Technology

The report highlights the evolution of AI in the energy sector

AI investment and adoption are accelerating across the energy industry as leaders increasingly recognise the potential for it to strengthen energy reliability and resilience in the current volatile environment, according to the third annual Powering Possible report from ADNOC, XRG and Microsoft

The report, entitled Energy Resilience in the Intelligence Era, highlights a significant shift from AI ambition to implementation, with AI delivering growing financial returns as well as creating new infrastructure challenges.

Key findings

• AI becomes a top corporate priority: 62% of energy leaders now rank AI among their top two priorities, up from 42% in 2025, while 89% report increased investment over the past year
• AI investments begin to deliver returns: 63% expect returns on existing investments to cover or exceed costs, rising to 89% for future investments
• Energy demand creates new infrastructure challenges: 74% expect AI to increase energy consumption by 2030, yet only 52% are confident existing infrastructure can meet AI-driven electricity demand – unchanged from 2025. Grid modernisation and smart-grid technologies are the leading investment priority for supporting AI growth, cited by 67% of respondents, followed by energy storage at 42%.
• Importance of energy reliability rises as a measure of AI value: 39% identify supply stability and reliability as AI's most important contribution, up from 26% in 2025, reflecting the current supply volatility. While the share giving cost savings as AI's leading contribution fell from 19% to 13%.
• AI has the potential to accelerate sustainable energy production: 71% of energy leaders expect AI to increase the speed at which the energy sector becomes more sustainable, alongside growing expectations that AI can strengthen resilience, efficiency and the ability to meet rising energy demand. 57% of respondents identify the optimisation of power flows, dispatch and balancing as the area where AI could make the greatest contribution to the energy transition.
• AI moves into everyday operations: The share of organisations deploying integrated agentic AI workflows more than doubled from 15% to 33%, while 60% are piloting or deploying robotics in physical operations, from inspecting infrastructure to performing hazardous tasks.

His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC managing director and Group CEO and executive chairman of XRG said: “AI is creating significant new opportunities for the energy industry to drive greater value, strengthen resilience and improve safety and reliability. At ADNOC, we are embedding AI, robotics and advanced technology across our operations to optimize every barrel, every molecule and every megawatt we produce. As AI scales, energy and technology must advance together.”

Brad Smith, vice chair and president, Microsoft, added, “As AI becomes embedded in the sectors that underpin the global economy, the measure of progress will not be adoption alone, but whether it delivers lasting value while earning public trust. In the energy sector, where reliability and security are fundamental, that requires strong governance, clear accountability and sustained investment in people and skills. Innovation at scale must be matched by responsibility at the same scale.”

The findings underline the need for investment in energy and digital infrastructure to advance together, backed by strong cybersecurity, trusted AI-ready data, common standards, sound governance and a skilled workforce, so AI can be deployed safely and reliably at scale.

Powering Possible 2026 is being published ahead of the fourth ENACT Majlis in Abu Dhabi and ADIPEC 2026 and is based on a survey of almost 400 senior energy and finance leaders.

Technicians servicing stainless steel valve assembly. (Image source: VEGA)

In oil & gas facilities, maintaining continuous production while protecting personnel is a constant priority. Many process vessels operate under pressure and contain toxic, corrosive or flammable media, which makes instrument maintenance complex and potentially hazardous. Shutting down a process to service a single field instrument means lost production, higher costs and extended downtime

Process isolation addresses this. A shut-off device, such as a ball or gate valve, is installed between the process connection and the instrument. Sensors can then be removed, inspected or replaced without exposure to the process, which protects maintenance personnel and improves plant availability.

The challenge: radar above an isolation valve

A full-port ball valve may appear to offer a clear path for the radar signal. In practice, its internal geometry, sealing surfaces, flange interfaces and diameter transitions all reflect the signal. These surfaces generate false echoes before the signal reaches the product.

These effects get stronger in several situations: when measuring low-dielectric hydrocarbons or liquefied gases, under vapour-rich conditions, or where stilling pipes and multiple flanges sit between the antenna and the process. If the medium reflects weakly, installation echoes can mask the true level signal, particularly near the top of the vessel.

Engineering the installation

VEGA has years of experience in hazardous and corrosive applications. Drawing on it, VEGA developed an installation arrangement that combines safe process isolation with optimum radar performance. The valve is not treated as an unavoidable source of interference. Instead, the complete geometry of nozzle, valve and connecting sections is optimised to preserve the radar signal. The solution is built around VEGAPULS 6X, with its narrow 3° beam angle and 120 dB dynamic range.

Why beam angle matters

The wider the beam, the more energy strikes internal hardware instead of reaching the product surface. In the evaluated installation, an 8° beam spread to about 100 mm after just 700 mm of travel. It hit the valve body, reducers and pipe walls, even in a 4-inch connection. A 3° beam stayed concentrated at about 37 mm over the same distance and passed cleanly through the isolation assembly. The result is fewer installation reflections and more usable energy at the product surface.

Why dynamic range matters

Many hydrocarbons and liquefied gases have low dielectric constants and naturally reflect little radar energy. Vapours, condensation and foam weaken the echo further. Dynamic range defines the weakest echo a sensor can reliably detect. With 120 dB, VEGAPULS 6X can detect echoes up to 1,000 times weaker than a 90 dB sensor can. This lets it separate genuine level signals from installation reflections where other sensors may struggle.

Benefits for operators

• Safe process isolation without compromising measurement performance
  • Reduced risk of false readings from installation reflections
  • Reliable measurement of low-dielectric hydrocarbons and liquefied gases
  • Simpler maintenance and improved availability
  • Greater confidence in level measurement for pressurised vessels

Engineering recommendation

A narrow beam alone cannot overcome every installation challenge, and neither can high dynamic range alone. The combination of the two is what works. When isolation is required, treat the installation as an integrated measurement system, not simply a valve added beneath the transmitter. Best practice includes:
• Selecting a full-bore ball valve wherever possible
• Keeping the internal bore as large and continuous as practical
• Minimizing diameter transitions and unnecessary flanges
• Using a radar sensor with a narrow beam angle and high dynamic range

With the right mechanical arrangement and advanced radar technology, safe process isolation and reliable level measurement can be achieved together, even with hazardous, corrosive or low-reflectivity media.

IFS, a  leading provider of Industrial AI software, has launched IFS Intelligence, which collates data from assets, systems and processes throughout an industrial operation and turns it into meaningful action in minutes

Built around everything the operation already knows – its assets, work orders, schedules and history – IFS Intelligence  understands how that operation runs, bringing Industrial AI to the point of work: people in the field, on the plant floor, on a rig or in the office can ask questions in plain language through a single conversational interface. IFS Intelligence reasons across live operational data to explain what is happening and plan what should happen next, with the sources shown. It can then act on that plan, governed by IFS’s Industrial AI Harness, and within the limits set by the business.

Customers are already using IFS Intelligence across a number of business-critical scenarios. One recent use case was experienced by a production manager who learned that a large order due next quarter was at risk. Finding out why, and what to do about it, meant connecting inventory, production capacity, supplier commitments, logistics constraints and the financial impact of delay. With IFS Intelligence, one question can identify the risk, surface likely causes and recommend the next action, which the manager can approve and set in motion. What used to take several reports, systems and specialists, or might not have even been possible, becomes one governed flow from question to action.

IFS Intelligence harnesses Industrial AI in three ways:

• Ask and act with Cowork: question live operational data in plain language, investigate problems and prepare actions that run only once a person provides approval. Any answer can become a Lens, a live view that keeps updating as the operation moves, and work that succeeds once can be saved as a Skill for anyone to repeat. 

• Delegate with Loops: hand defined workflows to digital workers that run in the background and escalate when judgment or approval is needed. 
• Extend with Runway: use plain-language requirements to speed up the migration, configuration and extension of IFS, with less implementation effort and less risk.

Underneath all three, the IFS Industrial AI Harness applies the context and controls that industrial operations require.

Mark Moffat, CEO, IFS, commented, “We often see industrial organisations operating at around 60% of their potential. The missing 40% is already inside the business. It sits in the expertise of the control room, the knowledge of the night shift, and the data spread across every system. IFS Intelligence brings all of it together and puts it to work. People can ask a question, take action, or hand a task to a digital worker, all within the rules, permissions and approvals that govern their business. That is how industry closes the gap.”

IFS Intelligence was launched at IFS Unleashed, the company's flagship industrial AI event which took place in Orlando, USA, and brought together innovators and visionaries from the world’s leading Industrial businesses to redefine what AI-connected intelligence can achieve. Unleashed showcased how AI-driven insights and agentic automation can combine to unlock new levels of performance.

illie Morrison, Managing Director at Viking Completion Technology (left) alongside Abdulrahman Algosaibi, Chairman at AG Holding (right).

The drive towards a highly resilient, localised supply chain is rapidly reshaping the industrial landscape of the Middle East.

Viking Completion Technology (Viking) has officially established a formidable new manufacturing, testing, and service facility within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This strategic move represents a major milestone in localising the production of crucial completion tools. By establishing a formally recognised entity and an API-certified, in-country operation, the organisation is actively securing the regional equipment pipeline. It demonstrates a structural shift from relying solely on international imports to nurturing high-specification domestic manufacturing.

A strategic joint venture in Dhahran

To execute this ambitious in-country expansion, Viking has formed a pivotal Joint Venture with Abdulrahman Algosaibi Holdings (AGH). This collaboration is anchored by AGH’s regional expertise, operating locally established businesses that include Intelligent Energy Services (i-Energy) and Extreme Precision Company (XPRECISION).

Situated in Dhahran, a historical nexus for the Kingdom's energy industry, the newly launched operation complements Viking’s established premises in Dubai. For nearly three decades, the Dubai facility served as the sole international supply hub for the organisation’s global customer base. Now, the Dhahran base introduces a dual-hub dynamic, providing a dedicated commercial vehicle to directly supply locally manufactured equipment to Saudi Arabian end users, decisively mitigating lead times and logistics issues.

Elite API certification and localised manufacturing

The inauguration of the Dhahran site is the culmination of half a decade of intensive investment and effort. Over these five years, the primary objective has been to firmly establish Viking as a premier, locally stationed supplier of completion equipment.

Crucially, the new operation is distinguished by its elite industry credentials. It stands as one of only two facilities within Saudi Arabia to hold a highly specific suite of API licenses, which are essential for manufacturing products to the rigorous specifications demanded by end users.

The facility boasts the following capabilities and certifications:

• Accreditations Held: API Q1, API 14A, API 11D1, API 19AC, and API 14L licenses.

• Locally Manufactured Products: Advanced completion tools including Safety Valves, Packers, and Seal Assemblies.

• Additional Components: Sliding Side Doors (SSD’s) and Landing Nipples.

Previously, Viking maintained a robust track record of out-of-country supply into Saudi Arabia. By shifting this capacity inward, the organisation is fundamentally altering how rapidly critical infrastructure can be deployed in the field.

Aligning with Vision 2030 objectives

The transition toward localised manufacturing carries profound economic implications for the region, aligning flawlessly with broader national industrial strategies and local value initiatives.

Willie Morrison, Managing Director at Viking Completion Technology, commented: "Achieving API-certified status and launching our Saudi Arabia entity is a huge milestone for our dedicated team, which I am immensely proud of, and would not have been possible without the support of our Joint Venture partner. With AG Holding's local manufacturing capability, Viking is ideally placed to deliver as an In Kingdom Total Value Add supplier in line with the key objectives, social and economic requirements and strategic importance of the Saudi 2030 vision."

This vision is shared by the Joint Venture leadership, emphasising the technical readiness and future capacity of the new site.

Abdulrahman Algosaibi, Chairman at AG Holding, commented: “This new facility is fully equipped with the latest capabilities for assembling and testing products, as well as for make-up and testing of completion assemblies. Skilled and experienced field personnel have been responsible for successful trial tests in Saudi Arabia over the last three years, meaning that in addition to our API Certification, we also have a wide range of catalogued products currently supplied from Out of Kingdom. Over the next 12 months, Viking will perform further trials while supplying several new product variations. We are proud to be part of such a significant development for Viking in nearly three decades of operating. We look forward to welcoming customers to the facility and to keep demonstrating what we are capable of in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

By establishing this API-certified footprint, the partnership ensures that top-tier completion technology is engineered and delivered right at the heart of the region's energy sector.