Case Study: Shell achieves faster oil exploration and reduced carbon footprint with Microsoft Power Apps

Shell speeds oil exploration and reduces carbon footprint with cloud-based HPC

Shell, the global energy company, needed to accelerate computational science for faster exploration, better lubricants, and predictive corrosion modeling while cutting its carbon footprint. To gain cloud-based high-performance computing and a culture of rapid, self‑service experimentation, Shell partnered with Microsoft Power Apps and other Microsoft technologies (Azure Batch, Azure Machine Learning) and advisory help from Microsoft Consulting Services.

Using Microsoft Power Apps as part of a Microsoft-led solution, Shell and Microsoft delivered the DIRAC platform on Azure, combining Azure Batch and Azure ML with agile practices to enable massive, on‑demand HPC runs and self‑service modeling. The results: Shell can run about five times more calculations than with captive hardware, DIRAC’s predictive corrosion tool saved tens of millions of dollars by avoiding an unplanned shutdown, and the platform sped months‑long experiments into rapid insights that improve lubricants, fuel research, and operational sustainability.

Shell

Daniel Jeavons

Vice President for Computational Sciences and Digital Innovation