Yokogawa Electric Corp., a leader in process automation technology, announces it has achieved a historic milestone in the deployment of industrial artificial intelligence (AI) solutions with Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies.
The AI solution developed by Yokogawa uses multiple, coordinated AI agents of the Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP)*2 reinforcement learning-based AI algorithm to directly and autonomously control and optimise acid gas removal (AGR) operations at the Fadhili Gas Plant.
The solution was introduced in three phases, progressively optimising various sections until autonomous control of the core process in the AGR unit was achieved. To ensure safety, Yokogawa first created a simulator of the plant to train AI agents, and then evaluated their reliability and validity. Subsequently, they were integrated with Yokogawa's CENTUM VP integrated production control system to leverage the safety functions of the existing plant.
Implementation is currently undergoing a detailed evaluation, but initial results from Fadhili Gas Plant demonstrate a 10% to 15% reduction in its amine and steam usage, around 5% reduction in power usage, improved process stability, and a significant decrease in operator manual intervention, despite ambient condition changes.
Aramco Engineering Services Senior Vice President, Khalid Y. Al Qahtani, said: “Aramco has embarked on an ambitious plan to unlock value by deploying a wide range of industrial AI applications across our operations. The collaboration with Yokogawa is one of many initiatives that focus on improving efficiency, enhancing sustainability, and generating more value for our shareholders. It reflects how the company is harnessing advanced technology, including AI, to elevate its performance and reinforce its position as a technology leader in the energy sector. We look forward to building on this important milestone, as we explore further adoption of cutting-edge solutions that will contribute to a new era of industrial innovation.”
Kunimasa Shigeno, Director, President and CEO, and Representative Executive Officer of Yokogawa Electric, said: “We are honoured that Yokogawa was entrusted by Aramco to implement such ground-breaking technology in one of its major facilities. We are very pleased that the results have already exceeded expectations. Yokogawa is advocating the transition from industrial automation to industrial autonomy (IA2IA), and this deployment proves that we are ready to lead the way towards safe and secure autonomous operations for plants in the energy sector.”
*1 Yokogawa defines autonomous control AI as AI that deduces the optimum method for control independently and has a high level of robustness enabling it to autonomously handle, to a certain extent, situations that it has not previously encountered.
*2 A reinforcement learning AI algorithm jointly developed by Yokogawa Electric and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST). FKDPP received the Prime Minister's Prize at the 2023 Japan Industrial Technology Awards (Nihon Sangyo Gijyutsu Taisho).