Adnoc AI unit in partnership with Baker Hughes to boost efficiency in drilling operations

Agreement will focus on developing and commercialising AI products for improved efficiency of upstream oil and gas operations

Adnoc's artificial intelligence unit, AIQ, is collaborating with Baker Hughes on the development and commercialisation of AI products. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s artificial intelligence unit, AIQ, is going into partnership with US-based Baker Hughes to boost efficiency in drilling operations.

As part of the agreement, the two companies will collaborate on the development and commercialisation of AI products for improved efficiency of oil and gas operations in the upstream sector, according to a statement from AIQ on Thursday.

“AI plays an instrumental role in enabling smarter, more efficient and sustainable growth for energy producers such as Adnoc as well as the wider oil and gas industry,” Omar Al Marzooqi, chief executive of AIQ, said.

The project will initially focus on developing AI solutions for Adnoc's drilling activity as it ramps up its crude production capacity to 5 million barrels per day by 2030.

The agreement with AIQ “not only builds on our long-standing partnership with Adnoc and Adnoc Drilling, but it also provides us with the opportunity to develop, deploy, and commercialise solutions to transform core oil and gas operations for a better energy future,” Maria Claudia Borras, executive vice president of Oilfield Services at Baker Hughes, said.

AIQ, a joint venture between Adnoc and Abu Dhabi’s Group 42, is working on a number of key AI projects across the oil and gas value chain such as drilling performance, reservoir modelling, corrosion detection, and product quality.

The move comes as Adnoc awards $6 billion worth of contracts to different companies including Baker Hughes to help it boost drilling activity and increase production.

Al Ghaith Oilfield Supplies & Services Company, UAE agents for Baker Hughes, along with Gulf Automation Services & Oilfield Supplies, UAE agents for TechnipFMC, won a contract valued at $3.27bn to supply drilling components to Adnoc.

Other companies including Schlumberger Middle East and Weatherford Bin Hamoodah company also secured major contracts.