By Fillipe Ferreira, Seagems
The oil and gas sector has undergone significant changes driven by digitalization. With the artificial intelligence (AI) market projected to reach US$7.99 billion by 2031, according to Allied Market Research, emerging technologies—such as predictive maintenance and automation—are transforming market operations significantly. However, when considering the adoption of new technologies, it is essential to ensure that digital transformation goes hand in hand with a shift in corporate culture to support it. Without this integration, technological advancements are unlikely to be effective in the long term.
Creating an environment that fosters collaboration, where all ideas are valued, is essential to ensure that new technologies can be implemented effectively. A company that does not promote an innovative mindset runs a considerable risk of seeing its digitalization efforts fail. A study conducted by Mendix shows that 70% of digital transformation initiatives fail primarily due to a lack of cultural adaptation. Therefore, the priority should be to promote an open culture that values idea exchange and integrates all employees into a continuous cycle of innovation.
Integrating technology effectively
Companies also need to prioritize safety and operational excellence, especially in high-risk environments such as offshore operations.
Seagems, a joint venture between Paratus Energy and Sapura Energy, is a Brazilian company that specializes in subsea services. Seagems aims to simplify and automate processes to mitigate risks and improve efficiency. The use of emerging technologies, such as advanced sensors and real-time data analysis integrated with AI, enables the company to make faster and safer decisions. This approach is designed to enhance operations while ensuring the quality of life for employees, reducing failures and incidents.
For this reason, caution must be taken with the “tech-for-tech” culture. Technology should always be seen as an enabler of solutions tailored to business needs. Therefore, understanding the company’s goals and core business is fundamental to integrating technology effectively and strategically.
Another important point is that IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) must be increasingly aligned with the company’s strategy. The leader in this area should focus first on business and then on technology. This alignment ensures that technology is indeed serving solutions that generate value for the company.
All of this is to ensure that the cost of a technological solution and its implementation is lower than the cost of the challenge being addressed, which is fundamental for the success of the investment. This will determine whether it makes sense to adopt certain technologies, always seeking a balance between innovation, cost-effectiveness,and impact on the core business.
Trends for 2025
Looking to the future, there is an increasing adoption of technologies such as the Internet of Things and machine learning, which are essential for optimizing operational efficiency and expanding automation. Furthermore, the pursuit of renewable energy and carbon capture technologies is expected to gain even more momentum, aligning companies with global environmental goals.
For this reason, cultural change will be indispensable, as it is people—rather than just machines—who drive true innovation. Management must be agile, open to new ideas and committed to creating an environment that favors the implementation of technological solutions, while maintaining safety, efficiency and employee well-being as top priorities.
