7 June 2023 Doha, Qatar - In a first-of-its-kind workshop organised by the GECF on Tuesday (6 June), an array of renowned specialists from around the world explored the profound impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies on the energy sector.
From optimising operations and enhancing safety to boosting exploration and sustainability, the connection between AI and the oil and gas industry is multifaceted and holds significant potential for transforming diverse aspects of the sector.
Setting the stage for engaging discussions, HE Eng. Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the GECF said: “Although AI may seem like a relatively recent concept, it is important to acknowledge that its applications in the oil and gas sector have been in existence for a long period. Exploration, production, and marketing are domains where AI has made remarkable achievements.”
“While we recognise the notable strides made in AI utilisation within the oil and gas industry, we must also acknowledge that the advent of large language models presents unparalleled opportunities,” he added.
He underlined that “we must also recognise the risks associated with AI, including data privacy and security concerns, potential bias and lack of reliability, regulatory compliance, and the displacement of certain job roles”. [Full speech of Secretary General]
The workshop has been held at a time when the world is seeking sustainable energy solutions. Participants agreed that the integration of AI technologies has emerged as a catalyst for innovation and progress.
Mr Mérouane Debbah, Chief Researcher at the Technology Innovation Institute Abu Dhabi, delved into the vast potential of AI-driven language models with his presentation on "The superpower of large language models".
Prof Albertus Retnanto, Programme Chair of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University at Qatar, focused his talk on "Transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies to shape the future of the energy industry."
Mr Santosh Mulayath, Principal Energy Industry expert at IBM, elucidated the importance of "Foundational AI models for the oil & gas industry”, while Mr Mansour Belhadj, General Manager Energy & Resources, EMEA at Microsoft, showcased the capabilities of AI in "Leading the AI era in energy."
National views were presented by speakers from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia. Mr Yehia Khoja, General Director of AI & Business Development at the Ministry of Energy, KSA, shared his insights on the "AI roadmap in the Saudi energy sector."
Mr Maged Mabrook, Manager of Reservoir & Petroleum Engineering at ADNOC, UAE, explored the topic of "Digital & AI technologies to unlock a sustainable & profitable energy stream”, while Dr Rajamani Sambasivam, Head of Data Science at Petronas Group, Malaysia, shared the "AI Journey" within the company.
The final two interventions were delivered by Mr Modhar Khan, AI Business Manager - MENA at Schlumberger (SLB), on "Scaling AI applications and maximizing value for organizations: lessons learned”, and by Mr Gary Kazantsev, Head of Quant Technology Strategy at Bloomberg, on "AI and ML in finance."