Agreement involves management of data including reservoir characterization, real-time oil output
PDVSA staff using free-access applications to communicate after cyberattack
Contract details, from duration to payment mechanism, still a secret
HOUSTON/CARACAS, Aug 25 (Reuters) - A contract that SLB SLB.N and Venezuela's state-run PDVSA signed last week has granted the U.S. oil services and technology company access to oilfield data from the country with the world's largest crude reserves, three sources close to the negotiations said.

The deal will allow SLB to organize and upgrade PDVSA's vast but outdated databases following years of neglect and a recent cyberattack, according to the sources.

Venezuela has not published routine oil statistics in more than a decade and the latest annual bulletin released by the oil ministry was in 2015. Except for limited output data reported monthly to OPEC, the lack of information has become a major obstacle to promoting oilfields for investment and tracking core activities like output, refining and exports.

From reservoir characterization to real-time crude production, the contract between PDVSA and SLB will involve data management and provide essential services. The companies have not disclosed the reach of the contract, but the sources said SLB will be able to use new technology, including artificial intelligence, to expand, modernize and make Venezuela's oil data reliable again.