The new system support remote operations. (Image source: FET)

Forum Energy Technologies has launched its next generation remotely operated vehicle (ROV) control system – ICE Unity

The system, introduced in response to the growing demand for data and control access from outside the main control system, can be rolled out across FET’s range of ROVs, which support underwater industry applications globally. It is compatible with the latest sensors and tooling.

Key features of ICE Unity include:
• A modern user interface with physical and touchscreen controls;
• One common user interface across different ROVs, minimising operator training;
• Network connectively which allows for remote operations as well as live streaming of survey data, and system monitoring.

Network connectively also enables machine learning, predictive maintenance, and remote support and updates.

Kevin Taylor, FET’s vice president operations – Subsea, said, “ICE Unity brings together innovation with seamless collaboration. This a step change in ROV controlling, bringing immense time and cost-saving benefits by enabling remote operations from outside the core control system.

“One major benefit is the ability to monitor performance remotely and reduce downtime by allowing the replacement of components when needed rather than using fixed maintenance intervals.”

Sercel's offerings come with value-added support. (Image source: Sercel)

A North African geophysical contractor has targeted large-scale 3D surveys in complex terrain with 75,000 of Sercel's DSU1-508 digital sensors

This was topped by 24 more Nomad 90 Neo broadband vibrators for an additional land seismic crew. 

The contractor enjoyed an optimised survey performance with Sercel's set of value-added support services for Nomad with the Nomad Connect Asset Optimisation service, providing real-time insights into fleet performance and a complete overview of vibrator configurations. The Vibrator Auto-Guidance functionality enhanced operational accuracy and productivity in the field.

Jerome Denigot, CEO of Sercel, said, “We are pleased to continue building on our long-standing collaboration with this major North African customer. From project planning to delivery and field support, our team remains committed to providing the most advanced geophysical technology and services available. This latest milestone confirms Sercel’s position as the preferred technology partner for complex, large-scale seismic acquisition projects and highlights the growing demand for field-proven solutions that meet the evolving challenges of onshore exploration in North Africa and beyond.”

Vertiv’s digital infrastructure solutions are designed to assist with power supplies and distribution. (Image source: Vertiv)

In a challenging global economy, it is critical for oil and gas companies to digitalise their systems and processes, thereby allowing for the harnessing of data volumes from day-to-day operations 

As outlined by global IT consulting company BirlaSoft, the IT-OT convergence within the oil and gas sector allows companies to harvest data within the OT layer and then ‘cross-contextualise it to build valuable insights and automated control and orchestration mechanisms’.

According to BirlaSoft, IO/OT convergence in the oil and gas industry is a key step to harnessing the business benefits of big data. Operational technology generates a vast amount of data when IoT sensors are attached to various parts of critical machinery to record intended parameters. This data is usually in the form of time series. Analysing it with the right artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques can help organisations anticipate potential risks or if the operations as a whole are generating a strange footprint. In other words, IT-OT convergence is the bridge to seamless, proactive, and resilient oil and gas operations.

By maximising a mix of more modern IT systems intertwined with legacy OT systems, and capturing important information, oil and gas companies can derive insight for enhancing operational efficiencies, increasing performance and improving decision-making.

To enable such strategic aims around the necessary digitalisation to link IT and OT systems, Vertiv’s digital infrastructure solutions are designed to assist with power supplies and distribution, as well as thermal management solutions, as follows:

*Critical power products, such as efficient, reliable uninterruptible power supplies (UPS); scalable, flexible hybrid DC power products; power distribution systems; switchgear; and Vertiv’s battery energy storage system (BESS), which delivers scalable, high-capacity battery energy storage systems for data centres and critical infrastructure

*Thermal management solutions, including Vertiv air handling and chillers for climate control of large electronic systems located outside the data room; cooling solutions for data centres, IT rooms, laboratories, and other critical applications; as well as small thermal systems, incorporating room, and row/ rack cooling

*Vertiv Integrated Solutions, including prefabricated rack, row, aisle, and modular data centres, featuring built-in flexible designs based on proven configurations, and

*Monitoring and management options, such as Vertiv Avocent DSView solution, a family of IT management devices and software that provides solutions in edge, enterprise and engineering lab environments.

There is a well-known saying which notes that ‘knowledge is power’, and in any industry, information is vital for understanding that sector’s own outlook through the harnessing of facts, statistics and trends. With the oil and gas industry in Nigeria poised for robust growth that will be driven by strategic investments and technological advancements, the importance of being able to access information digitally is critical.

The strategically-placed implementation of robust yet high-performance data centres will work to form the backbone for this critical data and support the necessary IT-OT convergence of individual oil and gas companies, while at the same time also supporting the overall aims of the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 at a national level. 

This is the second of a two-part article by Gary Chomse, regional director, Central-Southern Africa at Vertiv

Oil & gas sector requires effective technology infrastructure. (Image source: Vertiv)

As with all modern industries, the oil and gas sector globally is under pressure to embrace the critical convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems to maximise efficiencies and productivities

This shift is equally important in Nigeria, where the oil and gas industry plays a pivotal role in the national economy.

Oil production is a major source of income and a substantial contributor to the GDP of many African countries, and Nigeria remains consistently in the top spot as Africa’s largest producer of crude oil. In addition, it possesses significant quantities of natural gas reserves. The country’s oil and gas sector is critical to the economy, contributing over 85% of export earnings and approximately 30% of budget revenue, but it has been performing below its potential in recent years due to a number of challenges.

Against this background, the newly operational Dangote Refinery in the Lekki Free Zone outside Lagos, which began production in January 2024, is a positive symbol of the hoped-for revival of the oil and gas arena in Nigeria. This newest addition to Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is Africa’s biggest oil refinery and also the largest single-train facility in the world (meaning a facility where all the major processing units for the crude oil entering the refinery are contained within a single integrated complex).

However, despite the positive symbolism of this beacon within the Nigerian oil and gas realm, the sector is still navigating through the complex regulatory landscape and fiscal reforms introduced by the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. The Act’s intention is to restructure fiscal terms, institutional frameworks and regulatory policies, and thus attract investment and boost efficiency.

Prior to the implementation of this Act, Nigeria’s oil and gas arena had seen years of under-investment in exploration and production which, together with persistent infrastructure issues and other challenges, had suppressed growth and innovation, as outlined by Nigerian credit rating agency Agusto & Co.

The implementation of effective technology infrastructure in the oil and gas field can help support strategic business and national objectives and assist in overcoming legacy infrastructure challenges. 

Supporting key African markets in their digitalisation journeys

Vertiv is engaging with industry representatives within Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria, which also possessess substantial natural gas reserves. Nigeria’s natural gas reserves are, in fact, estimated to be one of the largest in Africa, as outlined by global research company, Mordor Intelligence, in its report entitled ‘Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)’.

Natural gas is considered a cleaner and more environmentally friendly source of energy compared to other fossil fuels, and investments in natural gas infrastructure would allow Nigeria to diversify its energy mix and meet both domestic and international demand for cleaner energy sources.

According to the Mordor Intelligence report, it appears that, considering the issues holistically and despite certain challenges, there is much to anticipate for the growth of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry over the next few years. One important key is enabling the true convergence of IT and OT systems, to be able to ‘mine’ facts and data as well as oil and gas, and thereby drive informed planning and decision making. 

This is the first of a two-part article by Gary Chomse, regional director, Central-Southern Africa at Vertiv