Intensifying Sci-Tech, Digital Transformation in Oil and Gas Industry

Oil and gas exploration, production and processing is a field in which advanced and modern technology, approaching the world level, has been applied, bringing strong development to the industry, making important contributions to Vietnam's economic development.

Mastering technology, adding value

According to Mr. Tran Viet Hoa, Director of Science and Technology Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), many new and advanced technologies in the oil and gas field of the world have been applied in Vietnam, bringing strong development to the industry, making an important contribution to the development of the economy.

Vietsovpetro is a joint venture in oil and gas exploration and production between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, currently operating and exploiting on the Vietnamese continental shelf at oil & gas fields such as Bach Ho field, Rong field, Ca Tam field and Thien Ung field. This joint venture was established for the former Soviet Union (Russia) to build, train and transfer advanced oil and gas exploration and production drilling technology to Vietnam.

Up to now, Vietnamese engineers have built on the foundation from the experts of the former Soviet Union, combined with their creative ability, gradually developing technologies in the oil and gas industry with the Vietnamese brand name.

Specifically, the project cluster "Research and application of technological solutions in the collection, treatment and use of associated gas in fields of Vietsovpetro and neighboring fields" has been included in Vietsovpetro joint venture production since 1980.

In 1995, after oil extraction, with breakthrough scientific and technological solutions, facing a lack of facilities, Vietsovpetro pioneered again to bring associated gas from Bach Ho field to shore, creating a great leap for Vietnam's oil and gas industry, forming a foundation for the development of the modern gas industry.

Up to now, a series of new technologies of the oil and gas exploitation industry have been applied to production and business by Vietsovpetro in particular and the oil and gas industry in general.

Not only in oil and gas exploration and exploitation drilling technology, up to now Vietnam's oil and gas industry has also used other advanced technologies in oil and gas deep processing to increase product value.

Specifically, the technology of deep cooling of the raw material gas stream in oil and gas processing helps to improve the efficiency of liquid gas recovery at the gas treatment plant; Compressed Natural Gas technology (CNG) is applied in compressing raw air into high-pressure tanks; technology of importing, exporting and storing refrigerated LPG.

As a result, projects such as Dung Quat Oil Refinery, Ca Mau Gas - Electricity - Fertilizer Complex are still operating very effectively not only in economic terms, but also making great contributions to the socio-economic development of the country in general and the development of each region and locality where the projects operate. 

Digital transformation, adapting to new situations

While Vietsovpetro is a symbol of the Vietnam-Soviet relationship (Russia), Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam - PVN) is a testament to the development efforts of the domestic oil and gas industry.

In addition to investment and application of science and technology in oil and gas exploration and processing, Petrovietnam is also a strong enterprise in investment in digital transformation to optimize investment profits, reducing administrative procedures, and improving work efficiency.

Specifically, since 2010, Petrovietnam has taken the first steps in digitizing its operations with the construction of a data center for oil and gas exploration and production.

This center fully integrates geological - geophysical data, developing special analysis tools, applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, optimizing location, exploratory drilling objects in order to minimize risks. In mine development, this data center creates a platform to integrate pool-wide data from contractors, projects and operators, and conducts analysis and optimization for each drilling campaign.

At the beginning of the year, Petrovietnam's determination for digital transformation became stronger through signing the Contract "Consultancy on building a Digital Transformation Strategy for Petrovietnam" with Ernst & Young Vietnam Co., Ltd.

This is considered a strategic step of Petrovietnam in the context that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the digital transformation process worldwide.

Petrovietnam Chairman Hoang Quoc Vuong said that digital transformation was in line with the general trend of the world. The digital transformation enhances forecasting and risk management capabilities; effectively responding to fluctuations and uncertainties; facing recession and the global economic crisis caused by the complicated development of COVID-19 around the world; threats to peace, stability, freedom, security and safety in the East Sea.

By Giang Tu, Vietnam Business Forum