Technologies Saudi Aramco is developing and implementing will help it transport hydrocarbons, water and other fluids more reliably and in an environmentally safer manner, says a senior official. 

An example of Aramco’s innovative technologies has been the development of a novel large capacity control valve capable of working under severe and erosive conditions, said Ahmad O Al Khowaiter, Saudi Aramco’s chief technology officer, in his key-note address to the 3rd Pipeline Operations & Management Middle East Conference & Exhibition in Bahrain.

This new approach exploits the inherent advantages of the axial flow valve trim configuration to deliver superior durability and higher erosion wear performance. With this, Aramco has achieved superior pressure control reliability while significantly improving its cost-performance ratio in pipelines facilities.

Saudi Aramco has also made advances in the in-house development of a GIS-based database that includes all pipeline geographical information in addition to the basic pipelines design and operational data. 

“We are using Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) while strictly adhering to the risk reduction as per the “as low as reasonably practicable” concept which exploits land use planning for systematically triggering and identifying encroachment adjacent to our corridors,” said Al Khowaiter. “The entire risk profile of our pipeline network and corridors has now been determined. This allows a systematic deployment of effective mitigation measures while quantifying the hierarchy and effectiveness of each of these measures.” 

In Aramco’s R&D centres, the oil giant is conducting research programmes focused on tackling critical issues that are not only important to the company but also to the industry at large. 

One initiative relates to the reduction of corrosion in pipelines and facilities. “Corrosion has long been considered an invisible enemy to us all, but with this programme, we are developing technologies that can directly address this threat, predict its moves and protect us from its harmful influence. We can now detect and identify degradation using our patented technologies such as the Saudi Aramco Inspection Robot (SAIR), Shallow Water Inspection Marine Robot (SWIMR) and online real-time laser based sensors,” said the official. 

“These inspection technologies provide vital information to our prediction and modelling tools, such as our recently developed “Predhict” software capable of identifying high-risk areas for hydrogen-induced cracking, as well as our technologies for detecting defects and pinholes in non-metallic pipes. On the subject of non-metallic pipes, not only do we continue to pioneer the use of non-metallics in more critical services, we also are researching new and enhanced materials that can increase the pressure and temperature resistance of such pipes, opening new application areas and services.” 

One success story is the development of a novel inflatable contingency ease scraper device that can remove conventional scrapers that get stuck in pipelines. This device was developed by Aramco’s pipelines organisation, patented and licensed to a leading international technology company. 

The Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Centre has created a JV in Saudi Arabia with this firm and expects to manufacture this device and service it locally. 

Another technology conceived through Aramco’s researchers, engineers and field partners is the development of a unique Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitor (KHI) to mitigate hydrate formation in the pipelines originating in Karan field.  

“We are in the process of scaling up this unique KHI which outperforms existing KHIs where severe conditions of temperature, pressure and sour gas composition are one of our greatest challenges,” Al Khowaiter said.

In 2015, Saudi Aramco filed 226 patents at the US patent and trademark office, a 30 per cent growth over the previous year. It was granted 123 US patents the same year ranking it fourth among oil and gas companies worldwide.