At the .Futuro I Rio event, Petrobras presented an innovative project for the use of mixed reality (a term that designates the mixture of virtual and real environments) on oil production platforms. The project, which is still in the pilot phase, includes the use of mixed reality glasses that allow working with digital twins, the use of guided assistance, remote assistance, in addition to allowing other technologies with the use of artificial intelligence to assist the operator in inspections, on FPSO P-57, which is located in the Jubarte field, 80km from the coast on the south coast of Espírito Santo and operates in a water depth of 1200m.

“Through these technologies, for example, an on-board employee can perform maintenance on FPSO equipment with the assistance of another employee who can be anywhere with internet access. During the period of the pandemic, for example, when it was necessary to promote optimizations in the shipments of employees, these tools proved to be of great value”, highlights Vítor de Oliveira Thomaz, electrical engineer at Petrobras.

The use of these technologies can provide for the reduction of eventual boarding needs for support and technical assistance, reduction of risk exposure and consequent reduction of accidents, in addition to greater agility in technical support.

The event was held at Casa Firjan, in Rio de Janeiro, with the aim of discussing the fusion of the physical and digital universe, a model known as “Phygital”, and the challenges and opportunities for companies and individuals in the process of technological transformation that we are experiencing. . Other companies such as Coca-Cola, Grupo Pão de Açúcar, and Globo participated in the event. The lectures will be available online, with free access at https://evento.futurorio.com.br/.

For Xavier Leclerc, curator of .Futuro | Rio, the use of technological tools is irreversible and this is just the beginning of a great wave of innovations: “Mixed reality and the metaverse, for example, create sensory human experiences that are much broader than those we already have. This will profoundly change our interactive capabilities on a personal and professional level.”

Other initiatives were presented by Petrobras at .Futuro I Rio. Delmir Peixoto, consultant at Petrobras University, presented projects from the Laboratory of Learning Experiences with Disruptive Methodologies (EXPAMD Lab) such as, for example, the use of flexible classrooms, promotion of conferences using immersive platforms, in an environment that combines gamification and learning and even holding the Petrobras Integrity & ESG Dialogues, Petrobras' major annual event on ethics, integrity and transparency. Usually done in person, the project was carried out in 2021 in an innovative virtual environment, which simulates the physical space of a congress. In addition to preventing the spread of Covid 19, the new format made it possible to increase the reach of the event to more than 10 thousand people.

Closing the company's participation in the event, Petrobras University manager Danilo Garbazza Vieira (photo) discussed the corporations' challenges for the Phygital journey. Danilo stressed that, in the “new normal”, corporations should not only focus on technological improvements, but on developing an organizational culture that leverages innovation and a digital mindset among their employees.