Adnoc begins major predictive maintenance project

National oil company agrees 10-year partnership with Honeywell to use its Honeywell Forge system

Adnoc Group chief executive Dr Sultan Al Jaber and Honeywell chairman and chief executive Darius Adamczyk shake hands following the 10 year-partnership agreement. Courtesy Adnoc Group.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) announced a 10-year partnership with US-based Honeywell to use its monitoring and analytics platform as it embarks on a major predictive maintenance project.

Adnoc said the platform will leverage artificial intelligence technologies such as machine learning and digital twin software (which digitally replicates physical assets) to reduce unplanned equipment maintenance, increase reliability and safety as well as making "substantial" cost savings.

“In an era where the oil and gas industry is being disrupted on multiple levels, it is important that we continue to drive innovation and seek new advanced technologies to further optimise performance and deliver sustainable returns," said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Adnoc group chief executive and UAE Minister of State.

"Adnoc's predictive maintenance project is significant in scale and in its application of AI technology, and marks an important technological milestone for the industry," he added, saying Honeywell's system was chosen after a "highly competitive and rigorous" process.

The UAE accounts for 4 per cent of global crude production, much of it sourced from fields owned and operated by Adnoc in Abu Dhabi. The national oil company is targeting increasing production capacity to 4 million barrels per day by 2020, from 3 million bpd at present. By 2030, the company sees output capacity hitting 5 million bpd.

Honeywell makes control systems for buildings and industries, performance materials and products for the aerospace industry. The company has global sales of about $35bn (Dh128.56bn)  and last year had 114,000 employees worldwide.

Adnoc said it would deploy Honeywell's Forge Asset Monitor at its Panorama Digital Command Centre, which will allow it to track up to 2,500 pieces of critical rotating equipment across its group.

“We are proud to partner with Adnoc as they lead the transformation towards Oil and Gas 4.0 and embrace the power of IIoT [Industrial Internet of Things]," said Honeywell chairman and chief executive Darius Adamczyk.

Adnoc said the predictive maintenance project is one of many digital transformation initiatives it is undertaking, alongside smart data analytics, AI-assisted value chain modelling, rock image pattern recognition technology and blockchain-based hydrocarbon accounting.