ADNOC lets $920 million contract to add 2,000 wells to its AI-powered digitalization program

ADNOC has let an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract to Jereh Oil & Gas Engineering Corp., worth up to $920 million (AED3.38 billion), to install remote sensing and well operating equipment at its onshore Bab, Bu Hasa, and Southeast fields. 

In a release Nov. 4, ADNOC said the work will extend its AI-powered well digitalization program to cover the fields. The operator said its well digitalization program, due for completion in 2027, “will enable the remote monitoring and control of over 2,000 wells, enhancing operational efficiency and improving safety by reducing downtime and optimizing well performance.”

The well digitalization program is already deployed at the onshore Mender and Qusahwira fields, as well as Northeast Bab (NEB) field, ADNOC said. 

In 2006, ADNOC began incorporating the smart field concept at NEB field to improve surveillance, predictive analysis, and collaborative decision-making through the remote monitoring and control of wells, resulting in a 75% reduction in work process times, according to the company’s website. In 2017, the operator achieved fully unmanned operations in Mender oil field.

ADNOC said the program includes digitalized control valves, instrumentation, and other hardware that will relay real-time operational data from sensors embedded in the wells and pipelines. The information will be sent to the control rooms via a private 5G network, which is being built by ADNOC and e&, providing an instant overview of critical variables like temperature and pressure, enabling AI-powered tools to control the wells autonomously in real time, the company said.