In The Spotlight
Casper Herzog, CEO of AVEVA, addressing the conference. (Image source: Alain Charles Publishing)
Powering the possible at AVEVA World 2026
At the opening of AVEVA World 2026 in Milan on 19 May, AVEVA’s chief executive officer Caspar Herzberg highlighted how industrial intelligence breakthroughs can spark fresh possibilities at a time of a new operational reality
Addressing the packed gathering, the CEO of the leading global industrial software company addressed the challenges posed by increasing geopolitical volatility and unpredicatability, multiple paradigm shifts and a multipolar world of conflicts, economic warfare, trade disputes, tariffs and changing supply chains.
“Energy systems are being rewired not just to have electrification but to have resilience and redundancy as core motifs of this rewiring,” he said, citing the renewed focus on hydrocarbons, nuclear and coal. “So we have multiple build outs of generation assets all over the world.”
This trend will be intensified as generation assets are now strategic targets, making it all the more important to have multiple options.
“At the same time we are seeing the rise of generative, agentic and physical AI upending work, creating promises but also challenges in making those promises work in the industrial world we live in.”
As a result of all these pressures there is a “race to resilience”.
“What all these conflicts, these wars and trade disputes have reinforced is that those countries that diversify or have diversified their supply chains and their energy systems withstand these shocks better,” Herzberg said, adding that policies supporting resilience and multiple options will become a national imperative.
“This is not all doom and gloom, because hand in hand with these industrial policies and this need to diversify come infrastructure and digital capability investments, as not only companies but also states rebuild their value chain for redundancy and resilience. Our customers are powering this next generation of industrial infrastructure.”
Wood, for example is using AVEVA unified engineering, PI system, unified supply chain and CONNECT all together to create digital twins that reduce rework, improve collaboration, and preserve lifecycle continuity.
Going on to discuss innovation, Herzberg drew parallels with the Italian Renaissance, and the idea that humanity has to be at the centre of science and progress. “Today we face a lot of the same pressures, we have some amazing technological capabilities, we have the power of AI, but we must keep humanity, people at the centre of decision making.
“So this moment that I would call powering possibility is defined not only by volatility but by new possibilities, positive possibilities. Imagination is meeting digital capability. There are challenges, with the bottom line and increasing complexity, but there is a large positive opportunity that we can now access at a much faster pace than in the past. To seize that opportunity means creating scale, and creating scale requires integrated software. Intelligence means optimising performance, and that requires intelligent software, and empowering people requires intuitive software.
“That brings us to AVEVA and our quest to deliver software that is integrated, intelligent and intuitive.”
Herzberg charted AVEVA’s progress since the launch of its multi-year technology strategy in 2024. Highlighting some recent developments, he said,
“In the first quarter of this year our generative design assistant brought AI capabilities in unified engineering to our customers for the very first time, where predictive design models surface issues much earlier, and where automated point cloud intelligence reduces manual effort.”
The company also announced a lifecycle digital twin for the data centres of the future with Schneider and NVIDIA, which brought unified engineering process simulation and the PI System together in one capability via the NVIDIA Omniverse viewport.
New collaborations
Key to enhancing AVEVA’s capabilities has been its strong partner ecosystem.
“We’re all about the open partner-powered ecosystem. We believe in bringing everybody together for the benefit of industry and the customers we serve,” Herzberg said.
Herzberg announced several new partnerships to strengthen AVEVA’s innovation roadmap, including an agreement (subject to regulatory approval) to acquire Twinthread, a leading provider of predictive analytics, of digital twins and AI for industrial end markets. This will add an advanced AI layer to AVEVA’s data and analytics foundation on CONNECT, AVEVA’s industrial intelligence platform.
“It’s a super powerful capability that enables engineers to improve quality, throughput, asset life and energy efficiency much more rapidly,” Herzberg said.
AVEVA also announced a strategic collaboration with SnowFlake, the AI Data Cloud company, which establishes a direct, zero-copy integration between CONNECT and Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud. It expands AVEVA’s cloud scale intelligence capabilities and enables data to be accessed and used without duplication, helping organisations to move from fragmented IT and OT systems to a governed, enterprise-wide data foundation.
Another strategic partnership between AVEVA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will accelerate the delivery of industrial intelligence in the cloud, seeing AVEVA expand its CONNECT platform on AWS as part of its broader move to a multi-cloud architecture. By bring CONNECT and the broader AVEVA portfolio to AWS, the two companies aim to give industrial customers a faster, more scalable path to cloud-native operations, reducing the complexity and cost of managing on-premises infrastructure while enabling new AI-driven capabilities that were previously impractical at scale.
Further embodying the spirit of radical collaboration, AVEVA announced a new partnership with IFS, a global leader in industrial AI, to advance AI-powered Continuous Asset Decision Intelligence. The new solution is designed to turn real-time operational and asset data into smarter maintenance, investment and execution decisions across the integrated asset lifecycle, unifying operational intelligence, enterprise execution and strategic capital planning and creating one connected decision flow where every participant in the value chain has the information and AI-enriched insight they need to act with speed and confidence.
“Our partnership with IFS connects data and insights in powerful new ways, from sensor to boardroom,” Herzberg said.
2026 will be a year of acceleration for AVEVA, as AI increasingly transforms industry.
“First we‘re going to double down on industrial AI, and CONNECT is the backbone that enables that. There will be much more investment in those capabilities,” Herzberg said.
“Second, we are increasingly focused on cloud native analytics, AI and digital twins and applications.” AVEVA leaders expanded on the details in following sessions.
New solutions and features will include a digital twin builder that publishes engineering content all the way to CONNECT; an intelligent industrial knowledge graph that contextualises data to PI; enhanced capabilities for PI and PI Vision; a new intuitive UX for CONNECT; and unified engineering and unified visualisation by HMI SCADA on CONNECT.
The opening session of AVEVA World also saw AVEVA customers share their insights and experiences of harnessing the power of digital innovation to open new possibilities. The USA’s TC Energy is using AVEVA software to optimise power supplies to customers across the US market; Porsche MotorSport is using data-driven insights to drive winning performance; and Italy’s Saipem is blending industrial AI and AVEVA Unified Engineering in the cloud, enabling teams to optimise design efficiency, carbon footprint and speed to market.
AVEVA World 2026 is the largest ever edition of AVEVA’s annual flagship conference, bringing together around 4,000 industry leaders, innovators and engineers including 200 students from local universities.
TotalEnergies is expanding its exploration activities in the Mediterranean. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
TotalEnergies pursues Mediterranean opportunities
In a comprehensive strategic move, TotalEnergies is expanding its offshore exploration activities in the Mediterranean region with the siging of exploration agreements with Syria and Egypt
Together with its partners QatarEnergy and ConocoPhillips, TotalEnergies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) relating to the exploration of Block 3 offshore Syria in the Mediterranean Sea. Block 3 is situated in the Levantine Basin offshore the Syrian city of Latakia, with water depths ranging between 100m and 1,700m.
The agreement revives a prior partnership with Syria dating back to 1988–2011. In 2011, TotalEnergies was producing 53,000 bopd before the company had to withdraw in order to comply with the EU sanctions. The renewed MoU covers a technical review by the partners of the offshore Block 3 area and establishes a framework for technical and commercial discussions related to exploration activities on this block.
“We are pleased to enter into this new partnership with the Syrian Petroleum Company with which we had a long and fruitful relationship from 1988 to 2011, and we look forward to cooperating with QatarEnergy and ConocoPhillips to assess Syrian offshore exploration opportunities in the Mediterranean Sea,” stated Julien Pouget, senior vice president of Middle East and North Africa exploration & production at TotalEnergies.
This collaboration sets a framework for technical and commercial discussions on future exploration activities, potentially expanding TotalEnergies’ upstream footprint in the Eastern Mediterranean and signalling renewed international interest in Syria’s offshore energy resources.
Egypt agreement
TotalEnergies is collaborating with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) with the signing of an MoU on exploration activities. The MoU covers a large area located in the north-western offshore of Egypt. This MoU establishes a framework for technical cooperation including preliminary exploration and subsurface evaluation activities.
“We are pleased to launch this cooperation with EGAS, which reflects our shared ambition to further strengthen our partnership with the Arab Republic of Egypt. This agreement will support the assessment of Egypt’s deep offshore exploration potential,” said Nicola Mavilla, senior vice president of exploration at TotalEnergies. This partnership marks another step in Egypt’s ongoing efforts to attract international upstream investment and expand offshore exploration activity in the Mediterranean region.
Brady has launched the BradyPrinter i4311. (Image source: Brady Corporation)
Industrial label printing unplugged
Print everything you need, where you need it! With the first transportable printer to deliver 101.60 mm wide labelling without cords or limits
Automated identification and data capture specialist Brady Corporation launches a new type of hybrid label printer that offers industrial label printing performance in a cordless, portable design.
Larger labels
Brady´s new BradyPrinter i4311 is designed to bridge the gap between stationary benchtop label printer power and mobile flexibility. A well-known limitation for most mobile label printers is the maximum width of the label. Brady´s i4311 marks the new maximum label width at 101.60 mm for connected label printing systems that retain true portability.
The larger print width brings a lot more applications into the mobile label printing range, including perforated work-in-progress tags, common size rating plates and larger cable tags, wraps, sleeves, asset labels, component labels and GHS-compliant chemical labels.
No need to look for power outlets with the i4311. The printer is powered by a battery that can handle 5000 large labels on a single charge. Swapping batteries has been made easy and they can be charged in 3.5 hours.
Easy to integrate
The new BradyPrinter i4311 can print labels from phones, tablets and laptops, and even from central company systems using Brady´s software development kit or ZPL support. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the i4311 also features ethernet and USB-C connections.
The printer´s on-board 7´´ (17.78 cm) touch screen offers both on-device support as well as the capability to print labels directly from the printer. Users can store on average different 85 000 label templates in the printer that can be completed with an on-board ´fill in´ option, fully responsive to your touch.
Industry feedback
Brady also revealed i4311 printer features that were developed with close involvement from the company´s long-standing customers. As a result, the printer´s footprint was limited to 23 x 23 x 33 cm and 5.9 kg and the device´s easy-to-grip handle was optimised.
A battery-saver was also added for when the printer is not in use and battery-swapping was made even easier.
Portable benchtop
Right in the middle of Brady´s mobile label printer and industrial benchtop label printer line ups now sits the BradyPrinter i4311: a portable printer with the company´s benchtop industrial printing capabilities.
Compatible with more than 1300 Brady label parts, the i4311 can print on a majority of Brady´s reliable, laboratory-tested label materials. Just like other Brady printers the i4311 includes LabelSense technology to automatically set label material burn, size and pre-print settings as soon as a label roll is loaded.
The company´s newest label printer also works with a host of free Brady Express Labels mobile apps. These enable users to select text in an image file for example, and import it for printing on a label. Or to read barcodes with a phone and send them to the printer. With a commanding voice, labels can even be printed completely hands-free, using BradyVoice, a smartphone microphone and the BradyPrinter i4311.
Watch the printer in action & learn more >>
BRADY in the Middle East
The collaboration extends trusted data, domain science, operational expertise, and applied AI to support predictive, asset-level decision-making over the full production lifecycle. (Image source: Adobe Stock)
Halliburton and Shape Digital advance asset performance management
Halliburton and Shape Digital have collaborated to advance digital asset performance management through a unified asset view that connects subsurface and surface intelligence
The collaboration extends trusted data, domain science, operational expertise, and applied AI to support predictive, asset-level decision-making over the full production lifecycle.
As production systems come more complex and interconnected, production performance can only improve if reservoirs, wells, networks, equipment, and safety systems can be managed as a single connected asset. Integrating engineering models with operational data provides a clearer system-level view and enables more consistent decision-making throughout production operations.
“At the core of this collaboration is the ability to connect decisions throughout the production system. The integration of subsurface and surface intelligence helps our customers plan with confidence, adapt to change, and execute more consistently throughout the asset lifecycle,” asserted Tony Antoun, senior vice president of Halliburton. “Together with Halliburton, we bring operational intelligence and applied AI into the context of real production systems,” added Felipe Baldissera, CEO of Shape Digital.
Halliburton Landmark’s Digital Field Solver (DFS) decision system has been combined with Shape Digital’s applied AI portfolio: Shape Lighthouse, Aura, and Reef. Landmark’s integrated reservoir, well, and production network models serve as the foundation, while Shape Digital provides expertise in equipment reliability, energy efficiency, and safety throughout surface operations. Together, the solution supports connected decision workflows.
Landmark’s integrated production models receive continuous updates from surface intelligence related to equipment condition and reliability. Shape Digital evaluates live and historical equipment behavior through AI, while Landmark feeds the system context to understand effects on flow, constraints, and production targets. This connection has enabled team to identify constraints earlier and respond more quickly to variability while maintaining alignment irrespective of the changes in operating conditions.
Detailed facilities data such as live and historical operating conditions are brought together with Landmark’s production schedules and real-time production context. Shape Digital then utilises AI and engineering expertise to analyze facilities' performance and energy consumption, while Landmark presents a clear view of how operational adjustments are interacting with production plans and system constraints. This is how team can assess tradeoffs between energy efficiency and production objectives, while maintaining execution stability.
Through Shape Digital’s focus on facilities' health and operational risk indicators, Landmark provides the subsurface context required to understand how risks can propagate throughout the asset. Integrity concerns can be much earlier identified and it helps to improve coordination between subsurface and surface teams during safety-critical decisions.
For a faster alignment on priorities, operations, maintenance, safety, and engineering teams work from a shared system view. The path from insight to action is significantly reduced and teams can be more consistent in production operations.
The collaboration between Halliburton and Shape Digital has paved a path toward decisions grounded in science, informed by intelligent automation, and validated through real-world operations. By maintaining a constant connection between subsurface and surface intelligence, this approach certainly helps operators manage complexity, maintain execution consistency, and maximise performance throughout the asset lifecycle.
Aramco's profits rose by 25% in the first quarter of 2026. (image source: Aramco)
Aramco sees profits surge amid oil price volatiity
Aramco reported sharply increased profits for the first quarter of 2026, amid higher oil prices as a result of the US/Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
The energy giant's profits rose to US$32.6bn in the first quarter, from US$26.6bn in Q1 2025, an increase of 25%.
During the quarter, geopolitical developments in the Middle East significantly impacted global energy markets and resulted in massive supply disruption, with supply losses of more than 1bn bbl since the start of the conflict, increasing oil price volatility. In response, Aramco swiftly activated its business continuity plans to support continuity of global oil and product supplies, rerouting crude oil volumes via the East-West Pipeline to utilise alternative export routes, while also leveraging its domestic and international storage capacity. This enabled Aramco to deliver strong financial results despite impacts to certain Aramco facilities (including the giant Manifa oilfield) and ongoing regional instability. These events did not materially impact Aramco’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, according to the company.
“Aramco’s first quarter performance reflects strong resilience and operational flexibility in a complex geopolitical environment,” said Amin H. Nasser, Aramco’s CEO. “Our East-West Pipeline, which reached its maximum capacity of 7.0 million barrels of oil per day, has proven itself to be a critical supply artery, helping to mitigate the impact of a global energy shock and providing relief to customers affected by shipping constraints in the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that recent events have demonstrated the vital contribution of oil and gas to energy security and the global economy, serving as a stark reminder that reliable energy supply is critical.
"Despite these headwinds, Aramco remains focused on its strategic priorities and is leveraging both its domestic infrastructure and its global network to navigate disruption," he continued paying tribute to the professionalism, determination and expertise of the company's people.
Aramco notes that supply shock is hitting an already tight market with limited inventory in the face of higher H2 seasonal demand, reinforcing the recognition of the critical importance of crude supplies.
In terms of operational activity, Aramco continued to deliver strong upstream performance despite regional uncertainty through its operational resilience and flexibility. Total hydrocarbon production in the first quarter of 2026 was 12.6 mmboed, an increase of 0.3mn boed compared to the same period in 2025, which Aramco says reflects its ability to adapt to changing market conditions and showcases the scale and flexibility of its assets, supported by its operational and technical capabilities and robust contingency planning. Progress was made on projects to maintain MSC at 12.0 mmbpd. Aramco notes construction activities advanced for the Zuluf crude oil increment, which is expected to process 600mn bpd of crude oil from the Zuluf field through a central facility in 2026. Engineering, procurement, and construction activities progressed for phase two of the Dammam development project, which is expected to be onstream in 2027, adding crude oil production capacity of 50 mbpd.
Aramco continued to progress its strategy to increase sales gas production capacity by approximately 80% through the following developments during the quarter. Phase one of the Jafurah Gas Plant advanced toward full production capacity and successfully exported the first shipment of condensate to customers. Procurement and construction activities progressed for phase two, which is expected to be completed in 2027. Production from Jafurah is expected to reach 2.0 bscfd by 2030, in addition to significant volumes of ethane, NGL, and condensate. Construction activities progressed for the Fadhili Gas Plant expansion, which is expected to add additional raw gas processing capacity of 1.5 bscfd by 2027. Despite temporary disruptions at certain domestic refining and processing facilities, Aramco maintained strong supply reliability of 96.3% in the first quarter by leveraging its integrated global network.
The agreements will expand the chemicals ecosystem. (Image source: ADNOC)
TA'ZIZ signs new agreements to advance chemicals development
TA’ZIZ, a joint venture between ADNOC and ADQ, has signed long-term agreements spanning offtake, feedstock and sales across its chemicals portfolio, valued at US$28.5bn (AED104.6bn)
Signed at the Make it in the Emirates Forum, the agreements, valued at US$28.5bn, secure both global offtake and reliable local feedstocks, allowing for large-scale chemical production within the UAE and reinforcing TA’ZIZ’s role in building a fully integrated domestic chemicals ecosystem. The deals include sale agreements with ADNOC and Proman for methanol; Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) for caustic soda; Mitsubishi Corporation for ethylene dichloride (EDC), vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and caustic soda; Mitsui & Co. for EDC and caustic soda; Sanmar Group for EDC and VCM; Tricon for PVC, EDC and caustic soda; and Vinmar for EDC and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
ADNOC Gas secured a 25-year feedstock agreement to supply natural gas to the TA'ZIZ methanol project valued at over $5 billion (AED18.4 billion). TA’ZIZ also agreed a 20 year salt supply agreement with Abu Dhabi based Sama Salt to support production at its PVC complex.
Mashal Saoud Al-Kindi, CEO of TA’ZIZ, said, “These long term agreements represent a defining milestone for TA’ZIZ and for the UAE’s industrial growth ambitions. By securing both global demand and reliable local feedstock, we are translating vision into delivery, anchoring world scale chemicals production, strengthening domestic value chains and creating enduring economic value, jobs and supply chain resilience for the UAE.”
Together, these agreements leverage local resources to secure a reliable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, further strengthening domestic value chains and advancing the UAE’s industrial self sufficiency.
TA’ZIZ is a manufacturing, industrial services, logistics and utilities ecosystem that enables the production of transition fuels and new products across the chemicals value chain, supporting ADNOC’s ambition to become a top three global chemicals player as well as the UAE’s industrial development and economic diversification ambitions.
The TA’ZIZ Industrial Chemicals Zone is set to produce 4.7 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of chemicals once construction is completed in 2028. This includes a 1 mtpa ammonia plant, a 1.8 mtpa methanol plant and 1.9 mtpa of marketable products from its integrated polyvinyl chloride (PVC) complex. The PVC complex, which produces PVC, ethylene dichloride (EDC), vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), and caustic soda, will be one of the world’s top three largest single site PVC complexes.
Also at the Make it at the Emirates Forum, TA’ZIZ and Alpha Dhabi Holding announced a strategic collaboration agreement for around US$10 bn (AED36.7bn) in capital investment in new industrial chemicals in the TA’ZIZ industrial chemicals ecosystem in Al Ruwais Industrial City, Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
The partnership could produce up to 14 new chemicals, delivering around 2.2mn tonnes per annum (mtpa) of additional chemical capacity in the TA’ZIZ industrial chemicals ecosystem in Al Ruwais Industrial City. The new chemicals, which include styrene and polystyrenes, acrylic acid and derivates, polyols, MDI, epoxy resins and linear alpha-olefins, are based on domestic demand and could substitute key products currently imported into the UAE, while strengthening local supply chain resilience. The partnership supports the UAE’s national industrial priorities, including the Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) initiative and the country’s industrial strategy, by strengthening domestic manufacturing capability and advancing self-sufficiency in strategically important chemical products.
Drone attack on ADNOC vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs UAE has issued condemnation of a drone attack targeting a vessel linked to ADNOC as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz, warning of escalating risks to regional stability and global energy security.
The incident took place on Monday, 4 May 2026.
According to a statement released by the ministry, two drones from Iran were used in the incident, which struck a national carrier affiliated with ADNOC.
No injuries were reported.
In its statement, the UAE called for an immediate halt to what it described as unprovoked attacks, urging Iran to de-escalate tensions and ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
The ministry stressed the need for the full and unconditional reopening of the waterway, which remains one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes, to maintain stability in global markets.