AI Helps Russia Unlock Hard-to-Reach Oil Reserves
Russia’s oil and gas sector is betting big on artificial intelligence to boost efficiency, cut costs, and tap resources once considered inaccessible.
At the Povkhov oil field in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, neural networks are being used to optimize the entire production cycle. According to Alexey Kalistov of Lukoil-Western Siberia, the system analyzes thousands of parameters and suggests optimal operating modes, enabling the extraction of reserves previously deemed unreachable.
This success is part of a larger digital transformation across the industry. Researchers at Rosneft have developed a program called RN-AutoBalance, which uses AI to automatically adjust well operations for maximum output. Another platform, RN-Predix, builds precise digital models of deposits to assess the potential of each well.
Meanwhile, Perm Polytechnic University has opened a unique digital lab equipped with VR technology, where future petroleum engineers can safely practice solving real-world industrial challenges.
