Global energy technology company SLB has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Shell to accelerate the development of advanced digital and artificial intelligence solutions aimed at improving performance and efficiency across upstream operations.

Source: SLB

The collaboration will focus on the development of agentic AI-powered solutions designed to enhance the capabilities of technical experts and decision-makers. Central to the agreement is the ambition to build and deploy an open data and AI infrastructure that securely unifies data and workflows across subsurface, well construction and production domains. This infrastructure will be enabled through SLB’s Lumi™ data and AI platform, creating a connected digital environment for upstream activities.

Commenting on the announcement, Rakesh Jaggi, President of SLB’s Digital Business, said the energy industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by digitalisation and AI. He noted that working closely with an industry leader such as Shell will help accelerate the development of advanced digital and autonomous solutions that generate value across the entire upstream lifecycle, from planning through to operations.

The agreement builds on a long-standing relationship between SLB and Shell. Earlier this year, SLB announced a technical partnership to deploy its Petrel™ subsurface software across Shell’s global asset base. The initiative aims to standardise infrastructure and workflows, enabling scalable digital solutions while improving operating cost efficiencies.

Beyond technology deployment, the collaboration is expected to inform Shell’s broader digital strategy and technology roadmap, encourage mutual learning, and support the company’s wider digital transformation. It will also contribute to the development of digital solutions that are commercially viable and applicable across the wider energy industry.

SLB operates in more than 100 countries and focuses on delivering digital technologies at scale, advancing decarbonisation, and developing new energy systems to support the global energy transition.