Shell’s vision for our subsurface data and workflows is transforming and has collaborated with many industry leaders on this journey. The company has achieved this by migrating to open cloud-based platforms that aim to boost collaboration and innovation. This is helping Shell to overcome the limitations of traditional, discipline-specific software and improve efficiency across our subsurface operations.

The OSDU^TM Data Platform is a cloud native, open-source technology which provides the energy industry a toolbox to address the undifferentiated capabilities needed to manage large disconnected data sets. The need for faster decision-making led us to explore how we can liberate our vast data to underpin decision making as Shell works to provide more and cleaner energy solutions to the world.

Back in 2018, Shell and AWS were among the founding members of The Open Group OSDU^TM Forum. The OSDU^TM vision is to avoid replication developing the common services required by the entire energy sector to become data driven. Today the forum comprises 200+ energy companies and independent software vendors (ISVs) collaborating to develop common interface standards. This solution helps to remove barriers within workflows caused by proprietary data formats, and domain data silos.

With the deployment of the OSDU^TM Data Platform, Shell and others can now analyse data more efficiently, search information more rapidly and take advantage of the best digital innovations.

Shell has moved wells data and applications to the AWS cloud to improve efficiency and shorten cycle times. We are also exploring the migration of other key subsurface processes to the cloud, including seismic.

With the OSDU^TM Data Platform removing the heavy lifting from subsurface data management, Shell aims to fully leverage cloud-native services. This includes services like Amazon SageMaker (machine learning), and Amazon Comprehend (natural language processing) will be applied elastically to help innovate in a more agile manner.

“We have been co-innovating with AWS in this space for some time. Shell’s Subsurface Data Universe, co-developed with AWS, formed the basis of OSDU^TM. The OSDU^TM Data Platform is becoming the industry standard that aims to provide seamless access to subsurface data in an integrated manner and has the potential to increase the efficiency of the oil, gas, geothermal development processes as well as CCUS and hydrogen storage opportunities. Continuing this journey with AWS on OSDU^TM means we can leverage on the knowledge gain from the early years.” said Paul Zeppenfeldt, VP Subsurface Data & Digital, Shell “The OSDU Data Platform delivered on AWS provides the services to pull data to the centre of workflows, foster digital innovation and reduce the friction between teams and applications. Liberating energy and utilities datasets from application and domain silos to the cloud facilitates the routine application of artificial intelligence and machine learning through services like Amazon SageMaker. AWS has helped Shell generate new insights from their subsurface data and accelerate innovation as they power progress through the energy transition.” said, Howard Gefen, General Manager, Energy & Utilities, AWS.