One of Russia’s Oldest Oil Fields Steps Into a Digital Future

A digital twin has been developed and deployed for the Orenburg oil and gas condensate field, one of Russia’s oldest and largest deposits. The project, now undergoing live testing, marks a breakthrough for the country’s energy industry. More than 800 wells have been equipped with wireless sensors, giving operators real-time access to production data for the first time. This allows engineers to optimize extraction in real time, predict hydrate block formation, and automatically calculate reagent volumes for ...

Digital Twins Are Rewriting the Oil and Gas Playbook

The virtual model of the Orenburg field already connects around 200 specialists across multiple production departments. Soon, even the accounting division will join the system — using the twin to automatically calculate mineral extraction taxes. The digital twin thus becomes more than just a monitoring tool; it evolves into a platform for management and financial decision-making.

Across Russia, digital twins are becoming the industry standard. These AI-powered virtual replicas simulate field operations with mathematical precision, enhancing safety, optimizing workflows, and improving strategic planning. By integrating physics-based modeling, predictive analytics, and automation, they allow companies to respond to production anomalies in minutes rather than hours.

A Vision for 2050: The National Oil Twin

Russia’s long-term strategy extends beyond individual fields. By 2050, the country aims to create a digital twin of its entire oil industry — a national platform known as 'CyberTEK'. It will model extraction, logistics, and processing across the energy sector, enabling the government and producers to make data-driven decisions at scale. For the Orenburg field, the shift to digital operations is already paying off. What began as an experiment in automation is now the blueprint for the oil industry’s future — one where every barrel is backed by real-time insight.