The oilfield services (OFS) sector is undergoing a profound transformation as digital innovation emerges as a defining force, creating new opportunities for sustained, long-term growth amid shifting market conditions. A new forecast from Rystad Energy suggests the oil and gas industry could realise savings exceeding $320 billion over the next five years by deepening the digitalisation of operations across five critical areas. The five critical areas are drilling optimisation, autonomous robotics, predictive maintenance, reservoir management, and logistics optimisation.Continued merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, along with new partnerships with technology firms and increased software integration, is poised to significantly transform the OFS business ecosystem, Rystad Energy said in its analysis. These factors are compelling key OFS players to adopt digital-first business strategies.“We estimate that $320 billion is a modest figure, as broader digital adoption across other business domains could generate even greater value,” Binny Bagga, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain.To realize this, executives will need to deliberately prioritize digital transformation by fostering a less risk-averse business culture. Digitalisation’s financial impact and valuation premiumDigitalisation is increasingly recognised in financial disclosures, despite the difficulty in standardization and measurement. While most supply chain market players don’t yet report a GAAP-level ‘digital profit’ like a pure Software-as-a-Service company, this trend is shifting, according to Rystad Energy. An example is SLB, which has begun to report a separate digital division in its earnings.Digital revenue streams offer more stable and resilient growth trajectories, with less exposure to the volatility often seen in upstream capital expenditure. For instance, SLB anticipates its digital division’s margin will reach 35% on a full-year basis in 2025. Similarly, Viridien, a global technology and geoscience leader, saw its Digital, Data and Environment (DDE) segment grow by 17% last year, generating $787 million in revenue and delivering adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $458 million.Source: Rystad Energy“The investment community is increasingly valuing energy-technology narratives, with service companies that clearly articulate technology-driven and recurring-revenue strategies often commanding higher valuation multiples than those tied solely to equipment cycles,” Bagga said. However, such premium valuations hinge on demonstrated scalability. Emphasizing digitalization is a direct pathway to creating lasting shareholder value. Barriers to adoption and strategic responsesDespite the advantages of digital oilfields, their widespread adoption is hindered by significant barriers, particularly the high upfront costs associated with hardware, software, persistent maintenance, and robust cybersecurity. These challenges are particularly severe for smaller companies or those utilising older infrastructure, making it difficult to justify the investment, especially during periods of economic instability, the Norway-based energy intelligence agency said. In response to these difficulties, different strategies are emerging: mid-tier companies are strategically integrating targeted digital upgrades, while smaller, specialized vendors and niche software providers are concentrating on offering flexible, custom, and modular solutions.The trend in digital investment increasingly involves strategic partnerships with technology firms. This approach serves to enhance digital capabilities, alongside existing strategies like internal development and acquisitions.The intensity and frequency of these partnerships have seen a sharp rise, particularly since 2021, according to the agency. The most notable increase has occurred in the last two years, involving major companies like SLB, Halliburton, NOV, and Baker Hughes.This pattern highlights a clear industry shift toward digital transformation, with large suppliers actively accelerating their collaborations with technology partners in recent years.The post Digital transformation will unlock over $320B in savings for oil, gas industry, says Rystad Energy appeared first on InvezzThe oilfield services (OFS) sector is undergoing a profound transformation as digital innovation emerges as a defining force, creating new opportunities for sustained, long-term growth amid shifting market conditions. A new forecast from Rystad Energy suggests the oil and gas industry could realise savings exceeding $320 billion over the next five years by deepening the digitalisation of operations across five critical areas. The five critical areas are drilling optimisation, autonomous robotics, predictive maintenance, reservoir management, and logistics optimisation.Continued merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, along with new partnerships with technology firms and increased software integration, is poised to significantly transform the OFS business ecosystem, Rystad Energy said in its analysis. These factors are compelling key OFS players to adopt digital-first business strategies.“We estimate that $320 billion is a modest figure, as broader digital adoption across other business domains could generate even greater value,” Binny Bagga, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain.To realize this, executives will need to deliberately prioritize digital transformation by fostering a less risk-averse business culture. Digitalisation’s financial impact and valuation premiumDigitalisation is increasingly recognised in financial disclosures, despite the difficulty in standardization and measurement. While most supply chain market players don’t yet report a GAAP-level ‘digital profit’ like a pure Software-as-a-Service company, this trend is shifting, according to Rystad Energy. An example is SLB, which has begun to report a separate digital division in its earnings.Digital revenue streams offer more stable and resilient growth trajectories, with less exposure to the volatility often seen in upstream capital expenditure. For instance, SLB anticipates its digital division’s margin will reach 35% on a full-year basis in 2025. Similarly, Viridien, a global technology and geoscience leader, saw its Digital, Data and Environment (DDE) segment grow by 17% last year, generating $787 million in revenue and delivering adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $458 million.Source: Rystad Energy“The investment community is increasingly valuing energy-technology narratives, with service companies that clearly articulate technology-driven and recurring-revenue strategies often commanding higher valuation multiples than those tied solely to equipment cycles,” Bagga said. However, such premium valuations hinge on demonstrated scalability. Emphasizing digitalization is a direct pathway to creating lasting shareholder value. Barriers to adoption and strategic responsesDespite the advantages of digital oilfields, their widespread adoption is hindered by significant barriers, particularly the high upfront costs associated with hardware, software, persistent maintenance, and robust cybersecurity. These challenges are particularly severe for smaller companies or those utilising older infrastructure, making it difficult to justify the investment, especially during periods of economic instability, the Norway-based energy intelligence agency said. In response to these difficulties, different strategies are emerging: mid-tier companies are strategically integrating targeted digital upgrades, while smaller, specialized vendors and niche software providers are concentrating on offering flexible, custom, and modular solutions.The trend in digital investment increasingly involves strategic partnerships with technology firms. This approach serves to enhance digital capabilities, alongside existing strategies like internal development and acquisitions.The intensity and frequency of these partnerships have seen a sharp rise, particularly since 2021, according to the agency. The most notable increase has occurred in the last two years, involving major companies like SLB, Halliburton, NOV, and Baker Hughes.This pattern highlights a clear industry shift toward digital transformation, with large suppliers actively accelerating their collaborations with technology partners in recent years.The post Digital transformation will unlock over $320B in savings for oil, gas industry, says Rystad Energy appeared first on Invezz

        Highlights:  US prosecutors requested a 12-year prison sentence for Do Kwon after the Terra collapse. Terraform’s $40 billion downfall caused huge losses and sparked a long downturn in crypto markets.  Do Kwon will face sentencing on December 11 and must give up $19 million in earnings.   US prosecutors have asked a judge to give Do Kwon, Terraform Labs co-founder, a 12-year prison sentence for his role in the remarkable $40 billion collapse of the Terra and Luna tokens. The request also seeks to finalize taking away Kwon’s criminal earnings.  The court filing came in New York’s Southern District on Thursday. This is about four months after Kwon admitted guilt on two charges: wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud. Prosecutors said Kwon caused more losses than Samuel Bankman-Fried, Alexander Mashinsky, and Karl Sebastian Greenwood combined.  U.S. prosecutors have asked a New York federal judge to sentence Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to 12 years in prison, calling his role in the 2022 TerraUSD collapse a “colossal” fraud that triggered broader crypto-market failures, including the downfall of FTX. Sentencing is… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 5, 2025  Terraform Collapse Shakes Crypto Market Authorities explained that Terraform’s collapse affected the entire crypto market. They said it helped trigger what is now called the ‘Crypto Winter.’ The filing stressed that Kwon’s conduct harmed many investors and the broader crypto world. On Thursday, prosecutors said Kwon must give up just over $19 million. They added that they will not ask for any additional restitution. They said: “The cost and time associated with calculating each investor-victim’s loss, determining whether the victim has already been compensated through the pending bankruptcy, and then paying out a percentage of the victim’s losses, will delay payment and diminish the amount of money ultimately paid to victims.” Authorities will sentence Do Kwon on December 11. They charged him in March 2023 with multiple crimes, including securities fraud, market manipulation, money laundering, and wire fraud. All connections are tied to his role at Terraform. After Terra fell in 2022, authorities lost track of Kwon until they arrested him in Montenegro on unrelated charges and sent him to the U.S. Do Kwon’s Legal Case and Sentencing In April last year, a jury ruled that both Terraform and Kwon committed civil fraud. They found the company and its co-founder misled investors about how the business operated and its finances. Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, submitted the sentencing request in November.  TERRA STATEMENT: “We are very disappointed with the verdict, which we do not believe is supported by the evidence. We continue to maintain that the SEC does not have the legal authority to bring this case at all, and we are carefully weighing our options and next steps.” — Zack Guzmán  (@zGuz) April 5, 2024  The news of Kwon’s sentencing caused Terraform’s token, LUNA, to jump over 40% in one day, from $0.07 to $0.10. Still, this rise remains small compared to its all-time high of more than $19, which the ecosystem reached before collapsing in May 2022. In a November court filing, Do Kwon’s lawyers asked for a maximum five-year sentence. They argued for a shorter term partly because he could face up to 40 years in prison in South Korea, where prosecutors are also pursuing a case against him. The legal team added that even if Kwon serves time in the U.S., he would not be released freely. He would be moved from prison to an immigration detention center and then sent to Seoul to face pretrial detention for his South Korea charges.    eToro Platform    Best Crypto Exchange   Over 90 top cryptos to trade Regulated by top-tier entities User-friendly trading app 30+ million users    9.9   Visit eToro eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.