Honeywell and TotalEnergies pioneer AI-driven safety and efficiency at Port Arthur Refinery

Honeywell and TotalEnergies have embarked on a pioneering collaboration to pilot Honeywell’s AI-assisted Experion Operations Assistant at TotalEnergies’ Port Arthur Refinery in Texas, marking a significant step towards advancing industrial autonomy in refining operations. This joint initiative harnesses advanced artificial intelligence to enhance operational safety, efficiency, and sustainability, reflecting broader industry trends toward digital transformation and predictive analytics in industrial decarbonisation.

The Experion Operations Assistant, developed on Honeywell’s flagship distributed control system, integrates operational analytics with real-time predictive insights. This combination empowers refinery operators to anticipate maintenance needs, mitigate risks linked to unsafe operations, and reduce production downtime and associated losses. Crucially, the AI-driven system enables operators to forecast events before they trigger alarms, providing a valuable time window to take corrective action and thus maintain uninterrupted and safer refinery performance.

At the Port Arthur Refinery’s Delayed Coking Unit (DCU), the initial pilot has already yielded promising results. The AI solution successfully predicted five potential operational events, typically offering operators around 12 minutes of advance notice before alarms were activated. This early warning capability has helped minimise downtime and cut emissions from flaring, a significant environmental benefit in refining processes. Additionally, the system supports less experienced engineers by providing insights that traditionally required veteran operator knowledge, addressing the sector’s skills shortage.

Raphael Duflos, Vice President and General Manager of TotalEnergies’ Port Arthur Platform, highlighted the collaboration’s strategic importance, stating, “Partnering with Honeywell at our Port Arthur Refinery is a key step toward operational excellence. We believe this solution can enhance safety, reduce downtime, and minimize product losses.” Honeywell’s President and CEO of Process Solutions, Jim Masso, emphasised how the pilot bridges the operational gap between autonomous technology and human operators, enabling safer and more efficient refinery management.

Situated in Southeast Texas near the Gulf Coast, TotalEnergies’ Port Arthur Platform not only refines crude oil into transportation fuels but also produces feedstocks critical to industries such as plastics, rubber, and pharmaceuticals. The deployment of AI-assisted controls at this facility underscores the refinery’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve operational performance while supporting sustainability goals.

Industry analyses suggest that AI-enabled systems like the Experion Operations Assistant can be pivotal in accelerating the shift towards industrial autonomy. By integrating predictive maintenance and process optimisation, such technologies reduce operational risks and environmental impacts, thus driving forward the decarbonisation agenda within heavy industry sectors.

This pilot with TotalEnergies exemplifies how integrating AI into refinery control rooms can reshape traditional plant operations, transitioning from reactive to proactive management strategies. It highlights a broader industry movement that seeks to blend human expertise with autonomous systems to meet evolving safety, efficiency, and environmental standards.

As the pilot progresses, the collaboration will continue to monitor and expand the AI capabilities, aiming to refine the balance between human decision-making and autonomous system guidance. This will potentially set new benchmarks for refinery operations worldwide, especially as the industrial sector intensifies efforts to mitigate climate impact through technological innovation.