Research facilities
Ours is a business built on innovation. As well as making the most from every drop of oil, our network of research centers around the globe are looking into ways of producing energy from every means possible. Not only does this mean we can provide more energy at lower cost, it ensures our reserves live longer for our customers around the globe.
Read on to gain an insight into our international network of first-rate facilities and the range of research we’re currently undertaking.
Saudi Arabia
Our research network in-Kingdom includes three key facilities: Our R&D Center and EXPEC Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC) in Dhahran, and our research center at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
The R&D Center focuses on testing and deploying cutting-edge technologies that enhance operational reliability, efficiency, and safety while EXPEC ARC’s target is to help increase discovery of oil resources and reservoir recovery from our major producing fields. Recent discoveries include the breakthrough nano-scale Resbots – winner of the prestigious New Horizons Idea Award at the 2008 World Oil Awards.
Our research areas at KAUST include catalyst development, materials science, nanotechnology, robotics, solar energy materials, and fuel technology. The conduit for innovation drives, KAUST is the home of our employees pursuing advanced degrees, as well as being the point of entry for many of our new-hire graduates.
Aberdeen, Scotland
Our Technology Office in Aberdeen focuses on drilling and production technologies. As the company’s third global research center to open worldwide, Aberdeen is at the forefront of Aramco’s efforts to leverage global scientific expertise and increase the opportunity for collaboration.
Beijing, P.R.C.
In our Beijing Research Center, our research is targeted on chemical enhanced oil recovery and advanced seismic imaging technologies. Covering technology innovations around automated fault detection and improvements in data quality through super resolution, our research here is already being used in the field to cut costs and improve our exploration and reservoir management.
From here, we’re also involved in a number of research projects in the downstream sector, covering everything from transportation efficiency and greenhouse gas management to advanced control and power systems, robotics, materials science, nanotechnology, and advanced computing.
Boston, U.S.
Aramco Research Center-Boston supports both the upstream and downstream businesses. Its proximity to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), means ever-closer collaboration on research projects focused on modeling, visualization, simulation, and advanced materials. Our Advanced Materials team also partners with the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) to research membrane technology for gas separation and sweetening, materials for heavy hydrocarbon removal, and mesoporous zeolites for crude oil upgrading.
What’s more, our Power Systems organization – through sponsorship of the “Utility of the Future” – makes the most of this base of shared knowledge to gain key insights into distributed and centralized power generation business models.
Daejeon, South Korea
Our Aramco-KAIST CO2 Research Center collaboration at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea, is dedicated to addressing issues related to carbon management, including capture, storage, and conversion from fixed and mobile sources.
Delft, The Netherlands
The Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands is home to our technology office that focuses mainly on seismic processing and subsurface imaging to help us better understand the nature of our subsurface geology.
Detroit, U.S.
The R&D team at Aramco Research Center in Detroit focuses on competitive transportation solutions, improving the efficiency of current and future engines, and reducing the overall environmental impact, cost, and complexity of engine systems.
The Center can accommodate light-duty and heavy-duty fuels research programs, and also offers full on-site integration and the demonstration of new vehicle technologies.
Houston, U.S.
The largest research center outside of Saudi Arabia, our wide-ranging research mainly focuses on upstream technologies for conventional and unconventional resources. This includes advanced seismic imaging, unconventional productivity enhancement, smart fluids to improve well productivity, nano-based polymers, surfactants, cement technologies related to drilling operations, quantitative geology, and advanced downhole sensors.
Paris, France
Located at IFP Energies nouvelles – the public-sector research, innovation, and training center – this center concentrates on energy, transport, and the environment. Thanks to this strategic placement, we can capitalize on IFPen’s facilities and links to various European automakers to accelerate the innovation cycle of different fuel technologies.
To find out more about our R&D facilities and opportunities for joining us in any of our research-based roles, click the search and apply button at the top of the page.
