TotalEnergies is forming a collaboration with French firm Mistral AI to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence tools to support the supermajor’s energy strategies, especially in low-carbon energy solutions and development.
TotalEnergies and Mistral AI will set up a joint innovation lab, staffed by teams from both companies, the supermajor said on Thursday.
Mistral AI will contribute its AI technologies and TotalEnergies will contribute its expertise in the production of energy, particularly renewable, low-carbon energy, in order to test and design advanced digital solutions.
“In view of the issue of digital sovereignty in Europe, the partners will jointly examine opportunities for TotalEnergies to adopt AI infrastructure,” the supermajor said.
“AI has huge potential to transform energy systems, and this partnership was motivated by our pioneering spirit and ongoing search for innovation,” TotalEnergies chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné said.
When Shell, BP, and Equinor backtracked on their pivot to renewables and reduced investments in low-carbon energy solutions, TotalEnergies didn’t have to. It has been the outlier in Europe’s Big Oil group, as it has continued growing its LNG business as the world’s second-largest LNG trader after Shell, and boosting lower-cost oil and gas production, alongside increasing renewable energy capacity and power generation through acquisitions and joint ventures globally.
TotalEnergies’ push toward increased AI adoption is in line with the general sentiment among the world’s biggest oil and gas firms that are embracing AI and related technology to maximize savings, optimize operations, and boost earnings.
Oil and gas firms use robot dogs and AI-enabled drones for inspections at operating assets, as well as autonomous haul trucks, among other digital and AI technologies, to minimize costs and maximize profits.
Oil and gas executives in a recent EY survey said that the two highest opportunities for creating value from AI and emerging technology are predictive maintenance for heavy equipment and assets, and intelligent optimization of operational performance.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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