In today’s rapidly evolving energy industry, companies are increasingly leveraging AI to boost productivity, safety and advance sustainability. Under pressure to adapt quickly to changing demands, regulations and technologies, AI is emerging as a key tool to accelerate this pivotal moment-in-time to create efficient, safe and sustainable operations. While the challenge is significant, Canada’s leadership in the global energy industry provides an opportunity for businesses to leverage these transformative solutions and new innovations to build a cleaner future.
Our energy customers are transforming their workforce and operations to drive innovation and productivity through digital technologies, data analytics, and automation. Enbridge is an example of a North American energy leader who is doing just that.
Boosting innovation with digital transformation
Enbridge initiated its digital transformation in 2020 to enhance productivity, boost efficiency, and empower its employees. This transformation was anchored by a secure and modern technology foundation enabled by Microsoft. Over the span of two years, over 80 per cent of Enbridge’s workloads were migrated to Microsoft Azure, enhancing computing, network, and storage capabilities, while also improving cybersecurity and reducing data center emissions.
This strategic and cloud-first approach helped to position Enbridge as a leader in AI implementation. Earlier this year, the company introduced Microsoft 365 Copilot to nearly one-third of its employees, providing access to advanced AI-driven tools like Bing Enterprise and ChatENB, an internal employee-facing AI chatbot powered by Azure OpenAI Service.
“The Enbridge leadership team drove a cloud-first strategy, a big bet that opened the door to broader opportunity that positions Enbridge today to take full advantage of AI to drive productivity and advance sustainability,” said Tom Kubik, Enterprise Commercial Multi-Industry Lead at Microsoft Canada. “We are proud of the work we’ve done together and are working towards our common goals of supporting a more connected and collaborative workforce and increasing data and analytics capabilities.”
Empowering the AI advantage
Enbridge is leveraging AI across its operations to optimize assets, increase efficiencies, enhance safety, and contribute to broader sustainability goals. Powered by Microsoft Azure Machine Learning, some key initiatives include:
- Energy Optimizer: The Energy Optimizer tool provides real-time operational insights, enabling Control Center operators to optimize energy transport efficiently. By managing power requirements, Enbridge achieves cost savings and greenhouse gas reductions while ensuring safe and reliable operations.
- Right of Way Monitoring: Using aerial surveillance, Enbridge patrols its energy infrastructure to detect potentially damaging activities or conditions. With AI, the company can monitor the Right of Way more efficiently, reviewing data and detecting issues more accurately and quickly. This AI-driven approach has significantly improved threat detection and response, reducing the risk of third-party damage.
- Integrity Engine: Enbridge employs intelligent automation for energy infrastructure integrity, using AI to identify potential maintenance needs. Through workflow automation, advanced data analysis, and machine learning models, the company gains new insights for rapid and effective asset maintenance, enhancing safety and efficiency while reducing process complexity.
Turning technology into energy
In addition to leveraging AI to drive productivity, safety and sustainability, in a pilot project Enbridge used Microsoft Cloud and Hololens technology to enhance the daily management of their renewable energy assets. A mixed-reality representation of Enbridge’s 103-megawatt New Creek Wind Farm in West Virginia enabled Enbridge to interact, monitor and inspect the individual wind turbines and windfarm in its natural setting as the operational data was contextualized in its operational environment. Through advanced visualization techniques to display real-time data, Enbridge could monitor asset performance and current and foreseeable weather conditions that may impact the wind farm.
Regenerating the future of sustainability
Generative AI presents a transformational opportunity for the energy industry, with many Canadian organizations already leveraging AI to help solve sustainability challenges and prepare for the future. Microsoft is collaborating with our customers across the industry to take a critical look at their impact and implement solutions that accelerate the energy transition and drive sustainability goals.
“Looking forward, we see ongoing opportunities and benefits of AI, in terms of data analytics, asset and process optimization, security and cost and emissions savings,” said Bhushan Ivaturi, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Enbridge. “At Enbridge, we are enabling the accessibility, sustainability, and security of energy through applied technology and innovation, and our collaboration with Microsoft will continue to play a pivotal role in that.”
The urgency to leverage every possible tool to create a cleaner and greener future is clear. The integration of AI into the energy sector by companies like Enbridge offers a look at what’s possible. Microsoft is proud to support continued growth and sustainability efforts in the energy sector, empowering innovation through collaboration, advocacy and investment. As AI technology continues to rapidly evolve, Microsoft is committed to the advancement of AI driven by ethical principles and making sure AI systems are developed responsibly and in ways that maintain trust.
