1. Introduction

This policy has been developed in response to the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in scientific and engineering research, particularly in the oil and gas sector. It provides guidance for authors, reviewers, editors, and readers of Scientific Contributions Oil and Gas (SCOG).

SCOG, published by the Testing Center for Oil and Gas LEMIGAS, will continue to monitor developments in this area and may revise this policy as necessary. This policy references established generative AI policy frameworks used by major scholarly publishers, including Elsevier.

2. For Authors

2.1 Use of AI Tools in Manuscript Preparation

SCOG recognizes the potential of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies ("AI Tools") to support literature synthesis, data organization, and language improvement in manuscripts covering research, technology development, case studies, and laboratory testing in the oil and natural gas industry. These tools must never substitute for the authors' scientific expertise, engineering judgment, and evaluative reasoning. Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the content of their work.

2.2 Author Responsibilities

• Carefully verifying the accuracy of all AI-generated output, including technical data, formulas, and references, since AI-generated citations may be incorrect or fabricated.
• Thoroughly editing AI-assisted material so the manuscript reflects the authors' authentic scientific analysis and interpretation.
• Disclosing the use of AI Tools transparently through an AI Declaration statement at submission.
• Protecting data privacy, intellectual property, and confidentiality by reviewing the terms of any AI Tool used, particularly for proprietary field or laboratory data.

2.3 Responsible Use of AI Tools

Authors must review the terms and conditions of any AI Tool to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of unpublished manuscripts and proprietary industry data are protected. Particular care is required when reservoir, exploration, or laboratory data are involved. AI Tools must not be used to generate images that duplicate copyrighted figures, real facilities, or fabricated experimental results.

2.4 Disclosure

Authors must disclose AI Tool usage in a separate AI Declaration statement, identifying the tool name, purpose, and extent of human oversight. Basic grammar and spelling checks do not require declaration. If AI is used within the research methodology itself (e.g., AI-assisted data interpretation), it must be described in detail in the Methods section.

2.5 Authorship

AI Tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors and must not be cited as authors. Authorship requires accountability for accuracy, approval of the final version, and the ability to respond to questions concerning the manuscript — responsibilities that can only be held by human researchers.

2.6 Figures, Graphs, and Laboratory Imagery

SCOG does not permit generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter figures, seismic sections, well-log plots, chromatograms, or laboratory imagery submitted in manuscripts. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable only if they do not obscure or eliminate original data. The only exception is when AI-assisted imaging forms part of the declared research method, in which case the tool, version, and methodology must be reported reproducibly in the Methods section.

3. For Reviewers

Manuscripts submitted for review must be treated as confidential. Reviewers must not upload a manuscript, any part of it, or their review report into a generative AI tool, even for language improvement, as this may violate confidentiality and proprietary data rights — particularly sensitive for industry-affiliated exploration and production data. Generative AI must not be used to assist in the scientific evaluation of a manuscript. Reviewers remain fully responsible for their review report, though they may consult the authors' AI Declaration.

4. For Editors

Submitted manuscripts, editorial correspondence, notification letters, and decision letters must be treated as confidential and must not be uploaded to any generative AI tool. Editorial evaluation and decision-making require human scientific judgment and cannot be delegated to AI. Editors remain fully responsible for the editorial process and final decisions. Suspected policy violations should be escalated through LEMIGAS's publication ethics procedures.

5. Publication Process

SCOG may explore carefully controlled uses of AI to support publication workflows, under human oversight, for purposes such as:

• Identifying relevant reviewers with expertise in oil and gas research;
• Matching submissions with journal scope;
• Detecting duplicate submissions;
• Conducting technical and completeness checks;
• Performing research integrity checks; and
• Supporting proof preparation and copyediting after acceptance.

6. Ethical Alignment

This policy aligns with broader principles of publication ethics and responsible AI use — transparency, accountability, confidentiality, human oversight, fairness, and protection of scholarly integrity — consistent with guidance from COPE, Nature Editorial, UNESCO, Elsevier, and the STM Association.

7. Violations and Consequences

Misuse of AI or violation of this policy may be treated as unethical conduct under SCOG's publication ethics procedures. Depending on severity, consequences may include manuscript rejection, post-publication correction or retraction, notification of relevant institutions, and temporary or permanent submission restrictions.

8. Policy Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed periodically and revised as needed to reflect developments in AI technology and evolving best practices in scholarly and technical publishing. Updated versions will be published on the official SCOG journal website.

References

1. COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics). 2023. Guidance on AI and Ethics in Publishing. publicationethics.org
2. Nature Editorial. 2023. Tools such as ChatGPT threaten transparent science; here are our ground rules for their use. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00191-1
3. UNESCO. 2021. Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. unesdoc. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137
4. Elsevier. 2023. AI Policy for Authors and Reviewers.  https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/artificial-intelligence
5. STM Association. 2023. Recommendations for a Classification of AI Use in Academic Manuscript Preparation. https://www.stm-assoc.org