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
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation






