Yokogawa Electric Corporation, a global leader in process automation technology, has achieved a historic milestone. The accomplishment comes through its partnership with Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies. The companies successfully implemented multiple autonomous control AI agents at Aramco’s Fadhili Gas Plant in Saudi Arabia. This marks one of the world’s first large-scale deployments of AI-driven autonomous control in an operational gas facility.
The AI system, developed by Yokogawa, uses coordinated Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP) algorithms. These reinforcement learning-based models autonomously control and optimize the acid gas removal (AGR) process. This initiative demonstrates how advanced AI can enhance plant efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in complex industrial environments.
Phased Implementation Ensures Safety and Efficiency
The deployment was executed in three carefully designed phases, progressively optimizing different sections of the AGR unit until full autonomous control of the core process was achieved. To ensure plant safety and reliability, Yokogawa first developed a digital simulator of the Fadhili Gas Plant to train AI agents under controlled conditions. After extensive testing confirmed their accuracy and consistency, Yokogawa seamlessly integrated the AI agents with its CENTUM VP integrated production control system, utilizing the system’s built-in safety and monitoring functions.
Significant Gains in Efficiency and Process Stability
Preliminary results from the Fadhili Gas Plant show remarkable operational improvements, including:
*10% to 15% reduction in amine and steam consumption
*5% reduction in overall power usage
*Enhanced process stability
*A substantial decrease in manual operator intervention, even under varying ambient conditions
These results highlight how autonomous AI control can drive measurable performance benefits and sustainability outcomes in large-scale process operations.
Aramco’s Vision for AI-Led Operational Excellence
Khalid Y. Al Qahtani, Senior Vice President, Aramco Engineering Services, 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 focuses on improving efficiency, enhancing sustainability, and generating value for our shareholders. It reflects our commitment to harnessing advanced technology to elevate performance and strengthen our position as a technology leader in the energy sector.” He added that this milestone marks just the beginning, as Aramco continues to explore next-generation digital and AI solutions that will drive industrial innovation and energy efficiency.
Yokogawa’s Commitment to Industrial Autonomy
Kunimasa Shigeno, Director, President and CEO of Yokogawa Electric Corporation, stated, “We are honoured that Aramco entrusted Yokogawa with implementing such ground-breaking technology at one of its major facilities. The results have already exceeded expectations. This project exemplifies Yokogawa’s vision for transitioning from industrial automation to industrial autonomy (IA2IA) — enabling safe, efficient, and secure autonomous operations in the energy sector.”
A New Era of Smart Energy Operations
The successful deployment at the Fadhili Gas Plant marks a major milestone. It represents a transformative step toward autonomous process control in the oil and gas industry. As per the company press release, Yokogawa and Aramco are refining and expanding the AI system. The collaboration aims to accelerate the industry’s evolution toward smarter, more sustainable, and autonomous energy production.
