94% compliance rate of Aramco engineers with international industry standards
A report issued by Aramco revealed that the compatibility rate of Saudi Aramco engineers with industry standards and international standards is 94%, while this level is considered high compared to the global compatibility level of 90%. The technical capabilities and competence of Saudi Aramco engineers contribute to improving performance in the areas of safety, environment and operational work in the company. Engineering activities and programs also contribute to raising standards of operational excellence and stimulating innovation, as well as enhancing the company’s legacy of expertise on which the future generation of engineers is built. The company’s engineering excellence is attributed to its innovative development programmes. The Professional Development Program, which began in 1984 with three professionals, has grown to now include more than 784 participants, covering 168 specialties, 19 administrative areas, more than 50 departments, and 501 graduates. In the same way, the advanced professional development program, which was launched five years ago, enhances the culture of innovation and continuous learning within the company.
The fruits of the program
The impact of this program is evident through the active participation of more than 130 experts from Saudi Aramco who hold influential and leadership positions in more than 50 committees specialized in setting standards at the energy sector level or committees affiliated with global bodies such as: the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, and the American Association of Mechanical Engineers, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Society for Materials Protection and Performance. The company’s experts contribute to the leadership of 15 technical committees at the regional level, such as the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization, and the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries. The standard structure of committees within the company enables accurate technical decisions to be made, and also constitutes a framework to ensure the reliable supply of high-quality equipment.
Engineering Confidence
Saudi Aramco has adopted an ambitious strategy for digital transformation and artificial intelligence, and has succeeded in developing and using many artificial intelligence solutions that enable its engineers to innovate and find solutions, work more sustainably, and adapt to changing market requirements, and contribute to improving productivity, reducing costs, and enhancing quality through proactive maintenance and smart control systems. The drone and robotics sector is witnessing rapid development that is reshaping the concept of safety, efficiency and innovation in the industry, and with the development of smart sensors and their ability to cover a wide range, these technologies have become enablers for achieving transformation. In support of this ambitious strategy, Saudi Aramco has trained more than 6,000 artificial intelligence developers in various departments of the company, and is cooperating with leading global institutions to enroll hundreds of its employees in advanced graduate programs in this field.
Developing solutions internally
Engineers can now use artificial intelligence to simulate complex systems, improve the quality of materials, and detect malfunctions before they occur. As an example, the company has developed an in-house AI solution that predicts internal corrosion in complex pipelines, and has already been used over 2,000 km. This extends the life of pipelines by more than 10 years while optimizing costly inspection work. Proxy AI capability has also been developed for in-process inspection, where it can read more than 4 million thickness measurements, correlate them with more than 10 million data points for monitoring, and generate safety assessments. The company uses multi-agent AI not only to predict problems before they occur, but also to provide effective solutions, and the company’s in-house developed AI system has achieved a reduction in maintenance planning time by 40%, and an expected reduction in annual maintenance costs by 15-20%. for Mechanical Engineers, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Saudi Aramco’s engineering team works with all of these important institutions to ensure that local innovations contribute to global efforts to design rotating equipment that is safe, reliable, and efficient in performance. The role of engineers in the company is not only limited to following standards, but extends to contributing to setting them. In the field of automation, engineers work to improve sensitive safety systems, which leads to raising the level of safety in assets and reducing times of emergency breakdowns, by addressing deficiencies in the design of business control systems. Strong partnerships with suppliers have contributed to the integration and introduction of new technologies, improved designs, raised internal engineering standards, and set benchmarks for the global sector.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
