UAE state-owned oil company ADNOC has partnered with OpenAI on a plan to use ENERGYai, an AI agent that integrates reservoir data and operating decisions, to shorten oilfield development planning from several months to several hours.
Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company ADNOC is building a system that links multiple AI agents so that reservoir assumptions can be reflected directly in refinery operating plans and transport decisions. ENERGYai is the platform, AIQ developed it, and Presight holds a majority stake. The implementation agreement, signed in 2025, runs for 3 years and totals $340 million.
ENERGYai analyses underground reservoirs and surface facilities to accelerate the preparation of oilfield development plans. It aims to shorten the planning process from the several months previously required to several hours. The concept is to link the system with information from other divisions, including Frontier, and support decisions that take the profitability of the entire oilfield into account.
The energy industry's view of AI's value is also changing. A Powering Possible 2026 survey found that the importance placed on supply stability and reliability has increased, and that more organisations are coordinating multiple AI agents. It also pointed to a growing number of situations in which forecasting is becoming more difficult, including disruptions to maritime transport.
ADNOC is already expanding its use of AI, having introduced ChatGPT Enterprise to more than 40,000 employees, with usage remaining high. The number of AI applications has exceeded 200, while challenges including duplication and coordination across divisions have also been identified.