Exxon’s use of artificial intelligence to read Guyana’s seismic data in days instead of months is not just a tech story – it is a turning point for how fast Guyana’s offshore oil and gas potential can be understood, developed and translated into revenue for the country.
Exxon’s Vice President of Global Exploration, John Ardill, explained that the company is now running Guyana’s seismic data through high‑performance computing systems using “deep learning, classification and reinforced learning” techniques.
“We’re using what was called deep learning, classification and so reinforced learning. … We can turn those tools around in just a few days, and then the interpreter can get a prioritized list of anomalies to go effectively validate,” he said.
Simply Wall Street explains that this means “speed and breadth”, noting that it allows the company to “screen many more prospects, retire weaker ideas earlier, and concentrate engineering and capital on prospects that clear its hurdle rates.”
Ardill added that Exxon recently completed its first fully autonomous well in Guyana, with artificial intelligence directing both the drilling and the geosteering as the bit moved through the reservoir.
“This is no driller touching the controls. This is entirely drilled through the reservoir section with AI, including geosteering,” he said.
According to Ardill, the autonomous approach has produced better results in both drilling performance and the accuracy of well placement than traditional methods.
