Home Saudi Aramco Adopted AI-based Computer Vision To Automate Remote Drilling Rig Control

Saudi Aramco Adopted AI-based Computer Vision To Automate Remote Drilling Rig Control

by sol-admin
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Saudi Aramco is a global integrated energy and chemicals company. As of 2020, it is one of the largest companies in the world by revenue. Aramco has both the world’s second-largest proven crude oil reserves, at more than 270 billion barrels (43 billion cubic meters), and the largest daily oil production of all oil-producing companies. Recently, FogHorn, a leading developer of Edge AI software for industrial and commercial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, announced that Aramco has deployed edge-powered computer vision solutions built on the FogHorn Lightning™ Edge AI platform at multiple sites to enhance safety, provide proactive monitoring for equipment failure, and enable automation of drilling equipment and processes.

Well control incidents are complex and Aramco wanted to implement an effective, automated solution that could respond immediately. The company deployed a camera-based system, powered by FogHorn streaming video analytics, allowing workers to monitor blowout preventer (BOP) activity via a dashboard and effectively shut down operation during a well control incident immediately, compared to manual “spacing out”. Automating these activities significantly reduces operational, safety, and environmental risks during drilling rig operations.

This multi-award-winning technology was conceived as a proof-of-concept for the Drilling at the Edge (DATE) program in Aramco’s Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center – Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC). DATE is a major technology initiative that coordinates people, algorithms, data, machines, and processes on a drilling rig (i.e., at the edge) around real-time information, to accelerate decision making and optimize operations.

“Technologies like these help us to reach a successful digital transformation for Aramco and the regions it operates in. Aramco’s investments in this field aim to increase the accessibility of new digital technologies and create awareness of the benefits these novel technologies can have in areas such as health, safety, security, and the environment. A perfect example of this is how FogHorn’s software could help strengthen Aramco’s leadership in flare minimization.”

Nabil Al Nuaim, Chief Digital Officer, Aramco