Digital transformation is changing the face of oil, gas processes

The use of technology in optimizing production processes in the energy industry can decide a company's survival, said Mauricio Sansano, partner and energy market specialist at Argentine IT consulting firm Pragma Consultores.

The use of devices related to the Internet of Things in the energy industry allows specialized solutions to be developed based on real-time data, Sansano said in an interview with Argentine news agency Télam. For instance, drones can inspect entire areas in little time and provide information on a facility's conditions. This allows companies to carry out preventive maintenance and optimize the workforce.

A drone with a gas emissions sensor can be used to inspect a flare stack without the need to shut it down and wait for it to cool down, which prevents costs associated with downtime.

Sansano pointed out that, so far, satellite images have been used to visualize pipelines. Now drones can be used jointly with sensors to detect gas leaks, reducing maintenance costs and safety hazards.

In addition, Sansano commented that nanotechnology makes it possible to do field studies that previously required taking samples to a laboratory. "This is something we are seeing a lot in secondary recovery processes in the hydrocarbons industry."

He also pointed out that now it is possible to carry out production fluid analyses in the reservoir in real time, a task that tends to require elaborate studies. New technologies have proven to be efficient in reservoir characterization, enabling companies to survive in the current financial environment.

Pragma Consultores has been working with YTEC, the technological arm of Argentine national oil company YPF, since last year in IT applications aimed at obtaining better data on the company's production processes.