Ones and zeroes
Oil executives will have to invest in their digital futures in 2018 to keep up
The digital tidal wave is here. Whether it's monitoring home energy consumption using smart meters, remotely recording a TV programme on the set-top box at home while at the office, or hailing a cab using Uber, digital has already profoundly affected the way we live, work and interact with others. The oil sector is no different. Although some firms pioneered digital techniques in the upstream 15 years ago, the industry as a whole has lagged others. Digital providers are bombarding firms with bright ideas to apply across their value chain, from exploration to refining to logistics to retail. But few ideas have matured into a sustainable and scalable global solution. Innovative petroleum firms
Also in this section
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
14 January 2026
Leading economies in the region are using oil and gas revenues to fund mineral strategies and power hyperscale computing
14 January 2026
The South American country offers stable, transparent and high-potential opportunities and is now ready for fresh exploration and partnership
13 January 2026
Across Europe, countries have grappled with balancing ambitious energy transition plans with realities about security of supply
