The introduction of digital technologies in oil and gas industry helps to reduce the anthropogenic burden on the environment and ensures sustainable development of territories in Russia. The article assesses the conditions for the introduction of digital technologies in the oil and gas business, identifies barriers to the spread of innovative methods for making managerial decisions, including everyday issues of people's lives and operating oil and gas industry facilities. Based on the statistical analysis, authors of the article identified the main causes of emergency situations in the oil and gas industry and developed a list of recommendations for its prevention or elimination of consequences. The study is shown that when using digital technologies the costs of the management process are reduced, bureaucratic delays in the preparation of the necessary documents for the population are eliminated; the opportunities for members of society to make managerial decisions are realized. The institutional imperfections and other factors were identified as the main barriers for innovation.