INNOVATION
Total steps up the pace on digital technologies
In September, Total announced its objective of generating up to 1.5 billion dollars in value per year by 2025 thanks to digital solutions. Having laid robust foundations by setting up the technological baselines and raising awareness among the operational business lines, the Group is stepping up the pace of its digital transformation on the quest for even more value.
Total has set itself the aim of generating 1.5 billion dollars in value per year by 2025 thanks to digital solutions. To achieve this, the Group will be opening a Digital Factory in 2020 that will strengthen current digital activities. In short, a new all digital structure will be set up. Some 300 people will be working together in the heart of Paris to rapidly build new digital solutions that can be deployed at Total’s sites. These 300 people include specialists from the digital world (artificial intelligence specialists, data scientists, etc.) and Total employees from the Group’s operational business lines. The latter will be working on the digital projects right through to completion and, in doing so, will create real-world case studies that match the actual needs of the businesses. As for the digital specialists, Total will naturally be calling on a contractor, but will also be recruiting new talents to strengthen its competency pool.
© Ducasse Jean-Michel - Total
Digital technologies can boost production by 2 to 3% and reduce investment expenses.
Tangible benefits
To achieve the target objective, the Group will be working on three levers: reducing costs, optimizing the availability of facilities and increasing income. Let’s look at some real examples of how digital technologies can be an asset to Total. In Exploration & Production, digital technologies help increase production by 2 to 3% and reduce the investment amount through improved reservoir appraisal and the optimization of drilling campaigns and well location. Refining & Chemicals is able to increase its margin thanks to an optimization program owing to which refineries’ processes can be more readily adapted to the changes in their environment. Finally, M&S* and GRP** are able to increase their sales through improved knowledge of their customer base and by proposing new services based entirely on digital solutions. Over the next few years, many digital projects will be added to those that have already been completed or are ongoing at Total, with a specific focus on cybersecurity challenges. Two thirds of the additional revenue generated should come from Exploration & Production, and a third from the Downstream segment.
* Marketing & Services
** Gas, Renewables & Power