Eni launches supercomputer in bid to discover new oil and gas fields

Italian energy company Eni has revealed one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, in an attempt to scale up its oil and gas discovery technology. This is also expected to be a major step in the company’s decarbonisation and clean energy strategy. 

With an estimated cost of over €100m, the supercomputer, dubbed the HPC6, will be able to handle a number of artificial intelligence functions, as well as highly sophisticated calculations, with the help of nearly 14,000 graphics processing units (GPUs). 

The move is expected to go a long way towards helping Eni sift through large amounts of data and discover new oil and gas reservoirs, while also helping with its clean energy and decarbonisation calculations. 

The data is usually obtained through drilling operations, seismic surveys and reservoir simulations. Supercomputers can also help energy companies determine exactly where oil and gas reserves are, how big the deposits are, and what the best drilling strategies may be for each one. They can also help with well positioning, production forecasting, enhanced oil recovery and reservoir simulation. 

Eni has already used supercomputing technology to improve fluid dynamics and geological studies for carbon storage, as well as enhance industrial plant operations and produce better batteries. Its biofuel supply chain has also been made more efficient through supercomputing. 

The HPC6 was turned on on Christmas Day, in Ferrera Erbognone, a small commune in the Lombardy region of Italy. Currently, it is the fifth fastest supercomputer in the world, as per the annual TOP500 list. 

Eni is also expected to use the HPC6 to help improve the production efficiency of its renewable energy resources. 

This launch has also helped strengthen Eni’s reputation as a company which has stuck to designing and producing its own machines, instead of purchasing external cloud computing services. 

Claudio Descalzi, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Eni, said on the company’s website: “Innovation and the constant evolution of technologies are fundamental to maintaining and strengthening Eni’s leadership in the energy transition. Technological advancements allow us to use energy more efficiently by reducing emissions and promoting the development of new energy solutions. 

“We have integrated supercomputing throughout our entire business chain, transforming it into an indispensable lever for achieving Net Zero and creating value. Eni has developed a unique heritage of technological knowledge and programming that gives us a competitive advantage on the international stage and supports the speed of our transformation while simultaneously driving our growth.”