Inside SLB and Shell’s Push for Practical AI

A new digital collaboration between SLB and Shell highlights how AI is being developed as a practical tool for upstream oil and gas operations worldwide

16 Dec 2025

In oil and gas, the next big shift is not about drilling harder. It is about thinking smarter. A new digital collaboration between SLB and Shell points to how artificial intelligence is moving out of test labs and into everyday upstream operations.

The partnership brings together a major energy technology supplier and a global operator with assets across regions and reservoirs. Their shared goal is straightforward: build and scale digital tools that help teams make better decisions, faster. Exploration, drilling, and production all sit in scope. For an industry balancing cost control with rising operational complexity, that focus matters.

At the heart of the effort is data. Upstream operations generate vast amounts of it, but much of that information still lives in isolated systems. SLB and Shell are aiming to change that by working toward a more unified digital environment. The idea is to give engineers and geoscientists a clearer view of what is happening across assets and to shorten the path from insight to action.

Executives on both sides have been careful to keep expectations grounded. SLB has framed the collaboration as a way to make digital tools easier to use and more relevant to daily work. Shell has emphasized practical outcomes like shorter decision cycles and more consistent processes. The message is less about bold promises and more about building capabilities that can actually be deployed.

Notably, the announcement does not lean on competitive pressure as its main driver. Instead, it reflects a broader trend in the sector. Operators and technology providers are increasingly joining forces to tackle digital challenges that are difficult to solve alone. Shared platforms and expertise are becoming a common route to faster progress.

That does not mean the path will be simple. Data governance, cybersecurity, and workforce readiness will all shape how far and how fast these tools can spread. Success will depend on execution and on whether the technology becomes part of routine operations rather than a parallel system.

For the upstream industry, the signal is clear. AI is no longer just a future concept. With moves like this, SLB and Shell are positioning data driven operations as a core capability for the years ahead.