Role description:

1. Business & operational assessment
They assess current field operational data processes, existing infrastructure, production (data) bottlenecks, data availability & integrity.

Example: Too many ESP failures, high deferred production, poor maintenance planning, manual reporting delays.

2. Define digital use cases
They identify high-value initiatives such as:

• Predictive maintenance: build data pipelines to feed into AI/ML
• Emissions tracking: methane leak monitoring
• Asset integrity: corrosion monitoring system for export pipeline

3. Technology architecture
They help define data architecture, cloud vs on-prem solutions, historian integration, edge computing, cybersecurity requirements.

Common technologies: AVEVA PI, Schlumberger DELFI, SCADA, Azure/AWS cloud, Power BI/Tableau, IoT platforms.

4. Project management & delivery
A large part of the role is coordinating execution: vendor management, scope definition, risk management, deployment planning, KPI tracking.

Typical projects: data pipelines definition, implementation, digital twin implementation, production surveillance dashboards.

5. Data & analytics oversight
Typical interfaces include information management, data scientists, production engineers, operations & maintenance teams.

Tasks include data quality governance, KPI definition, analytics validation, workflow automation.

Example: Utilizing AI/machine learning to anticipate maintenance and turnaround activities at site.

6. Change management
A major challenge is operational adoption.

The advisor may: train field personnel, align engineers with new workflows, develop SOPs, create operating models, demonstrate ROI - in many oilfields, the technical challenge is easier than changing field behavior.

Typical skills required

Upstream domain knowledge
Understanding of operations & maintenance, asset information management, surface facilities.

Digital & technical skills
Knowledge of SCADA, industrial IoT, CMMS, eDMS, data platforms, cloud architecture, analytics, cybersecurity, automation systems.

Project & consulting skills
Stakeholder management, business case development, agile/project delivery, vendor coordination, communication with executives and field teams.

Digital oilfield advisor connects operations + digital + business value.
Supports implementation.
Coordinates technical teams.
Manages specific workstreams.