CNOOC pledges spending push for digitalisation

摘要

CHINA National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is moving to digitalise its offshore exploration and development in an effort to lower its offshore operating costs. The Chinese operator has earmarked 2.4 billion yuan ($375 million) to spend over the next five years, according to Chen Su, vice president of CNOOC Technology & Information, the department spearheading the company's digital transformation. The programme follows earlier moves by CNOOC to establish remote or integrated operation centres across disciplines such as drilling, platform maintenance and reservoir modelling. The operator has established eight data centres around the world that are connected with its physical servers, virtual machines and storage facilities, CNOOC senior engineer and advisor Wang Tongliang told a recent offshore conference held in China. The company also flagged up digital transformation in a recent investors briefing, saying that it "helps improve our core businesses, as new innovative business and operation models are more competitive". CNOOC has also been working to modernise data communication through the use of microwaves, fibre-optic and Raman-scattering technology at offshore fields, with increased use of satellites.