By Nathan Nwakamma
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making inroads into the Nigerian oil and gas sector, with potential for transforming the energy space by increasing the nation’s crude production levels
Although apprehensions exist, AI is currently being deployed to inspect pipelines, predict equipment failures, optimise production processes, monitor environmental impact, identify new reserves, and enhance safety among other complex assignments.
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has again scored another first with the introduction of Unmanned Surface Vessels (Water Drone) in its operations.
The SPDC pioneered the nation’s oil industry 1956 with the discovery of in commercial quantity at Otuabagi, a settlement in the Oloibiri District in present day Bayelsa.
Following the development, stakeholders have called for caution in the deployment of artificial intelligence and technologies, saying it may lead to job losses in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The stakeholders’ is sequel to the Feb. 27 announcement by SPDC that it has introduced surface water drone for pipeline survey in its shallow water operations.
Shell had said it had deployed an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) for pipeline route survey in the Niger Delta.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the USV, a water surface drone, could be used for underwater pipelines examination and integrity assessment among others.
SPDC announced the innovation, the first in Nigeria’s oilfields, in a statement by its Media Relations Manager, Mrs Abimbola Essien-Nelson.
According to the energy firm, the USV saves time and cost as well as reduces exposure to personnel and environment.
”Last month, the remotely operated USV conducted a pipeline route survey at Bonny for a total of 166 hours.
”It is the first deployment of an USV for a pipeline route survey in shallow water in Nigeria and the longest such single mission in the Shell Group,” Essien-Nelson said.
She quoted Mr Steve Keedwell, Chief Surveyor and Head of Offshore Survey Operations, SPDC, as describing the deployment of the USV as the new face of survey in Nigeria.
According to her, on-site and remote operators deployed the USV.
”We recorded increased productivity and better data acquisition at the survey at Bonny.
”Deploying the USV reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 97 per cent because the vehicle is designed as diesel electric.
”The efficiency of data acquisition coupled with improved data quality whilst reducing personnel exposure to zero is transforming how we execute surveys,” she said.
She further said that SPDC partnered with different stakeholders such as Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services and the Nigerian Content Development and Management Board on the initiative.
Others were the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
She said in furtherance of its Nigerian content development programme, SPDC worked closely with a Nigerian vendor, Compass Survey Limited, which deployed the vessel with support from their foreign partners and Unmanned Survey Solutions, UK.
Essien-Nelson also quoted SPDC’s General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, ‘Lanre Olawuyi, as saying the vendor was training on-site remote operators to build local capacity.
”This is an exciting chapter in our efforts to develop Nigerian content in the conduct of surveys,” Olawuyi said.
Olawuyi added that the innovation in the survey at Bonny was attracting interests from the oil and gas industry and beyond.
”We will continue to support Nigerian companies in the domestication of technology and innovations,” he said.
On job losses, SPDC allayed fears of job losses, saying the USV creates jobs at the remote control centre where data from the unmanned vessel is received and processed.
But Peter Akpenka, a labour leader, holds that the incursion of AI into the oilfields will complement the human factor.
Akpenka, a former branch Chairman of Contract Workers Branch of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) at the Qua Iboe oil fields said that smart machines and tools in AI should not be allowed to replace human intelligence.
“That is complementary to human inspection which comes with its own challenges.
“But anything to give better protection to the already endangered environment ought to be supported. We need more help to protect the environment, not less.
“Even the drone will be operated by humans and even the decision and analysis of the drone inspection will also have human intervention.
“I think rather new skills and training will be needed for the labour required to operate the drone and also interpret and decide on the results,” Akpenka said.
Akpenka therefore thinks the introduction of the unmanned vessel by Shell is a welcome development, provided local staff will be trained to handle the drones.
He said that it would be an added skill for Nigerian oil sector workforce and such labour too could be deployed globally.
Dr Nnimmo Bassey, an environmentalist, who welcomed the application of drone technology for underwater pipeline monitoring, but said the claim it would produce 97 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions was bogus.
”The drones can be good for monitoring pipelines for defects, leakages, and corrosion or illegal activities.
”To say that they lead to 97 per cent carbon dioxide emission reduction is a vacuous claim that can only be made by carbon speculators seeking profit rather than halting pollution.
”The drones whether subsea or above water cannot in any way eliminate human agency in halting harmful activities,” he said.
However, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PTAN) says that realising the nation’s oil production target is dependent on the use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in the Nigerian oil and gas industry
PETAN Chairman, Nicolas Odinuwe, said at a recent industry forum several PETAN member companies were leading the way in rendering services using new technology trends.
“PETAN sees the adoption of AI and other digital technologies as crucial for improving efficiency and competitiveness in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
“It is therefore imperative to give AI a chance to improve and solve the identified challenges confronting the Nigerian energy space’’, he said.
In a sector characterised by theft and unwholesome practices, it is believed that AI and other new technologies will help to boost production and secure jobs thereby contributing enabling the sector to contribute more to the nation’s economy. (NAN Features)
