Thi Nhut Suong Le
Ph.D Student
Gubkin University
I am Sofia Le, a petroleum and energy professional specializing in integrating oil and gas resources with digital infrastructure and Bitcoin mining. With over a decade of international experience across Russia, the Middle East, and Asia, and a background in petroleum geology and energy project development, I have worked at Skoltech, Leomining, and founded Smining. At Winchain, I lead gas-to-power and hydro-cooled data center projects that monetise stranded gas, reduce flaring, and enable Bitcoin mining and high-performance computer.
Participates in
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Technologies
Smart Infrastructure for the Future Energy Industry: Digitalisation & Innovation
Forum 18 | Digital Poster Plaza 4
27
April
15:30
17:30
UTC+3
The digitalization of energy systems requires resilient, efficient, and sustainable infrastructure. A persistent challenge in the petroleum sector is the monetization of stranded and associated petroleum gas (APG), which is frequently flared due to the high cost of conventional transport or limited market access. This paper explores an integrated solution: converting APG into electricity via modular gas engines and applying this electricity to hydro-cooled, containerized data centers designed for high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain workloads.
By colocating power generation and digital infrastructure at oil and gas fields, operators reduce flaring, avoid costly midstream investments, and create a new form of globally exportable value: computing capacity. Economic modelling indicates project payback periods of 18–36 months, depending on local energy costs and computing market demand. Hydro cooling reduces operating expenses and achieves power usage effectiveness (PUE) close to 1.05, significantly outperforming conventional cooling methods in hot climates.
An essential feature of this approach is the reuse of waste heat. In colder regions, thermal energy can be redirected to district heating, agriculture, greenhouses, or aquaculture. In hotter climates, such as the Middle East, hydro cooling enables heat-to-cold conversion through absorption chillers, producing chilled water for industrial processes, greenhouses, district cooling, or desalination. This dual-use capability aligns with circular economy principles and maximizes energy efficiency.
Global examples, such as the Green Data City in Oman, illustrate the viability of coupling energy assets with digital infrastructure. The paper argues that future leaders in the energy industry will be those who provide not only hydrocarbons but also sustainable power for digital infrastructure. For Saudi Arabia, this approach aligns directly with Vision 2030 objectives by reducing flaring under the Circular Carbon Economy framework, diversifying the economy into AI and digital services, and positioning the Kingdom as a regional hub for data-driven innovation.
By colocating power generation and digital infrastructure at oil and gas fields, operators reduce flaring, avoid costly midstream investments, and create a new form of globally exportable value: computing capacity. Economic modelling indicates project payback periods of 18–36 months, depending on local energy costs and computing market demand. Hydro cooling reduces operating expenses and achieves power usage effectiveness (PUE) close to 1.05, significantly outperforming conventional cooling methods in hot climates.
An essential feature of this approach is the reuse of waste heat. In colder regions, thermal energy can be redirected to district heating, agriculture, greenhouses, or aquaculture. In hotter climates, such as the Middle East, hydro cooling enables heat-to-cold conversion through absorption chillers, producing chilled water for industrial processes, greenhouses, district cooling, or desalination. This dual-use capability aligns with circular economy principles and maximizes energy efficiency.
Global examples, such as the Green Data City in Oman, illustrate the viability of coupling energy assets with digital infrastructure. The paper argues that future leaders in the energy industry will be those who provide not only hydrocarbons but also sustainable power for digital infrastructure. For Saudi Arabia, this approach aligns directly with Vision 2030 objectives by reducing flaring under the Circular Carbon Economy framework, diversifying the economy into AI and digital services, and positioning the Kingdom as a regional hub for data-driven innovation.
