AI Gains Ground in North Sea Oil Operations

Aker BP expands use of Cognite’s Atlas AI to automate offshore workflows and improve efficiency

17 Sep 2025

Aker BP is expanding its use of artificial intelligence in North Sea operations, deepening its partnership with Norwegian software group Cognite to automate key engineering tasks and improve efficiency.

The oil and gas producer is rolling out Cognite’s Atlas AI platform across its exploration and production units, focusing on so-called agentic AI, software agents that automate time-consuming workflows and assist engineers with faster, data-driven insights.

The company said automation is being applied to document processing, equipment registration and barrier management, among other processes. AI tools for root-cause analysis have reportedly cut engineers’ analysis time by more than 70 per cent, allowing teams to identify and address problems sooner.

Aker BP expects the technology to help streamline offshore planning and execution, with potential long-term savings in logistics, fuel use and emissions. However, tangible results such as shorter drilling campaigns or measurable carbon reductions remain subject to broader testing across its fields. Current efforts are centred on scaling up the platform and establishing the necessary data infrastructure.

Cognite introduced an update to Atlas AI in September, expanding its library of pre-built agent templates and low-code development tools. The new release is designed to integrate more easily with live operational and engineering data, supporting Aker BP’s “AI-first” strategy and reflecting a shift in the energy sector from small-scale pilots to routine industrial applications.

Engineers still face challenges related to model transparency, safety validation and cybersecurity, while regulators continue to refine guidelines for industrial AI. Even so, early productivity gains suggest digital co-pilots are becoming a regular feature of offshore operations, offering both immediate efficiency benefits and the prospect of lower emissions over time.