Insight |
Navigating beyond Moore’s Law
High-Performance Computing (HPC), has become critical in assisting the energy sector, offering the capability to analyse complex data, simulate intricate processes, and optimise operations. While immensely powerful, HPC faces several challenges as it continues to evolve and respond to exponential demands for computational power. With the end of Moore’s Law looming ever closer, Owen Thomas, founder of Red Oak Consulting, argues that the energy sector will continue to thrive as HPC invariably moves to the cloud
MOORE’S LAW, FORMULATED BY Gordon Moore in 1965, predicted that the number of transistors placed on a single square inch of an integrated circuit chip would double every two years, leading to an exponential increase in computing power. This Law has had profound implications for the development of HPC, not least in the energy sector, and the evolution of cloud computing, shaping the landscape of modern technology.
Above: Owen Thomas
It is now well recognised that Moore’s Law is nearing its end. Since its formulation there has been about a one trillion-fold increase in the amount of computing power being used in predictive models and to improve these high-performance models further, we need exponentially more computing power. Without it, the necessary gains in accuracy will diminish. But, with increasing costs and shrinking space available for the growing number of semiconductor chips involved in HPC compute, all sectors, including energy from oil & gas through to renewables, faces a new dilemma. McKinsey estimates that global power consumption will triple by 2050 [1]. Energy suppliers are working on the development of new technologies that can more sustainably generate, store, and transport energy to consumers. With the impact of climate change adding urgency to reducing energy use and energy waste, the energy industry is accelerating innovation to drive impact and outcomes at scale. Artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics, 3-D imaging, and the internet
8 | March 2024 |
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of things (IoT), supported by HPC, are all contributing to energy production to ensure a smoother transition to a more sustainable pathway.
HPC in practice in the energy sector In the oil and gas industry, HPC is used extensively for
contemporary scientific research, and the number of fields that it can be applied to is constantly growing, such as for weather forecasting, earthquake imaging or genetic analysis. Oil extraction can now utilise HPC to improve process efficiency and accuracy, and allow mining companies to save a vast sums of money, affording them a greater competitive advantage in this market.
Advanced algorithms running on supercomputers
can process huge amounts of data, enabling geoscientists to create detailed subsurface maps with higher accuracy and resolution. This capability enhances the success rate of exploration efforts, reduces drilling risks, and optimises resource extraction. Furthermore, HPC facilitates reservoir simulation, allowing engineers to predict fluid flow behaviours within underground formations. By simulating various production scenarios, companies can optimise well placement, extraction techniques, and reservoir management strategies. These simulations also aid in understanding the geo-mechanical complexities associated with hydraulic fracturing, enabling safer and more sustainable extraction practices.
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