Russia Taps AI and Synchrotron Tech to Unlock Hard-to-Reach Oil Reserves

A next-gen imaging system developed in Siberia could help Russia extract vast but inaccessible hydrocarbon deposits.

Scientists at Novosibirsk State University are developing a digital methodology for core sample analysis that could dramatically improve oil and gas extraction from hard-to-reach reserves.

Russia holds substantial untapped hydrocarbon resources. In the Novosibirsk region alone, researchers estimate between 300,000 and 500,000 metric tons of extractable oil and gas. However, most of these deposits are buried deep beneath dense rock layers that conventional exploration tools struggle to penetrate. That’s where cutting-edge IT solutions come into play.

Using high-resolution X-ray tomography of real geological samples, scientists will generate detailed digital core models. At the heart of the process is the Siberian Circular Photon Source (SKIF)—a powerful new synchrotron capable of scanning opaque geological materials with unprecedented clarity.

Unlike traditional X-ray machines, SKIF emits an intense, focused beam that can visualize internal structures and dynamic processes inside rocks in real time. The Russian-designed synchrotron is considered globally unique and has already been hailed as a ‘revolution in geology.’