The agreement is in line with Aramco’s digital transformation journey, paving the way for further integration of new technologies in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

The SAP ERP system is expected to deepen the deployment of innovative IR4.0 technologies including cloud-based services, embedded analytics, mobility, machine learning, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions.

By extending the strategic alliance with SAP Saudi Arabia, Aramco’s contribution to the in-Kingdom business ecosystem will be enhanced through job creation, training and by localising supplier services and R&D. In addition to enabling greater efficiencies, SAP’s Data Center in Saudi Arabia will offer new cloud solutions to Aramco and other companies.

Ahmad A Al Sa'adi, Aramco senior vice-president of technical services, said, “Technologies and solutions within digital transformation initiatives will touch all facets of our operations. This is just one more example of how we are applying best practice in this space and embracing 4IR solutions. It is an important milestone on our digital journey and also contributes to our iktva target.”

Lauding the strategic partnership with Aramco, Luka Mucic, member of the executive board of SAP SE, chief financial officer, said, “With numerous co-innovation initiatives, we have jointly introduced oil and gas best practices, enhanced business operations and expanded the horizon of opportunities in this industry.”

SAP’s new platform is set to serve the entire Aramco organisation, supporting the company’s digital transformation programme and enabling new processes for a majority of the company’s enterprise applications and solutions. The new architecture leverages emerging technologies that will propel Aramco into a new era of Intelligent Enterprise and benefits include faster processing, intuitive user experience, real-time reporting, integration with cloud solutions and system consolidation, which reduces total cost of ownership.