OSDU Strategy
The current OSDU strategy is to position the OSDU Data Platform (DP) as an Energy Data Platform. We started by supporting Oil & Gas and we are clearly not done here. We must continue to focus and determine how we can and will speed up developments in this area.
However, we also have started the development of Wind and Solar services. To me, this is vital since more and more Operators are getting a Hybrid Energy Generation mix. In such a set up the OSDU DP can really make a difference by bringing these Energy sources together to not only optimize operations but to optimize the actual Energy supply to the market. With Wind and Solar, the other data standards from the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), play an important role and we have already managed to include these data standards to the OSDU DP.
In addition, we have started the work on Geothermal and Hydrogen to be added as OSDU DP supported services. Technically this is not too difficult as many of the components are the same as used for Oil & Gas Production, Wind and Solar i.e. OPC-UA (standard for connecting the field to OSDU DP); Deltalake (Open Source data store for storing Edge data (time series, images, etc.) and KAFKA (Open Source) in case there is very high demand for data streaming. You will be amazed that the lack of data standards is really what is slowing us down since Hydrogen especially is very hot in the market (with billions of investments planned in the EU alone) but when you ask or search for the relevant data standards it gets very quiet. You can be assured that we (the OSDU Team working this) have looked around (TNO / EU / IEC / ISO / NREL / etc. ………) and indeed they are not there yet. However, we will continue to work this actively and the story for Geothermal is only slightly better.
Being able to support such a mixture of energy sources will be an important differentiator since there is an increasing interaction between these energy sources. For example, between Offshore Wind and Hydrogen; Between Solar and Batteries; etc. and then having the data in one OSDU DP makes life much easier and more efficient (AI can be applied using all this data). Linked to this of course are the large changes to the set-up of the grid. From some energy sources going to millions of consumers, we are moving towards a world of many (in effect millions when you consider EVs and solar panels on your roof at home) different and distributed energy sources going to tens of millions of consumers (think about the EVs), whereby almost every “çonsumer” will consume AND produce energy (i.e. electricity). Data and AI will be key here.
At the OSDU Forum, we will review and adapt our strategy so that we will be ready for this. So more to follow here. However, don’t forget the statement at the top that we must also speed up our current levels of development in these areas.
Johan Krebbers
Currently working part time for Cognite assisting, where needed, with the integration of OSDU Data Platform and Cognite CDF (Cognite Data Fusion). In addition working for DNB (Malaysia) developing 5G enabled Digital Services. Before this having worked for Shell for many years in many different IT roles such as Group IT Architect, IT CTO and several roles in the Emerging Technologies.
