AI, analytics key to developing African hydrocarbons - IT-Online

Africa has had massive oil and gas discoveries in recent years – including the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim offshore Senegal and Mauritania, the Luiperd and Brulpadda in South Africa and the Rovuma Basin discoveries offshore Mozambique, among others – but development has been slow owing largely to restricted investment, Covid-19 impacts and a lack of modern digital solutions. With more than 600-million people living without access to electricity in Africa, the accelerated development of Africa's oil and gas is key for making energy poverty history. Now, with the emergence of AI and analytics across the oil and gas sector, an opportunity has risen for Africa to drive modern and sustainable energy growth for years to come. With oil and gas production decreasing in Africa due to natural declines in legacy projects, increasing the use of AI and analytics across the upstream segment could help simplify drilling activities, revitalise the sector and expand the continent's hydrocarbons reserves for energy reliability, saving project developers, operators and owners time and resources. Furthermore, with African hydrocarbon-producing countries such as Nigeria losing billions in revenue due to theft and vandalism of infrastructure – a condition that is restraining Africa's oil and gas sector from expanding – AI and analytics tools can help optimisa industry growth by enhancing infrastructure maintenance and security across the entire oil and gas value chain, thereby helping reduce energy and revenue loss, and in the process stimulating investments across the oil and gas sector. What's more, despite Africa accounting for less than 3% of all carbon emissions, global energy transition related policies are hindering the deployment of investments necessary for boosting the continent's hydrocarbons sector.