The need for energy sector players to adopt a harmonised and collaborative approach to digitalisation and data sharing, if they are to maximise the benefits of AI-driven tech such as digital twins during the energy transition, has prompted the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to publish a set of draft principles for those working in the offshore oil and gas province.
The Data Principles Group – a taskforce set up by the UK’s Offshore Energy Digital Strategy Group (DSG) – has laid out draft unifying principles on collaborative data sharing, to which stakeholders in the UK offshore sector are being asked to commit, in order to strengthen predictive models such as digital twins, optimise operations, and achieve net-zero objectives. Companies working in the North Sea have been asked to review them and contribute to the final version.
Taskforce members include representatives from NSTA, energy infrastructure firm Kellas, Shell, DNV, The Crown Estate (manager of the UK seabed), Petrofac, UK power markets regulator OFGEM, University of Glasgow, CCUS specialist Storegga and the Open Data Institute (ODI).
The NTSA says sharing data enables the development of more accurate and robust predictive models, new insights, and innovation through knowledge sharing, while reducing risks. Other benefits include more cost effective and faster problem-solving, and access to larger quantities of high-quality data to use with AI-tech.
The benefits of data-sharing in the oil and gas sector, and the challenges in getting companies to actually do it, have been major themes at recent Future Oil and Gas conferences and is also addressed in this article about connecting digital twins.
Competitive edge
Ed Evans, Data Principles Group Chair and Senior Consultant at ODI said organisations stood to benefit in many ways by adopting the NSTA principles and actively participating in collaborative data initiatives.
“They can gain a competitive edge, contribute to industry-wide advancements, and position themselves as socially responsible and innovative participants in the energy transition. In turn, this will enable the UK to take the lead in achieving net zero, a significant aim for the ODI and many of our partners, funders and wider network”, he said.
In summary, the draft proposes principles that would commit companies to:
- Actively share data – collaboration on initiatives that contribute to more efficient operation, reduced carbon emissions and sustainable practices.
- Increase the value of internal data, while seeking insights and innovations from external data sources – working with peers to apply AI, data science and robotics on sector-wide datasets would accelerate innovation and develop new insights, unlock new opportunities and reduce the costs and risks of operations, says the NTSA.
- Collaborate on developing targeted solutions, on a use-case by use-case basis, reducing duplication of effort, with the aim of finding practical solutions to sector challenges.
- Advance digital model/digital twin accuracy through data sharing, with the aim of improving visibility of infrastructure, logistical options, the subsurface and other aspects of the natural environment.
- Facilitate accessible, secure data repositories for all stakeholders -- the creation or reuse of stewarded, trusted, secure, standardised and accessible data sets to aid data sharing, foster higher quality and applied standards, enhance innovation and knowledge exchange, and the application of AI technologies.
- Enhance operational efficiency and reduced risk through data collaboration – integrating shared data into decision-making processes to streamline company operations.
Companies with questions or comments on the draft principles have been asked to provide feedback by the end of April 2024.
