An oft-identified barrier to adopting digital innovations in oil and gas is that the data is too ‘dirty’. But is it true?

It’s not at all surprising that the data assets of oil and gas companies are viewed with suspicion by those tasked with figuring out how to exploit digital, and by extension, data. Much of that data originates in places that are cold, dark, wet and muddy. It’s easy to assume that it’s the conditions that make for poor quality data. But that’s not the whole story.

Questionable data looks all but inevitable in an industry that works where it is cold, dark, wet and muddy.  However, the reaction to, and treatment of, dirty data is well within the control of leaders in oil and gas charged with digital deployment. Immediate tactics are helpful, but we are only going to be more digital in the future, so longer term changes are the way to go.