As Future Oil & Gas 2026 drew to a close, the final panel turned its attention to one of the industry’s most important questions: how can AI move beyond experimentation to become an integral part of facility design and day-to-day operations?
The discussion explored how organisations are beginning to apply AI across engineering, project delivery and operations, with examples ranging from automated inspections and robotics to project management, contract management, P&ID verification and data validation. While several of these use cases are already delivering value, the panel acknowledged that more advanced capabilities, such as fully AI-generated facility designs, remain a longer-term ambition.
Rather than focusing solely on technology, much of the conversation centred on the practical realities of implementation. Panellists discussed the importance of identifying the right business problem before selecting AI tools, avoiding fragmented initiatives across organisations and ensuring that digital transformation is supported by trusted data, clear governance and measurable outcomes.
The panel also examined the balance between automation and human oversight. While AI is increasingly capable of supporting engineering and operational decisions, there was broad agreement that critical decisions in safety-sensitive environments must continue to be validated by experienced people. Building trust, maintaining accountability and keeping humans in the loop were recurring themes throughout the discussion.
Looking ahead, the conversation turned to the next stage of AI adoption, including the cost of large language models, technology-agnostic deployment, domain-specific AI models and the need to demonstrate tangible business value. Watch the full panel discussion to hear how industry leaders believe AI-enabled facility design will continue to evolve over the coming years.
Speakers
Hamid Fehri, Senior AI Researcher, Shell
Glen Milne, Production Systems Manager, Spirit Energy
Roderick Perez, Senior Expert, Geoscientist, Energy Technology
Shubham Rajvanshi, Senior Director & Global Client Partner, L & T Technology Services
Stuart Houston, Data Scientist, CNOCC
Moderator
Wouter de Klein, Senior Energy Leader and former VP Strategy for Shell, Independent
