Oil and gas companies have started evaluating the possibilities of deploying wearable devices in day to day operations.

Oil and gas companies have started evaluating the possibilities of deploying wearable devices in day to day operations, according to data and analytics company GlobalData.

Initial research is focused on enabling real-time monitoring of field technicians to ensure safety and providing audiovisual assistance when performing asset maintenance, GlobalData noted. The eventual goal is to adopt lightweight, rugged, wearable devices to improve safety and efficiency in oilfield operations, the company revealed.

BP and Shell are among the leading adopters of wearable technology, according to GlobalData, which highlighted that several other companies have also started incorporating wearable technology in their operations, including the below:

Saudi Aramco

Eni

Marathon Petroleum

Chevron

ExxonMobil

Baker Hughes

Schlumberger

NOV

“Mobility is considered as the key driver and precursor to implement any wearable tech in the oil and gas industry,” Ravindra Puranik, an oil and gas analyst at GlobalData, said in a company statement.

“Ever since the evolution of digital technologies, companies in the oil and gas sector are using industry-grade smartphones to capture field-level data and exchange information with onshore experts. Instead of handheld smartphones, hands-free devices will increase work efficiency among the frontline workforce,” Puranik added.

“Through different applications, wearable smart devices are expected to bring a paradigm shift in oil and gas field operations,” the GlobalData representative continued.

GlobalData creates trusted intelligence on the world’s largest industries, according to its website. The company was formed in 2016, following the consolidation of several data and analytics providers.

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