Equinor ASA (Stavanger, Norway; www.equinor.com) and Royal Dutch Shell (The Hague, the Netherlands; www.shell.com) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on digital collaboration to develop solutions and methods together through the exchange of expertise within data science, artificial intelligence and 3D printing.
The collaboration is expected to entail co-innovation across the whole value chain, such as maintenance, production optimization and supply chain management.
"We are already collaborating closely in the Open Subsurface Data Universe (OSDU) initiative and see many mutual benefits as both companies have applied cloud-based digital solutions as an approach to our industry's digital transformation. Such collaborations are increasingly important to strengthen safety, reduce carbon emissions and realise value by applying digital technologies," says Torbjørn F. Folgerø, chief digital officer in Equinor ASA.
The agreement will be further detailed on a project basis. It will enable the companies an agile foundation to explore specific digital initiatives and projects.
"Open Innovation is key to accelerating digital innovation across the energy industry. Collaborating and building on others' strengths is critical to deliver competitive and affordable technology. We are excited about this opportunity to co-develop digital technology with Equinor," says Alexander Boekhorst, vice president for digitalisation and computer science in Shell.