With a history of drilling for resources that stretches back over a century , Shell is still at the forefront of the modern industry . Among the first oil companies to use smart technology in the field ( Smart Fields / Digital Fields ), Shell uses thousands of sensors embedded into valves and pumps to relay data regarding heat , pressure and other crucial metrics . “ Smart Fields is about integrating people , processes and technology ,” says Joseph Low , a senior engineer , on Shell ’ s website . “ You can make decisions or solve problems in a day whereas before they might have taken a week and have slowed production down .” 10