Posted 12/04/2019 by Kyle DeWitt
The North Sea and Gulf of Mexico (United States) are home to the largest number of offshore oil rigs, totaling 184 and 175 rigs, respectively. Here, fossil fuels – dating back hundreds of millions of years – are extracted from the earth to contribute to the estimated 3.9 billion gallons of crude oil the world uses each day. Historically, these sites have been among the most remote and dangerous locations on the planet. The industry as a whole has also been slower to embrace emerging technologies. However, the growing demand for efficiency and safer production, as well as a shrinking workforce, have forced the inception of a digital transformation. Advancements in technology and communication have made oil sites safer and, in a sense, less isolated. State-of-the-art sensors and IoT solutions have helped to drastically reduce the deaths and injuries, while also lessening the likelihood of environmental disasters.
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