Honeywell has launched a new industrial artificial intelligence platform at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos, targeting improved productivity and gross operational benefits of about $60 million annually when the facility reaches full-capacity throughput.
The platform, known as Forge Plant Cognition, will deploy artificial intelligence capabilities from Honeywell alongside technology from NVIDIA and Dell Technologies to improve productivity and profitability in complex industrial operations, Reuters reported on Monday.
The launch comes as the Dangote refinery pursues an ambitious expansion programme aimed at increasing its nameplate capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028.
Honeywell said preliminary estimates indicate that the AI platform could generate operational benefits exceeding 29 cents per barrel at the Lekki-based refinery. At full-capacity throughput, this could translate into approximately $60 million in gross benefits annually.
The company cautioned that the estimates are preliminary and not guaranteed.
AI to Improve Refinery Efficiency
The introduction of Forge Plant Cognition reflects the growing adoption of artificial intelligence in industrial operations, where companies are seeking to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and increase profitability.
At a large-scale refinery, even marginal improvements in operational performance can translate into substantial financial gains because of the volume of crude oil and petroleum products processed.
By integrating Honeywell’s industrial expertise with NVIDIA’s computing capabilities and Dell Technologies’ infrastructure, the platform is intended to support productivity improvements in the refinery’s complex operating environment.
However, Honeywell’s preliminary estimate does not establish how much of the projected benefit would come from individual efficiency improvements or how quickly the refinery would realise the gains.
Honeywell’s engagement with Dangote also extends beyond Nigeria as the industrial technology company has been selected to support the construction of a new mega-refinery in Lamu County, Kenya, according to Reuters.
The project adds to Honeywell’s involvement in Africa’s expanding refining infrastructure market as governments and private investors pursue greater domestic petroleum processing capacity.
