TECH & AI WATCH NOW
Digital innovation for better energy – bp
technological advances have enabled companies like bp to pioneer 4D seismic imaging, giving engineers a sharper picture of oil and gas reservoirs over time. bp has also introduced what it calls digital rocks, virtual models of scanned reservoir rock samples. These allow subsurface teams to run experiments in days rather than the months once needed for physical laboratory work. Ricky Burns, Transformation & Technology Manager, says the payoff is speed as well as confidence.“ When we have higher confidence in what’ s under the ground, we can work to bring production online safer and more quickly,” he says.
Real-time monitoring Once oil and gas is flowing, the challenge shifts to keeping systems running efficiently. To help with dayto-day operations bp has a tool called Optimization Genie which analyses real-time data from oil and gas fields. This analysis is then given to engineers, along with suggestions for how to adjust flow rates or valve settings.
Another area getting the high-tech treatment is the process of restarting production after shutdowns.
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108 September 2026