SLB and NVIDIA Collaborate to Boost Energy with Generative AI

Global energy technology leader SLB has revealed a major advancement in its collaboration with NVIDIA. According to the NVIDIA Technical Blog, the two companies plan to create and enhance generative AI solutions specifically for the energy industry.

Enhancing AI Solutions in the Energy Sector

The SLB and NVIDIA partnership seeks to fast-track the creation and implementation of energy-focused generative AI foundation models. These models will be integrated into SLB’s global platforms, including the Delfi digital platform and the innovative Lumi data and AI platform. The initiative makes use of NVIDIA NeMo, which is part of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software suite, to develop customized generative AI capable of operating in data centers, cloud settings, or at the edge.

This collaboration is dedicated to constructing and fine-tuning AI models that fulfill the distinct needs of the data-heavy energy industry. Areas of focus include field planning, development, production operations, and data management. By addressing these needs, the partnership aims to realize the full benefits of generative AI for professionals in the energy field—researchers, scientists, engineers, and IT teams—allowing them to tackle intricate technical tasks creatively to achieve enhanced value and reduced carbon footprints across the energy value chain.

A 15-Year Partnership Extension

The collaboration between SLB and NVIDIA spans back to 2008 when they first implemented NVIDIA GPUs for subsurface imaging and reservoir simulation. Through the years, they have optimized each iteration of SLB’s high-performance computing technologies, which are now accessible via its Delfi platform with the most recent NVIDIA accelerated computing platform.

Alongside their joint endeavors, SLB and NVIDIA have also teamed up with Dell Technologies to provide HPC and AI solutions to energy clients, including offerings for SLB Intersect, Omega, and Delfi.

Seismic Foundation Models and AI Copilots

Energy enterprises are increasingly adopting generative AI to improve both current and future energy systems, balancing energy generation with goals for decarbonization. Industry-targeted generative AI solutions offer new insights from enterprise data, facilitating the swift resolution of complex issues.

NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and software deliver a holistic platform for developing and implementing generative AI functionalities. SLB recognizes the advantages of employing NVIDIA NIM microservices to enhance performance and efficiency for enterprise-level AI initiatives. This integration allows SLB clients to effortlessly incorporate NeMo into their technical processes, boosting performance, refining operations, and propelling innovation.

During the recent SLB Digital Forum 2024, SLB presented ongoing initiatives, including:

• A seismic vision transformer foundation model aimed at expediting seismic data processing and boosting productivity for researchers and geophysicists in exploration.
• A coding copilot that utilizes a meticulously adjusted large language model (LLM) trained on SLB internal data to significantly enhance the customer experience with software tools.

These advancements are designed to improve usability for reservoir engineers and geoscientists, speeding up decision-making with real-time insights from integrated AI models.

Final Thoughts

Generative AI presents energy firms with opportunities to improve the exploration, production, and distribution of energy resources while maintaining sustainable practices. SLB’s tailored generative AI models, created using NVIDIA NeMo and NIM, aim to empower scientists and engineers to better utilize enterprise data for subsurface insights. This AI-driven approach promises substantial improvements in customer engagement, operational effectiveness, and revenue growth.

For further information about the partnership between SLB and NVIDIA, check out the NVIDIA Technical Blog.

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