Nurhana Mohd Basri

Innovation is one of the drivers in applying technology to enable PETRONAS Upstream business excellence, with emphasis in solving the complicated and complex challenges towards realizing the aspirations of becoming a safe, resilient, low cost and low carbon E&P business. With a high dropout rate of technology and digital projects as well as high percentage of projects not being scaled, there is a need to do things differently and to promote accountability in experimentations, ensure scalability & sustainability, while maintaining prudent cost management.

Using an appropriate model will increase our confidence as we transform Upstream operation at scale to achieve targeted business goals. The innovation model that we have developed uses a dependable technique that acts as a steady funnel, gradually filtering and maturing ideas that match the business goals. We adopt a flexible mindset, promoting a culture of ongoing learning and adjustment, enabling quick adoption of advanced technologies in creating and delivering value effectively. Simultaneously, a technology roadmap was developed to focus on specific challenges and opportunities that can be solved using latest technology. The challenges and opportunities shall be evaluated using this model to ensure that we are tackling the actual pain-points and addressing the real problem.

We have tested this model on a particular opportunity, a use case to improve oil field production unplanned deferment (UPD). Through the process of maturing this opportunity, we put people at the center, encouraging team to empathize with end-users, validate solutions, and focus on improving users’ experiences. We have embraced design thinking as a cornerstone towards fostering the generation of innovative solutions, and iteratively refine digital experiences. This has provided a mechanism for managing risk by encouraging experimentation and validation before making large-scale investments. Artificial intelligence takes center stage within this model, enhancing predictive analytics, optimizing operational efficiency, and automating intricate processes. The use case has brought potential benefits that include UPD reduction by over 25% and operational excellence improvement by a similar margin. Through a systematic and collaborative innovation framework, PETRONAS Upstream has strategically drive progress to ensure digital transformation keeps pace with technological advancement towards achieving a competitive edge.