Transforming the energy sector through an ecosystem of artificial intelligence solutions is the goal of the Open AI Energy Initiative (OAI). Launched by Shell, C3 AI, Baker Hughes and Microsoft, it is expected to provide an energy services framework for energy operators, service providers, OEMs and independent software vendors to deliver interoperable solutions, covering AI and physics-based models, monitoring, diagnostics, prescriptive actions and services, powered by the BHC3™ AI Suite and Microsoft Azure.
Thomas M. Siebel, CEO of C3 AI, said last week in this regard:
“This initiative is about combining the efforts of world leaders to accelerate the digital transformation of the energy sector and enable it to deliver new, safe and secure energy for climate security. »
The first set of IAO solutions provided by Shell and Baker Hughes is reliability-focused and designed to improve the availability and performance of energy assets and processes. These reliability solutions will serve as extensions to the current application called BHC3 Reliability, an AI-based application that provides reliability, process and maintenance engineers with AI-enabled information to predict process and equipment performance risks for the energy industry. The application leverages the BHC3 AI Suite’s ability to integrate data from disparate enterprise-wide sources and shape AI reliability models that cover all plant operations while taking full advantage of Azure, Microsoft’s scalable, enterprise-class cloud infrastructure.
OAI enriches BHC3 Applications with domain-specific partner-led solutions that accelerate the deployment of AI-based reliability solutions to unlock significant economic value in the energy sector, while helping to make power generation cleaner, safer and more efficient. The initial OAI reliability solutions proposed by Shell and Baker Hughes enable interoperability between BHC3 Reliability, OAI modules and existing industry solutions for such applications. The solutions available today include tried and tested, equipment- and process-specific modules with pre-fabricated OAI models, codified subject matter expertise, low-latency data connectors, thermodynamic and operational parameter libraries, global health monitoring services, in-depth diagnostics, fault prevention recommendations and preventive measures.
Shell is in the process of making modules available via OAI, including :
- Shell Predictive Maintenance for Control Valves
- Shell Predictive Maintenance for Rotating Equipment
- Shell Predictive Maintenance for Subsea Electrical Submersible Pumps
Baker Hughes will ensure OAI interoperability with a range of existing technologies used in the energy sector, including :
- iCenter – Turbomachinery Advanced Digital Services
- Bently Nevada System 1 Condition Monitoring Software
- Baker Hughes Valve Lifecycle Management
The Open AI Energy Initiative will expand the following Baker Hughes and C3 AI applications:
- BHC3 Reliability
- BHC3 Production Optimization
- BHC3 Inventory Optimization
- C3 AI CRM
“Digital technologies and AI are helping us improve our core business today and develop the energy activities of tomorrow. Over the past few years, we have worked with C3 AI to evolve our AI-based predictive maintenance solutions to reduce costs and improve the productivity, reliability and performance of our assets,” said Yuri Sebregts, Shell’s CTO.
“We monitor more than 5,200 pieces of equipment using machine learning in upstream and downstream manufacturing and integrated gas assets. We are excited to bring this capability to market and look forward to developing an open ecosystem where others can offer AI solutions to help improve reliability within the industry. »
Uwem Ukpong, Executive Vice President of Regions, Alliances and Corporate Sales at Baker Hughes said :
“Advancing energy requires new technological approaches that rely on collaboration, open data standards and advanced AI capabilities. By working alongside our alliance partners at C3 AI and with industry leaders at Shell and Microsoft, OAI will help address the persistent challenge of unproductive downtime in the industry. This new ecosystem will leverage our existing strong BHC3 portfolio and is a promising step in the digital energy transformation. »
Darryl Willis, Microsoft’s Vice President of Energy added:
“Microsoft is committed to the transformation of the energy sector and to supporting solutions, such as the Open AI Energy Initiative, that help achieve these transformation goals. Digital technology is helping key areas of the sector, such as plant reliability and maintenance, and Microsoft’s participation in the Open AI Energy Initiative will advance the transition to a net zero emissions future. »
Kevin Prouty, IDC Group Vice President, Energy and Manufacturing Outlook, concluded :
“The Open AI Energy Initiative is an early but clear reflection of where the market is headed. With this already established alliance of leading organizations such as C3 AI, Shell, Baker Hughes and Microsoft, the OAI is poised to single-handedly establish the enterprise AI ecosystem for the energy sector. »
To learn more about the Open AI Energy Initiative and its reliability solutions, visit https://bakerhughesc3.ai/products/bhc3-oai/.
Translated from Open AI Energy Initiative, l’écosystème pour le secteur énergétique de Shell, C3 AI, Baker Hughes et Microsoft
