Tech

Digitalisation and AI will create close to US$500bn in cumulative value for E&P companies between 2026 and 2030.

Digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) will create around US$500bn in cumulative value for E&P companies between 2026 and 2030, according to new analysis from Rystad Energy, creating a huge market for digital solutions

Cost reductions from more efficient operations, production increases from higher uptime and increased recovery, and compressed development timelines contribute to this value creation. Exploration and production (E&P) companies currently investing in digital and AI are expected to capture an additional value of US$80bn per annum in 2030 compared to 2025.

The returns are already visible in the industry, Rystad notes. ADNOC reported US$500mn in AI-driven value already in 2023, and has committed US$1.5bn in digital capital expenditure targeting US$1bn in annual value creation. Norway’s Equinor generated around US$200mn in AI-related savings between 2021 and 2024, and reported US$130mn in 2025 alone.

The US$500bn value creation opportunity in upstream oil and gas encompasses four main workflow categories: asset development, operations and maintenance, exploration and reservoir development, and  drilling, wells and production. Each is at a different stage of digital maturity. Digitalisation within exploration and reservoir development is relatively well established. Operations and maintenance is now seeing more rapid adoption, with predictive maintenance and remote operations delivering cost reductions. Subsurface workflows hold the largest untapped value potential, especially from getting more volumes out of the ground and reducing drilling costs. Some operators have, for instance, compressed seismic interpretation timelines from months to around 10 days.The early adopters of these technologies typically have digitalisation and AI as an integral part of their strategy.

Capturing the value at stake requires investment in digital tools, infrastructure and integration, and E&Ps are estimated to have spent around US$25bn on digital and AI purchases in 2025. The market for providing these tools and services is expected to grow by more than US$10bn by 2030, surpassing US$35bn in total annual market size and approaching US$50bn by 2035.

However, the main barrier to capturing this value is deployment at scale, says Rystad. Partnerships with suppliers and technology experts are increasing to reduce complexity, and simplify integration, typically through platform solutions. Traditional oilfield service (OFS) providers with domain expertise, and technology experts such as integrators or hyperscalers are among the most important partners for E&Ps, with the commercial model shifting from transactional service delivery towards integrated technology partnerships that can leverage an ecosystem of players, platforms and scalable tools.

AI is accelerating the value potential of digital solutions in oil and gas. Despite many breakthroughs, most current AI applications in upstream rely on traditional machine learning models trained on equipment and workflow-specific data, which takes years to accumulate, and models may require significant rework. Newer AI approaches may change this, for instance through agentic AI automating tasks and augmenting humans in a way that breaks down organisational silos and acting as a contextualising layer that functions across varied data types without full retraining.

Rystad puts forward a scenario where AI accelerates the value creation even further, with breakthroughs simplifying integration and compressing adoption timelines. This accelerated AI scenario would also require additional spending on digital solutions, and the value creation gap between early adopters and followers could widen even more.

The contract secures Weatherford's integrated upper and lower completions.

Weatherford International has received a deepwater integrated completions contract by ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Ltd offshore Nigeria

Selected for its well construction and completions portfolio, the contract secures Weatherford's integrated upper and lower completions services for deepwater wells. It also comes with a scope for supporting safety, reliability, well integrity, and operational efficiency over the lifecycle of the well.

The integrated completions equipment will be configured and prepared through Weatherford’s global supply chain and supported locally in Nigeria, in line with contract terms, to enable in-country execution and service delivery.

Girish Saligram, Weatherford’s president and chief executive officer, said, "This contract reflects our ability to deliver integrated completions solutions for deepwater operations. We will provide technologies designed to support well integrity, reliability, and efficient execution in complex offshore environments.” 

Nigerian deepwater development sees consistent advancement, with Eni being one of the several oil majors investing in the region. The company's chief executive officer, Claudio Descalzi, recently met Nigeria's President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to discuss Eni’s significant investment portfolio — including the Abo and Bonga fields and Nigeria LNG — as well as on potential new developments designed to expand the country’s offshore production capacity. Within this framework, and in line with its long-term strategy in the country, Eni has recently expanded its interests in deep-water developments, with the acquisition of an additional stake in OML 118, now holding 15%.

EZTasks.ai can be used via any of three input methods. (Image source: EZOps)

Mobile oilfield management platform, EZOps, has launched EZTasks.ai as the first in a series of artificial intelligence-driven offerings that are anticipated throughout the year

EZTasks.ai is directly embedded into the EZOps Mobile Oilfield Platform as an intelligent task-generation feature, which field personnel can use from anywhere, be it in the cab of a truck, at a wellsite, or on a lease road, eliminating the earlier need to be physically present for data entry into EZOps. This means task managers or field technicians can leverage the platform right from the middle of high-activity environments, saving time and eliminating distance factor, and in turn, boosting operational efficiency and production generation. 

The feature can be used via any of the three input methods, including voice-to-text, copy & paste or file and image uploads. Users can speak observations, issues or instructions directly into EZOps, which are then interpreted by the AI before it generates suggested tasks. Copy & paste, on the other hand, refers to text from emails, messages, reports or any source that maybe put directly into EZOps. EZTasks.ai is set to extract and structure the input information. Via file & image uploads, users can upload documents, photos, inspection reports, meeting notes or field images. The AI analyses the content and translates it into actionable suggested tasks within the platform. 

The AI-driven real-time input methods of EZTasks.ai centralise unstructured data sources such as images, documents, or meeting notes. This makes a marked difference in seamless data entry and boosted data quality, ensuring visibility of critical information.

"Field teams are busier than ever, and the last thing they need is a cumbersome data entry process standing between them and the work at hand. EZTasks.ai meets workers where they are — literally. Whether someone is their truck, at a field location or standing in front of a piece of equipment, they can now capture what they need and let the AI do the administrative work – ultimately creating further operational efficiencies," said Tracy Gray, vice president of EZOps.

Sulzer has launched an entity named Jawaby Sulzer Services in Libya. (Image source: Sulzer)

Sulzer has announced a joint venture with Jawaby Services & Investments Ltd (JSIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC), to provide in‑country rotating equipment services in Libya

The company has launched an entity named Jawaby Sulzer Services whose in-country service facility will operate locally in Libya while meeting global industry standards in oil & gas, power generation and industrial operations. With the signing of this agreement, Sulzer brings in internationally recognized maintenance and repair expertise in Libya. Its operational headquarters will be build in the Misrata Free Zone, near Tripoli. Through the JV, Sulzer and JSIL will establish full-scope, OEM-grade rotating equipment services within Libya for the first time, combining Sulzer’s global technical expertise with JSIL’s strong local presence and market connectivity.

Until now, operators have been required to send critical assets (including pumps, gas and steam turbines, compressors, motors and generators) abroad for overhaul and major repairs, resulting in extended lead times and increased operational risk. Jawaby Sulzer Services addresses this market gap by delivering maintenance, re-engineering and rehabilitation services locally with Sulzer’s global excellence standards.

Alex Myers, regional president of India, Middle East & CIS (INMEC) at Sulzer Services, said, “Establishing Jawaby Sulzer Services marks an important step in strengthening our presence in the region in support of our customers. Amidst the acceleration of upstream investment, operators need dependable, locally delivered expertise to keep complex rotating equipment running safely and efficiently. This joint venture ensures that international standards and technical depth are now embedded within Libya’s energy sector, supporting stable operations and long-term industrial growth.”

Ahmed Ibrahim ElBadri, executive manager of JSIL, added, “Our partnership brings together JSIL’s strong local presence and Sulzer’s global expertise to deliver reliable, high-quality turbomachinery services inside Libya. For us, localization means building lasting capability at home – creating meaningful skilled employment, supporting Libyan suppliers and ensuring that the expertise needed to power the energy sector is developed and retained within the country.”