The long history of “twinning” as a means to represent and understand a physical object includes sketches, blueprints, physical models, and computer-aided design (CAD).
As digital technology has matured, so have twinning capabilities. Once a novel concept, the digital twin has become an essential tool for managing and operating the oil and gas industry’s infrastructure.
It has been less than a decade since the term “digital twin” first appeared in the OnePetro database, but the industry’s uptake on these virtual replicas has been rapid. And why not? They replace outdated tools with dynamic, real-time models that provide a continuous, comprehensive view of an asset’s health and performance.
The industry has learned a great deal about what it takes for a digital twin to be useful—such as current and accurate models and data—and the different ways the tool can be used to benefit the bottom line, such as through risk mitigation or as an operations twin.
Is It the Right System?
As digital twins are created for real-world objects, the question of trustworthiness is paramount. While presenting OTC 35756 at the 2025 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Eric VanDerHorn, manager of technology-digital research at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), said a digital twin’s credibility should be predicated on its planned use.
“The first aspect of considering credibility is really to understand that it’s all based on content.
