Jeddah, January 10, 2024, Advance Nonmetallics and Composites in Energy Applications
The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has entered into a strategic agreement with Aramco to establish the technology consortium ENERCOMP, focusing on the performance and integrity management of nonmetallic and composites in energy applications. Aramco joins ENERCOMP as a founding member and the initial research sponsor, signifying a significant investment in nonmetallic and composites research in the Kingdom.
This five-year technology consortium represents a substantial university-based investment in nonmetallic and composites, contributing to the Kingdom's position in energy and materials transitions. The collaboration aims to support Saudi Arabia's vision for sustainability and diversification by developing less energy-intensive and lower carbon footprint materials.
Leveraging its expertise from initiatives like the Rice University Carbon Hub in the US and the Nonmetallic Innovation Center (NIC) in the UK, Aramco will assist ENERCOMP in translating fundamental science into deployable integrity management solutions. The collaboration seeks to enhance industry confidence in the long-term viabilitynonmetallics and composites in the materials transition.
In alignment with the NIC model, the initiative encourages other stakeholders in the energy sector to join the consortium, benefiting from KAUST's research capabilities in engineering solutions, artificial intelligence (AI), and material science.
Dr. Ali Al-Meshari, Aramco's Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, expressed the goal of creating an innovation hub for advanced composites in the Kingdom. The collaboration will focus on developing and integrating smart, cost-effective sensors into composite materials and applying emerging AI solutions to deploy novel integrity management technologies across the energy industry.
Professor Gilles Lubineau, the Director of ENERCOMP and a KAUST Professor of Mechanical Engineering, emphasized the significance of this collaboration as a new era of partnership between KAUST and leaders in the energy sector. ENERCOMP aims to establish a specialized team at KAUST to support engineering applications of nonmetallics and composites across the entire energy value chain, contributing to the Kingdom's agenda for nonmetallic and composite materials and delivering innovative solutions essential for a sustainable future.
