Schlumberger, Petronas establish energy tech partnership

Schlumberger is working with Petronas to identify clean tech opportunities that further the Malaysian oil company's sustainability goals. The pair have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at establishing new carbon capture storage facilities and separation technologies, Petronas said on March 24.

Key to the partnership is a cloud-based data repository that will provide a key touch point for designing new carbon capture and storage products. 

Schlumberger previously helped Petronas build digital tools to unlock operational efficiencies at the latter company's oil and gas installations. For instance, it has delivered internet-connected devices that are embedded with Petronas's operational systems, giving its crews improved strategic insights.

Products that use internet connectivity and intelligent software to provide smart insights from industry installations are known as "Internet of Things" (IoT) devices.  One of the biggest internet-enabled gains for heavy industries is the ability to use virtual interfaces to model the status of whole fleets of operational assets in real time, a technology known as digital twins.

Now Petronas aims to expand the partnership to allow its digital repository to also accelerate its decarbonisation objectives, according Schlumberger's president for the Asia basin region Amy Chua. The scope of the MoU includes new IoT opportunities, as well as work on sustainability, all-digital and R&D projects.

"This strategic partnership will further leverage digital capabilities while supporting the decarbonisation of Petronas' operations, through industry-leading technologies enabled by fit-for-basin digital solutions," Chua said.