Aramco and Yokogawa Achieve Breakthrough with Autonomous AI Agents at Saudi Gas Plant, Cutting Energy Use by Up to 15%

Aramco and Yokogawa have achieved a major breakthrough in industrial artificial intelligence with the successful commissioning of multiple autonomous control AI agents at Aramco’s Fadhili Gas Plant in Saudi Arabia. This milestone marks the first large-scale deployment of coordinated AI agents for direct, autonomous control of a core industrial process in the energy sector. The AI solution, developed by Yokogawa Electric Corporation, leverages the Factorial Kernel Dynamic Policy Programming (FKDPP) reinforcement learning algorithm to optimize acid gas removal (AGR) operations. The implementation was carried out in three phases, progressively refining control across different sections of the AGR unit until full autonomous operation of the core process was achieved. To ensure safety and reliability, Yokogawa first created a high-fidelity digital twin of the plant to train and test the AI agents. Once validated, the agents were integrated into Yokogawa’s CENTUM VP integrated production control system, which provides critical safety functions and ensures seamless operation within the existing plant infrastructure. Initial results from the Fadhili Gas Plant show significant improvements: a 10% to 15% reduction in amine and steam consumption, approximately a 5% reduction in power usage, enhanced process stability, and a substantial decrease in the need for manual operator intervention—even under fluctuating ambient conditions. Khalid Y. Al Qahtani, Senior Vice President of Aramco Engineering Services, highlighted the strategic importance of the project, stating that it aligns with Aramco’s broader initiative to drive value through industrial AI across its operations. He emphasized the company’s commitment to improving efficiency, sustainability, and shareholder value by adopting advanced technologies, positioning Aramco as a leader in energy innovation. Kunimasa Shigeno, President and CEO of Yokogawa Electric, expressed pride in the collaboration, noting that the results have surpassed expectations. He reaffirmed Yokogawa’s vision of transitioning from industrial automation to industrial autonomy (IA2IA), demonstrating that safe and secure autonomous operations are now achievable in complex energy facilities. This deployment represents a pivotal step forward in the application of AI in heavy industry, showcasing how intelligent systems can deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits. With this success, Aramco and Yokogawa are paving the way for wider adoption of autonomous technologies across the global energy sector.