Aramco has long been at the forefront of innovation, particularly in the realm of digitalization. As part of its ambitious vision to lead the industry in technological advancement, Aramco has been exploring using ground robotics to enhance the safety and efficiency of its operations. Recently, the company achieved a significant milestone by conducting the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of an intrinsically safe robot, marking a major step forward in its digital transformation journey. This groundbreaking initiative underscores Aramco’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to revolutionize how inspections are conducted in the energy industry, setting new standards for safety, reliability, and efficiency.

Aramco and CNTXT successfully conducted an SAT for the Taurob Inspector robot at Manifa Central Processing Facility in August 2023, proving the robot’s ability to withstand the high temperatures of a Saudi Arabian summer.

The test encompassed manual navigation, site mapping, inspection route planning, and autonomous mission execution, culminating in a detailed assessment of collected data across the various inspection payloads.

The successful execution of the SAT — under extreme environmental conditions — underscores the robustness and reliability of the Taurob Inspector robot. It offers a pioneering solution for enhancing operational efficiency and safety in industrial settings, particularly in challenging climates like Saudi Arabia.

“Throughout the pilot, we successfully completed site mapping, route planning, and autonomous missions. Taurob’s Inspector robot was able to collect the necessary data and navigate the environment successfully. Most notably, the robot demonstrated the ability to withstand ambient temperatures of 45°C, and temperatures well above 50°C under the scorching sun,” said Saeed Alamoudi, Specialist Engineer at Aramco.

Kristoffer Gjerde, Head of Robotics at CNTXT, adds, “CNTXT is proud to be able to continuously support Aramco as they expand the use of industrial robots across their facilities. Completing user acceptance tests of Taurob robots is another milestone towards autonomous operations in industrial facilities.”

Looking ahead, Aramco and CNTXT are looking to expand the integration of cutting-edge robotics technology into industrial operations by adding new types of robots to their existing fleet. The successful SAT for Taurob robots paves the way for broader adoption of autonomous solutions as Aramco continues to pioneer with its vision for the adoption of 4.0 IR technologies.