Technology

Sean Donegan, CEO, Satelytics. (Image source: Satelytics)

Sean Donegan, CEO, Satelytics discusses the potential of AI-powered geospatial analytics to detect pipeline leaks

The importance of the Middle East to the global energy market is well-understood but worth emphasising. Between 2024 and 2025, roughly a third of the world's oil flowed from the region. With domestic and international demand continuing to soar, it is clear that both the past and the future of global oil and gas run directly through the Middle East.

At the same time, the Middle East, in ramping up its oil production, is increasingly running up against a problem endemic to all oil-producing regions: the fallibility of ageing or otherwise defective pipeline infrastructure, and the subsequent damage caused by leaks. These leaks cause significant environmental damage, divert limited resources to remediation efforts, and put oil and gas personnel, as well as (in some cases) surrounding residents, at risk.

Any increase in oil production would entail a concomitant increase in dangerous leaks. But as recent technological advancements have demonstrated, this doesn't have to be the case. In recent years, AI-powered geospatial analytics has emerged as a highly effective method of leak detection – one that is already sparing oil and gas producers from catastrophe in the Middle East and around the globe.

What is geospatial analytics? How does AI fit in?

Geospatial analytics is the analysis of satellite imagery, and is fundamentally, a high-tech method of identifying problem points across unusually vast swathes of terrain. It begins with multispectral and hyperspectral imagery, which is gathered from a variety of sources, including unmanned aerial vehicles, planes, and fixed cameras. This imagery is then analysed by advanced artificial intelligence, which pinpoints precisely where leaks are occurring, near-instantly alerting businesses to potential issues.

The sheer scale of most oil and gas assets, more sprawling by far than those found in any other industry, helps explain why this technology is so useful. Take the example of Aramco, which is responsible for 3,140 miles of crude oil pipelines, according to the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries. In any region, this degree of sprawl would be impossible to oversee by manual means. But the nature of the terrain involved makes the problem even more vexing. Aramco's Petroline, for instance, runs through the Empty Quarter, or the Rub' al-Khali, which is the largest continuous sand desert in the world. This challenging terrain has no permanent settlements, which means that when leaks do occur, days or weeks can pass before they're properly noticed.

The use of geospatial analytics, by contrast, ensures that these leaks are flagged in close to real-time, with an abundance of information for businesses to act on – including the specific problem, the location, and the magnitude of the disruption. This allows oil and gas producers to delegate relevant remediation personnel to take care of the issue before it spirals out of control.

Today, the technology is able to assist oil and gas producers in the US and Europe through the use of AI-powered geospatial analytics, and the technology is also being deployed to the Middle East as part of a broader global rollout.

US initiatives

North Dakota has a long history of pipeline leaks, which in 2017 compelled Governor Doug Burgum to take substantial measures to address the problem. The Intelligent Pipeline Integrity Program (iPIPE), as it was called, was launched with the aim of creating a fruitful partnership between government and industry on the pipeline problem. Through geospatial analytics, leak reports were delivered to consortium makers within hours of capture, showing results including the location and magnitude of liquid leaks.

The result was a significant reduction in pipeline leaks in the area. This reduction so impressed one of iPIPE's founding members that Satelytics was contracted to monitor their entire fleet of assets in the region, spread across nearly 10,000 sq.km. This effort, too, identified countless leaks in their infancy and spared the oil company from a number of potential disasters.

These successes piqued the interest of producers in Texas and led directly to a new initiative in the region: an unprecedented, industry-led collaboration designed to monitor infrastructure throughout the Permian Basin for liquid leaks, methane leaks, encroachment, and similar risks.

Geospatial analytics in the Middle East

From these origins, Satelytics has since scaled globally. Beyond our operations in Europe, we are now monitoring pipelines for a wide range of Middle Eastern companies, including operators in the UAE, Iraq and Qatar. These efforts have already helped to detect numerous leaks, in addition to flagging potential land encroachments and even testing water quality.

Conclusion

The environmental benefits of AI-powered geospatial analytics in an oil and gas context are indisputable: major players across the industry agree that it has a significant role to play in reducing emissions and forestalling negative climate events down the line. But its present-day benefits are just as striking, which explains why oil and gas companies across the world – from the Permian Basin to the Rub' al-Khali – have rushed to integrate the technology.

Satelytics uses cloud-based, geospatial analytics to analyse multispectral and hyperspectral imagery to identify pipeline leaks and other environmental issues.

The partnership will help Aramco to accelerate industrial AI adoption. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Aramco and Microsoft are building on their long-standing collaboration with an agreement that will help Aramco accelerate industrial AI adoption, enhance digital capabilities, and strengthen workforce development in Saudi Arabia as part of its broader digital transformation

Key areas of focus include:

• Digital Sovereignty and Data Residency: Exploring the development of a roadmap for deploying solutions on the Microsoft cloud, enhanced with sovereign controls to further Aramco’s digital sovereignty objectives
• Operational Efficiency & Digital Infrastructure: Discussing streamlining and optimising digital frameworks that support Aramco’s global operations
• Industry Alliance Framework: Scoping possible engagements with Saudi Arabia’s technology integrators and industry collaborators to broaden the adoption of AI across the industrial value chain in the Kingdom
• Industrial AI IP co-innovation: Exploring the establishment of a global marketplace for innovative industrial AI solutions by co-developing and commercialising operational systems for the energy sector that set new standards of excellence and promote Saudi expertise internationally within the industry.

Aramco and Microsoft are also exploring initiatives to help accelerate digital and technical skills development across the Kingdom, including building capabilities in AI engineering, cybersecurity, data governance, and product management. Microsoft is already training thousands of Saudi learners across cloud, AI, and data programmes.

Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter, Aramco executive vice president of Technology & Innovation, said: “Aramco is driving the energy sector’s digital transformation by creating a secure, intelligent, and collaborative digital ecosystem. In partnership with Microsoft, we seek to further scale cutting-edge digital and AI solutions in that sector to achieve efficiency and innovation — without compromising the highest standards of security and governance.”

Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, said, “This marks the next step in our long-standing collaboration with Aramco, exploring how industrial AI can move from pilots into core operations to improve efficiency and resilience at scale. Our focus is on building strong foundations – sovereign-ready digital infrastructure, trusted governance, and the skills needed for responsible industrial AI adoption.

"As a global industry leader, Aramco has the opportunity to set a reference for large-scale, responsible industrial AI transformation aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”

Find out further information on this deal here 

See more on Aramco’s AI innovation here: https://oilreviewmiddleeast.com/magazines/orme_2025_12_22/spread/?page=22
https://oilreviewmiddleeast.com/technical-focus/aramco-highlights-its-ai-leadership-at-world-economic-forum

The XTR CS injection system. (Image source: Halliburton)

Halliburton has launched the XTR CS injection system, a wireline-retrievable safety valve solution engineered for CO₂ injection in carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) wells

Operators face unique challenges in CCUS environments, including ultra-low temperatures and the need for reliable flowback prevention. The system addresses these challenges with a depth-insensitive design that can be installed at any point in the wellbore, delivering reliable performance with high injection rates and smooth flow. This eliminates concerns about hydraulic fluid mobility and reduces planning complexity.

The system can be used as a primary or contingency safety valve or as a deep-set reservoir fluid-flowback prevention device. Unlike traditional surface-controlled wireline valves, the XTR injection system’s non-elastomeric design helps minimise leak paths and eliminate reliance on hydraulic operation systems. This system remains at steady performance at any setting depth, to simplify operations and inventory management.

A large flow area, combined with low opening pressure, promotes smooth flow and supports high injection rates with minimal pressure drop. The proprietary anti-throttling mechanism helps keep the valve fully open during injection, reducing wear and extending service life. The self-cleaning design incorporates integrated bypass ports and optimised poppet geometry to minimise debris buildup and erosion. For added flexibility, wireline retrievability allows easy retrieval and replacement, supporting contingency planning when needed.

The valve features an anti-chatter mechanism to extend service life while meeting API 14A standards for safety and compliance.

The rigorous CS qualification programme ensures the system’s operational integrity and ability to withstand harsh CCUS environments.

The injection system can be tailored for specific injection media and fluid properties, offering low opening force, minimal pressure drop, and a wide range of injection rates. To extend operational life, high-velocity flow is directed away from seal areas, and a novel anti-throttle feature reduces valve wear, maximising system reliability.

Maxime Coffin, vice president, Halliburton Completion Tools said, “The XTR CS injection system expands Halliburton’s Completion Tools technology leadership in low-carbon technology solutions, allowing operators to maximise CCUS well performance. This technology helps ensure reliability and flexibility in harsh environments, allowing operators to inject CO₂ efficiently and safely.”

The global oil and gas robotics market is forecast to hit US$205.5bn in 2030. (Image source: GlobalData)

The global oil and gas robotics market is forecast to grow from US$90.2bn in 2024 to US$205.5bn in 2030, according to data analytics and consulting company GlobalData

Robotics is rapidly transforming oil and gas operations as advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing unlock the next phase of industrial automation. Previously focused on repetitive industrial tasks, robots can now operate autonomously, collaborate, and access cloud-based data in real time. AI enables advanced decision-making, navigation in complex environments, and reduced reliance on human intervention.

Despite progress in humanoid robotics, task-specific robots remain dominant. GlobalData’s Strategic Intelligence report, “Robotics in Oil and Gas,” highlights how robotics is increasingly being adopted across the oil and gas value chain to improve safety, efficiency, and asset integrity.

Operators such as Equinor deploy subsea autonomous vehicles, including Hydrone-R, for extended underwater inspections, while Shell uses Cyberhawk drones and Sensabot robots for aerial and ground-based inspection of flare stacks, tanks, and pipelines. BP and Chevron have trialled Spot quadruped robots to autonomously survey facilities and collect visual, thermal, and methane data, reducing personnel exposure to hazardous environments. While ADNOC deploys more than 65 robotics applications across its operations.

Ravindra Puranik, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Autonomous robotic systems are being introduced across hazardous, remote, and offshore environments to perform inspection, surveillance, and monitoring tasks without continuous human control.”

These platforms deliver higher operational efficiency through faster inspection cycles, consistent task execution, and repeatable, high-quality data capture, independent of operator skill or availability.

GlobalData notes that offshore and subsea operations remain a major focus area for robotics deployment. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) continue to support real-time subsea inspection, maintenance, and intervention, while autonomous underwater vehicles enable long-duration seabed surveys and pipeline monitoring with reduced reliance on surface vessels.

Puranik concludes: “While challenges remain, the integration of robotics with digital twins, edge intelligence, and predictive analytics is accelerating. As these technologies mature, robotics will move beyond supporting roles to become indispensable operational assets, across the oil and gas industry.”