global distribution network
• Visualizes it on a state of the art 50-meter wide video wall
• A single access point to ADNOC’s real-time performance
• Employs smart analytical models and, increasingly, leverages advanced AI platforms
• Uses Big Data to generate operational insights
• Recommends new, integrated pathways to optimize and enhance performance and create additional value
• Aggregates and presents real-time data at the Group-wide level
• Gives access to information from individual assets

The discussion on ADNOC’s Digital Strategy started with the value in data and how ADNOC envisions to capture it for maximizing value and enhancing operational efficiencies. “Big Data forms the foundation of our digital transformation.  To better understand our operations and optimize performance, we are harnessing and streamlining the masses of data we generate, in real-time, and finding ways to utilize that data,” said Abdul Nasser.

“Technology is easy, how do we fit in,” asked Abdul Nasser, highlighting one of the major concerns with the cultural shift at the core of digital transformation. He further emphasized that a true digital journey in the energy sector can only begin when humans and machines work in collaboration. “Understanding the needs of the core business is paramount. This is not the same as AI for FB or Google. Technology is easy but people are the core problem, culture is the main issue.”

Abdul Nasser also believes that the younger people are bringing about a massive change today. “The same generation that made a great change after the Second World War will transform the energy landscape even today. They require the right skills and training in the right direction,” he emphasized.

ADNOC Digital & AI Transformation Strategy

From Analytics to Blockchain, one comprehensive strategy defines ADNOC’s digital journey. And the Panorama Digital Command Center is the home for all the data. Further, streamlining data and putting it on the fingertips of the sharpest minds at ADNOC, is quite magnificent.

“We are leveraging the technologies for maximum value. For instance, blockchain has made our systems extremely secure. We have Production Accounting Executives and we are working on how we can monetize blockchain. Connected Worker is a reality today,” said Abdul Nasser. “The skills that we are looking at in our future workforce are core STEM skills. It is important to educate them about Data Science too,” he added.

When asked about any possible threats of Cyber Attacks, Abdul Nasser reassuringly says, “All this is happening in a very close network, nothing is outside. If all of us do our part well, everything is secure.”

Thamama Subsurface Collaboration Centre

Integrated with Panorama is the Thammama Subsurface Collaboration Centre. This is where ADNOC is adopting smart analytics and adopting AI platforms to solve subsurface challenges. Across ADNOC’s onshore and offshore operations, Thamama is helping to unlock resources and optimize field development plans, as well as reduce drilling costs and manage production capacity.

Equipped with smart data analytics to build dynamic models of the subsurface, this center helps specialists develop a more detailed understanding of Abu Dhabi’s reservoirs. It is commendable how Thamama can monitor up to 120 live drilling sites simultaneously. To work on reducing drilling costs and improving rig efficiencies, performances against historical wells, plans, and benchmarks are analyzed and compared. For ADNOC, Thamama forms the core of its digital transformation strategy.

At Thamama, we were also informed that in 2019, ADNOC is looking very closely at what they call invisible loss time. With the help of a system powered by Baker Hughes, the POT – Potential Opportunity Time, the experts at ADNOC are measuring the best performance of all their rigs to identify the potential and scope of improvement.

On collaborating with Start-ups, Abdul Nasser said, “The size of the Start-Up does not matter at all. We are looking at the value in the partnership,” while discussing ADNOC’s recent partnership with Group 42, a UAE based start-up, for developing AI solutions.

The Road Ahead for ADNOC’s Digital & AI Journey

What ADNOC envisions to achieve with Panorama is not a simple task. From exploration and production and all the way to distribution in ADNOC’s business- there are easily thousands of data points that need tracking and analysis to optimize operations, across the entire value chain. But ADNOC is successfully keeping up with the fourth industrial revolution for best outcomes. The road ahead looks very promising and the global energy sector has its eyes glued on ADNOC’s digital story. There are lessons to be learned and examples to be followed. Undoubtedly, with Panorama Digital Command Center, ADNOC has set up a very high benchmark.

(This is an account of our Editor’s visit to the Panorama Digital Command Center at ADNOC Headquarters during ADIPEC 2019 and the interaction with ADNOC’s Digital Team. Energy Dais reserves all rights of publication.)