As the energy sector evolves, so does its need for improved stakeholder communication and data flow. Saudi data management leader, EnergyLink, recently held a workshop exploring this shift, and how energy companies can overcome the limitations of siloed data in favor of more centralized access to energy information.
Respected industry leaders took to the stage to explore the ongoing evolution of energy data management, as well as EnergyLink’s role in the transformation as a repository for scattered data.
Open Standards: The Sector’s New Normal
Following a warm welcome from Jon Curtis – Chief Executive Officer of Curtis & Associates – speakers Ching Yang and Bertrand Rioux discussed the role of Open Standards in the industry. Unlike restrictive XML-based data transfers, the Open Subsurface Data Universe acts as a launchpad for companies shifting from fossil-based to renewable energy.
The workshop sparked a key dialogue on the role such standards have played at Saudi Aramco in enhancing well construction efficiency. Yang and Bertrand further discussed Open Footprint (OFP), an Open Group forum built to develop a data model capable of capturing and reporting carbon footprint data for emissions and carbon sinks. The initiative will drive the progression of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), a field that Saudi Aramco is expected to thrive in as the key player.
From Data Integration to Automation
Accompanied by energy data expert Gionata Ferroni, Hamood Meraj discussed data integration automation. Ferroni and Meraj reviewed the development of Universal Data Acquisition (UNIDAQ) devices, and how these underpin successful analytics through enhanced data extraction at “The Edge”.
Remote Operations to Enhance Well Delivery Insights
Hamood further discussed the use of real-time remote operations to meet surging demand for better well delivery insights and construction efficiency. Accompanied by Binil Mathew, Hamood examined Saudi Aramco’s Drilling Real-Time Data Hub (DRTDH) which spearheaded the development of a WITSML centric viewer exhibiting key well data from a network of vendor sources.
All-Energy Data Management
Ferroni and Curtis collaboratively discussed how EnergyLink’s ecosystem helps modern energy companies prioritize renewable and low-carbon energy sources. Amidst the shift towards an all-energy data management system, the speakers and guests reviewed how EnergyLink incorporates novel data flows to simplify portfolio expansion in the sector.
The Future of Carbon Capture
The EnergyLink workshop closed with a final examination of CCUS, its rapid rise in the sector, and it’s inevitable growth in the coming decades. While the road to net zero is well underway, the journey will prove futile without a commitment to carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Speakers Yang and Curtis were joined by Jignesh Janardhanan to review the vital role CCUS will play in the imminent future. And through the EnergyLink ecosystem, sequestered emissions can be easily recorded, validated, and subsequently monetized.
In Conclusion
EnergyLink’s Dhahran workshop is an example of the company’s commitment to transforming energy data management. Through close collaboration with its partners, EnergyLink builds a bridge for data to flow from siloed platforms to a secure, integrated middleware gateway for authorized users. Furthermore, leveraging open standards eliminates fears surrounding technical stagnation by redistributing control from a single point to a more interoperable approach.
