Wireline Magazine Autumn 2020 Issue 49

Growing into the Digital Age

How to realise the digital dividend? That was the central question posed by a recent large-scale industry survey. Wireline caught up with experts from some of the organisations involved to find out more…

T he OGUK Data and Digital Maturity Survey was launched in June this year – in conjunction with several partner organisations – to gauge where our industry has reached on the digital transformation journey. The exercise drew input from more than 70 organisations and nearly 40 individuals, to create the first comprehensive overview of the extent to which the UK oil and gas sector has embraced digitalisation. It also assessed the culture and attitudes that shape its implementation and explored how we might overcome barriers to progress. Among its key findings is the fact that oil and gas lags other industries in terms of digital maturity. However, there is a collective acknowledgment of the game-changing benefits it can bring – and a genuine enthusiasm to move the agenda forward. Breaking down silos “The survey gives us real data to benchmark the industry’s position and thinking on digitalisation – the key will be what it does with it,” says Jared Owen, director of digital and entrepreneurship with one of the survey partner bodies, Opportunity North East (ONE).

“Its results mean we’re no longer taking a subjective view of the situation.” Also involved were the Technology Leadership Board (TLB) and the Oil and gas Technology Centre (OGTC), with support from Deloitte. “Although maturity is still relatively low, there seems to have been significant progress in terms of companies understanding the importance of data,” says Stephen Ashley, Digital Transformation Solution Centre manager with the OGTC. “Historically, data and data management were low on priority lists – everyone recognised them, but few put real effort into them,” he continues. “The onset of digital technologies, which of course require data to function with value, changes all that and we see it in the results. Around 60% of respondents had a digitalisation strategy in place and were accessing – and using – data. In the past, a survey like this would have found engineers were spending a lot of time looking for data rather than making good use of it. That has all changed, and it’s good to see.” TLB technology advisor, Dave MacKinnon, believes the survey process itself represented a key step forward: “The sector coming together and engaging through the exercise, sharing their understanding across the piece, was a valuable outcome,” he says. “It’s given us a collective understanding of the landscape and, crucially, enables both operators and the supply chain to see it’s a shared landscape.” Adds TLB Co-Chair Mikki Corcoran: “One of its most powerful outcomes is that it brings the whole issue into the light, and will hopefully allow many organisations to learn from others who are comparatively further down the digitalisation route.” “It should help to accelerate the broader digitalisation push, and that’s significant in an industry where knowledge-sharing can be challenging. It can be a very siloed environment, and this is breaking down silos.” Share, and share alike The survey focused on several themes including data, people, innovation and technology. It also explored the issue of collaboration, and Stephen says its results in this area highlight one of the prime lessons of the survey. “It’s key for organisations to collaborate around data, and work still needs to be done there. Some

UKCS Data&Digital Maturity Survey

SURVEY REPORT 2020 Understanding attitudes, progress and challenges in Digital Transformation for the UK oil and gas industry

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