How Shell Aws Created Shells Data Universe Osdu Data Platform Enu307

Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - How Shell & AWS created Shell’s Data Universe (OSDU Data Platform) (ENU307)

Summary

  • Kim Padaletti, head of energy data platforms at Amazon Web Services, and Gabriel Guerra, VP of Digital Ventures at Shell, discuss the creation of Shell's Data Universe, now known as the OSDU data platform.
  • Shell aimed to revolutionize its workflows, data management, and business models using digital technologies.
  • The initial challenge was to centralize data to enable new workflows and machine learning applications.
  • Shell partnered with AWS to build the Subsurface Data Universe (SDU), which later evolved into OSDU when it was open-sourced.
  • Open-sourcing SDU to become OSDU was a strategic move to avoid isolation and encourage industry-wide adoption and collaboration.
  • Shell believes that competitive advantage comes from the quality of their workforce and how they use data, not from the data platform itself.
  • OSDU is expanding beyond subsurface data to support energy transition efforts, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, and carbon capture.
  • Studio X was created as a separate entity to explore new business models, leveraging the gig economy for geoscience and data science.
  • The adoption of OSDU is growing, with a focus on expanding data type support and standardization to enable broader and faster adoption across the industry.

Insights

  • Shell's approach to digital transformation emphasizes the importance of centralized data management and the flexibility to adapt workflows.
  • The partnership with AWS was chosen due to AWS's willingness to explore the unknown and their customer-centric approach.
  • Open-sourcing the SDU to create OSDU was a strategic decision to foster industry collaboration and avoid the costs of maintaining proprietary standards.
  • The creation of Studio X reflects Shell's commitment to innovation and exploring new business models outside of traditional corporate structures.
  • The expansion of OSDU to support energy transition initiatives indicates a broader industry trend towards sustainable energy sources and the need for adaptable data platforms.
  • The challenges faced in adopting OSDU highlight the importance of standardizing data types and ensuring that the platform can support production workflows.
  • Shell's experience suggests that the adoption of new technologies and processes can be accelerated by demonstrating tangible benefits and aligning with the users' needs.