STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF THE NIGERIA OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN A FAST CHANGING ICT WORLD.

Nnamchi Adaeze, PGNPD PTI, Delta State.
Nigeria is facing the challenge of keeping up with technological development in order to be able to derive maximum benefit from our oil reserves. information and communications technology (ICT) is of paramount importance to almost all aspect of oil and gas operations,
from upstream to downstream operations to achieve this aim.
IMPACT OF ICT IN OIL AND GAS UPSTREAM OPERATIONS
upstream operations include exploration and production of crude oil and a major concern is how to extend the life of crude oil reserves in a bid to keep with the increasing demand for oil. the upstream sector is facing the challenge of increasing oil production and improving the rate of oil recovery. this has led multinational oil companies to invest more in research and development, and as a result, improved drilling and extraction technologies have been developed. a key challenge is to get more oil out of existing oil fields through the use of advanced technologies that allow for real time visualization of the oil wells and thus, increase oil recovery. ICTs make it possible to collect huge amounts of data concerning oil fields, with manipulation of those data in models which support decision making with respect to optimal oil recovery methods. the 3D seismic technology has been adopted in Nigeria which makes it possible to monitor changes in oil fields. oil fields are becoming a part of an ICT network, as all of them are increasingly connected through the internet and monitored in real time. all the components of oil fields, including the oil wells, pumps, pipelines and oil rigs are interconnected, with each component having an 'IP address'.    the Nigerian petroleum industry uses the computing capacity provided by major IT companies.
horizontal drilling of oil wells require accurate data manipulation. By using well logging devices  while drilling, the data from the oil wells are transmitted to experts, who then judge and take action to ensure best practices. Formerly, logging was performed as the drilling tools were pulled out of the well. Now ICTs enable data to be read using sensors in the drill string, the data are normally digitally transmitted in real time to the monitoring offices.
SCADA TECHNOLOGY FOR OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES
A new technology SCADA has come into play for the upstream and downstream sectors.
SCADA as supervisory control ad data acquisition is a systematic computerized way of using a coded signal in synchronizing, gathering and analyzing real time data in industrial and industrial manufacturing processes. it can monitor ad control large scale industrial processes that include multiple sites and long distances.
SCADA POSESSES THE FOLLOWING SUBSYSTEMS:
Human-Machine interface (HMI)- this is a device which presents process data to a human operator, enabling him to monitor and control the process. the acquisition and synchronization of these data is possibly made through the use of a sensor incorporated into the facilities been used in the industries.
Supervisory control system
Remote thermal units- converts sensor signals to digital and sends to supervisory systems.
Programmable logic controller
Communication Infrastructure connects  the supervisory system to the remote thermal units.
    conclusively, the major problems that Nigeria have to resolve in the fast changing ICT world is the development of human capital and skilled labor which include qualified engineers and information technology experts. the work processes based on the use of new technology, including ICTs, need skills that are not 'easy-finds' in the country.