Talent and technology strengthening Chevron’s position in the Permian Basin

When Amit Patel came to the United States in 2008 to study engineering, Chevron was not on his radar. But he knew he wanted to do something that had a positive impact on people's lives. Today, after more than a decade with Chevron, Patel builds and improves digital systems that help keep the company operating at scale in one of its most productive regions.

As an instrumentation and electrical analyst, Patel helps manage a vast network of Chevron’s assets in the Permian Basin. Chevron’s Permian facilities number in the hundreds, and its Permian wells number in the thousands. Patel and his team use AI models and automated systems to more efficiently track trends and take action in real time. “Think about the amount of data generated through all the operations we have,” Patel said. “As we are growing, we are pushing the limits of how we acquire and process the data. Using automation and autonomous operations is the key in the evolution of our operations.” 

Amit Patel said that his job is to “build, maintain and improve digital systems that help Chevron operate smarter.”

While employees like Patel build the digital infrastructure, Anthony Garcia and his team bring it to life inside Chevron’s Integrated Operations Center (IOC).

Fed by sensors, drones, subsurface monitors and high-resolution cameras, the IOC provides a consolidated view of field operations. The center enables technicians to:

• Operate equipment remotely.
• Monitor production trends in real time.
• Support field crews with data-driven decisions.
• Identify issues before they have a chance to affect output.

“It’s a place where we have all the operations data coming into a central location,” said Garcia, a technologist who handles support for the IOC.

Anthony Garcia explained that one benefit of using drones and AI is that “you can get a lot of information without having to physically visit that site.”