Global energy technology company SLB has been awarded a seven-year contract by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) under the Ahmadi Innovation Valley (AIV) initiative. The agreement will support applied research, technology deployment and digital innovation programs aligned with Kuwait's long-term energy objectives.
Ahmadi Innovation Valley is KOC's flagship innovation initiative that brings together industry, academia and technology providers to address strategic upstream technical challenges.
Under the agreement, SLB will partner with KOC to evaluate, test and deploy advanced technologies across a range of operational and strategic priorities, including artificial intelligence (AI), industrial internet of things (IIoT) applications, production optimization, reservoir technologies, water management and energy transition initiatives.
Work is set to begin later this year and the opening is being planned for 2028.
On the contract award, Kuwait Oil Company CEO Ahmad Jaber Al Eidan said: “Ahmadi Innovation Valley represents an important step in advancing technology leadership across Kuwait's energy sector. Through collaboration with leading technology partners, we are accelerating technology deployment, strengthening local capabilities and expanding knowledge transfer to support Kuwait's energy industry.”
SLB Chief Executive Officer Olivier Le Peuch pointed out that the energy industry had no shortage of technology. “The challenge is deploying it at scale and turning innovation into operational impact,” he stated.
“Ahmadi Innovation Valley brings together technology providers, researchers and operational teams to accelerate the evaluation, deployment and scaling of new solutions across KOC's operations. We are proud to contribute our technology, domain expertise and global experience while helping strengthen local capabilities and support the next generation of Kuwaiti talent,” he noted.
Through the AIV initiative, SLB said it will support applied research and technology management spanning multiple business lines and technology domains. The initiative provides KOC with a flexible approach to evaluate, pilot and deploy new technologies.
The award builds on more than 85 years of collaboration between SLB and KOC and marks a significant milestone in the companies' longstanding relationship, it added.-TradeArabia News Service