March 16, 2026

From data to decisions: Key conversations expected at OTC Asia

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Karen Sandberg, VP Growth APAC, Kongsberg Digital.

Across Asia-Pacific, operators are managing mature offshore infrastructure, deepwater developments, and increasingly complex subsea systems - all while balancing the industry's energy trilemma: security, affordability, and sustainability.

Ahead of OTC Asia in Kuala Lumpur (31 March – 2 April), we spoke with Karen Sandberg, VP Growth APAC at Kongsberg Digital, who leads business growth across the region and works closely with operators to digitalise complex energy operations using AI-powered digital twins and advanced simulation.

Sandberg will be attending the event to connect with operators and partners interested in moving beyond traditional data visualisation toward real operational intelligence.

Making Better Operational Decisions

According to Sandberg, many of the challenges operators face today come down to one thing: making the right decisions in increasingly complex operational environments.

“Ultimately, many of the challenges facing upstream operators come down to making better operational decisions with the right insights at the right time.” 

She points out that many operators in the APAC region are managing ageing offshore infrastructure, complex subsea developments, and large integrated asset portfolios, often while facing constraints in experienced engineering resources.

Digital technologies are helping shift operations from reactive responses toward more predictive approaches.“By combining real-time operational data with physics-based simulation models, digital twins create a dynamic view of how an asset is performing,” Sandberg explains. “This allows operators to test operational scenarios, optimise production strategies, and anticipate issues before they occur.”


Key Topics Shaping the Conversation at OTC Asia

As one of the region’s most important offshore energy events, OTC Asia brings together operators, engineers, and technology leaders to discuss how the industry can improve operational performance while managing growing complexity.

“OTC Asia is a great place to have strategic conversations about how digitalisation can support production optimisation, asset life extension, and safer offshore operations,” Sandberg says.

She expects three themes to shape discussions this year:

1. Production optimisation for mature assets
Many offshore installations across Asia-Pacific have been producing for decades, making efficiency and asset life extension a major priority. 

2. Scaling digital transformation
Many companies have already tested digital technologies through pilot projects, and the next step is scaling these capabilities across entire organisations and asset portfolios. 

3. AI-enabled engineering decision support

AI can help identify patterns in operational data, detect anomalies earlier, and support operational recommendations.

“Engineers can then focus more on higher-value decision-making rather than manual analysis,” Sandberg explains.

 

From Data to Operational Insight

Most operators already collect large volumes of operational data. The real value comes when that data is connected with models that represent how assets behave in reality. This allows teams to run look-ahead simulations, test what-if scenarios, and anticipate potential operational constraints before they occur.

“As AI continues to mature, we will also see more autonomous decision support, where digital twins act as intelligent operational advisors." Karen Sandberg, VP Growth APAC, Kongsberg Digital

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Let’s Continue the Conversation at OTC Asia

For upstream operators across Asia-Pacific, digitalisation is increasingly becoming an operational necessity. Technologies such as digital twins, simulation, and AI are helping engineers manage complex assets while improving production performance and operational efficiency.

If you're attending OTC Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Karen Sandberg and the Kongsberg Digital team would welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation.

Mook a meeting with us at OTC Asia

Author
  • Kongsberg Digital

    Kongsberg Digital

    Kongsberg Digital is a provider of next-generation software and digital solutions to customers within oil and gas, chemicals and offshore wind. Its Industrial Work Surface, powered by the Kognitwin® platform, is redefining how industries work with data, insight and decision-making.

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