Smith says Alberta is looking to Saudi Aramco’s AI technology to improve pipeline safety

CALGARY — With the Alberta government continuing to push the construction of massive AI data centres in the province, artificial intelligence is being deployed in other parts of the energy sector as Premier Danielle Smith says she has directed the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) to hire a technology specialist to examine how AI can improve pipeline safety.Speaking at the International Pipeline Conference & Expo (IPCE) in Calgary on Tuesday, the premier cited technology currently being used by Saudi Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to predict equipment failures, detect corrosion and identify pipeline leaks before they lead to serious incidents.Smith’s comments come as Alberta is looking to pursue faster regulatory approvals and advance plans for new energy infrastructure, such as the proposed one-million-barrel-per-day pipeline to the West Coast, which is currently waiting for approval from the federal Major Projects Office (MPO). “In Alberta, we believe the best safety outcomes come from government, regulators, and industry working together, not against each other. And we want Alberta to lead the world in the next generation of pipeline safety and not follow it,” Smith told attendees.“That's why I have asked the Alberta Energy Regulator to hire a technology specialist to examine how global leaders like ADNOC and Aramco are using artificial intelligence to make their pipelines safer, and what they're doing is remarkable.”.'EASIER TO EXPORT ZEROS AND ONES': Smith calls AI data centres a new type of refinery.Smith described how Saudi Aramco — the world’s largest oil-producing company — collects more than ten million corrosion readings annually across roughly 20,000 pipeline segments, using AI to identify early signs of deterioration and recommend preventative maintenance.According to the premier, Aramco also uses predictive models to assess older pipelines that cannot be inspected using conventional tools, while drones equipped with ultrasonic sensors measure pipeline thickness without requiring workers to climb scaffolding.“[Aramco] uses AI to predict water buildup and changes in flow in each pipeline segment, so engineers can inject inhibitors or run a pig (pipeline inspection gauge) before the wall starts to thin,” Smith said.She also pointed to ADNOC’s use of autonomous robots, thermal cameras and light detection and ranging (LiDAR)technology to identify leaks and equipment issues in hazardous environments.“ADNOC credits its AI safety platform with cutting safety incidents by 30%,” Smith said.“The lesson is clear: integrity management is moving from periodic inspection to continuous prediction, from finding damage after it happens to preventing it before it starts. Alberta has the data, the engineering talent, and the industry partners to lead that shift.”During her speech, Smith also touched on how reducing regulatory duplication and accelerating project approvals could allow companies to invest more in technologies and practices that prevent pipeline incidents.“Pipelines have gone from impossible to a national imperative,” she said.“When companies aren't stuck in years of duplicative review, they can invest in technology, the people, and the practices that prevent incidents before they happen... Our job in government is to make sure that our regulator understands these tools and that our tools encourage their adoption rather than stand in their way.”

Smith says Alberta is looking to Saudi Aramco’s AI technology to improve pipeline safety

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