Honeywell is piloting AI control methods at TotalEnergies’ Port Arthur Refinery in Texas.

The pilot of its AI-assisted Experion Operations Assistant aims to support and empower operators to make timely and informed decisions while providing the opportunity to enhance operational autonomy.

Built on Honeywell’s flagship distributed control system, Experion Operations Assistant is an AI-powered offering designed to transform the way operators monitor plant operations from the control room. By merging operational analytics with real-time predictive insights, it facilitates a more efficient workflow within critical refinery operations. With this integration, operators in the control room can forecast potential maintenance events before they happen and reduce risks associated with unsafe operations and production losses.

“Partnering with Honeywell at our Port Arthur Refinery represents an important step in our journey towards operational excellence across our facility,” said Raphael Duflos, general manager at Port Arthur. “We believe this could contribute to safer operations, reduced downtime and minimised product losses.”

TotalEnergies has already implemented an initial pilot at the Port Arthur site’s delayed coking unit (DCU). Preliminary results show the AI assistant has successfully forecasted five potential events, helping reduce downtime and emissions from flaring. The predictions were made an average of 12 minutes in advance of an alarm incident, enabling operators to implement corrective actions before an event.

“This pilot with TotalEnergies will mark a meaningful milestone for bridging the gap between autonomous technology and the operators that keep these facilities running safely and efficiently every day,” said Jim Masso, CEO of Honeywell Process Solutions.

Located in south-east Texas near the Gulf Coast, the Port Arthur Platform (totalenergies.com/company/projects/oil/port-arthur-refining-petrochemical-platform-usa) refines crude oil into transportation fuels and produces petrochemicals used in a wide range of products such as plastics, rubber and pharmaceuticals. The pilot is a collaboration between Honeywell (www.honeywell.com), TotalEnergies’ (totalenergies.com) Port Arthur platform and its technology headquarter branch OneTech.