Digital Excellence
Downstream celebrates technology and digital excellence
Eleven teams recognized for harnessing artificial intelligence, Big Data, robotics, and more.
Aramco recognized some of its top innovators in the Downstream business line during the Annual Downstream Technology & Digital Excellence Awards. The Nov. 7 ceremony, held at the Plaza Conference Center in Dhahran, recognized talented individuals who are creating value through digitalization and technology initiatives that support the ongoing transformation of the Downstream business.
This year’s awards recognized 11 project teams utilizing cutting-edge technologies that harness artificial intelligence, Big Data and Data Analytics, robotics, predictive applications, and blockchain. In addition, eight individuals were recognized for their Citizen Development Program use cases.
Attending the awards ceremony were Downstream senior vice president Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, chief digital officer Nabil A. Al Nuaim, chief technology officer Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, and other senior management.
In his welcoming remarks, Al Qahtani said he was proud of the digital solutions that are “keeping Aramco at the cutting-edge of what is possible.
Aramco is well on its way to becoming the world’s leading digitalized energy company. This is especially evident in Downstream. But we must keep driving that progress.
— Mohammed Y. Al-Qahtani
“And I want these awards to be a catalyst for bold new thinking in Downstream,” he said.
“By highlighting these achievements, we invite everyone, across the entire organization, to ask how we can accelerate technology deployment, improve business competitiveness, and continue to open new avenues of opportunity. I am inspired by the tremendous amount of progress taking place,” Al Qahtani said. “And I am proud to say that Downstream remains the epicenter of transformation at Aramco.”
In his keynote remarks, Al Nuaim said that the key to a successful digital transformation is collaboration between business lines and the subject matter experts in digital technologies.
“It’s all about collaboration,” Al Nuaim said. “It’s not about engineers alone or data scientists alone. Downstream has really made it so easy to know where our people can focus our efforts. Downstream is leading the way.”
Long-term strategy
Downstream’s advances in technology and digitalization support the company’s long-term strategy of becoming the world’s leading digitalized corporation, maximizing value, and spearheading digital innovation in the energy industry globally. By searching for and developing disruptive technologies, Aramco can stay ahead of the curve, tailor technologies to suit its business needs, and contribute to the Kingdom’s 2030 vision of a robust, diversified economy that creates jobs and value at home.
The award is designed to celebrate the development and implementation of technology solutions and encourage others to further advance those milestones moving forward.
Winners
• Yanbu’ NGL & Fractionation: AI Detection of Potential Corrosion under Insulation (DPCUI), Allah Dad Khan, Adel Khudaydi, Ayman Amer, and Ali AlShehri
• S-Oil: Introduction of Refinery-wide Mass Balance System, Jaehyung Park, Wonyoung Chang, Jongho Park, and Devender Singh
• Motiva: Advanced Analytics with Cognite Data Fusion Platform, Yugender Chikkula and Jason Butler
• Samref: Digital Operator Field Structure Round, Hassan Barnawi and Omar Al Bakri
• Riyadh Refinery and Ras Tanura Refinery: Refinery Artificial Intelligence, Essam Bazuher, Ahmad Alnuaim, Ahmed Filali, and Ammar Alfarhan
• Yasref: Digital Transforming the Capital and Project Planning, Abdulaziz Abulfaraj, Ahmed Soliman, Abduazeem Latheef, and Walaa Hasanain
• Sadara: Sadar@, a Business Process Automation Platform, Ahmad AlBadri and Abdullah AlBelaiys
• Central Region Distribution: Bulk Plant Automated Truck Inspection, Abdulrahaman Alsabti, Abdullah Alseqaihei, and Modhe Almelihi
• Northern Area Pipelines: NAPD Hydrocarbon Custody Metering Blockchain, Mantry Manojkumar, Mohammed AlAboulsamh, and Wed AlSadah
• Power Systems Engineering: Digital Substations, Husain AlBinAli, Thamer Bahmaid, and Mohammmed Khurmy
• Aramco Trading: Aramco Trading Analytics App, Calvin Lam, Manjunath Sairam, and Xiaoyong Fang
In addition, there were awards for Citizen Development Program Use Cases: Manaf A. Alahamadi, Sunmoon Jang, Youngghee Jang, Mohammad A. Suhaimi, Dhabyah K. Albuainain, Aseal E. Alharbi, Abdulaziz N. Alsolo, and Maryam A. Aljanobi.