ADVERTISEABOUT USSUBMIT A STORYSUBSCRIBETERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY
Visit our family of Brands

Weatherford partners with Abu Dhabi-based AI company to boost efficiency

eyes on ai

Weatherford International has partnered with Abu Dhabi-based AIQ to scale processes and boost efficiency with the use of AI. Photo via Getty Images

Houston-headquartered oilfield service company Weatherford International announced a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AIQ, an Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence company, to develop innovative solutions for the energy sector.

"We are excited to partner with AIQ to bring innovative, AI-driven solutions to the oil and gas industry,” Girish Saligram, president and CEO of Weatherford, said in a news release. “This strategic partnership allows us to deliver cutting-edge technologies that empower our customers to maximize their operational efficiency, enhance automation, and reduce costs. By combining our strengths, we are leading the way in helping operators modernize their workflows and achieve greater success in today's rapidly evolving energy landscape.”

The collaboration aims to use Weatherford's software and hardware solutions with AIQ's AI-driven systems. Weatherford and AIQ hope this union will significantly enhance operational efficiency across global oil and gas facilities, help operators to optimize their production workflows and reduce downtime.

The companies have developed the new Modern Edge Integration, which will combine AIQ's AI technology with Weatherford's Modern Edge program. It will enable operators to scale their work processes.

In addition, Weatherford's Universal Normalizer will work with AIQ's capabilities to combine operational and financial analysis. Customers will also now be able to procure software needs via a comprehensive industrial SaaS platform with the WFRD Software Launchpad, which can eliminate the issues associated with managing multiple systems and vendors, and provide a single point of access for all Weatherford and partner-built applications.

"This partnership marks another step in AIQ's mission to build partnerships that accelerate the deployment of impactful AI systems across the energy value chain,” Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting Managing Director of AIQ, said in a news release. “By integrating our advanced AI-driven tools with Weatherford's energy-specific technology, we are driving greater efficiencies to the industry through the development of scalable, automated applications. Together, we are set to empower operators to optimize their workflows, reduce downtime, and achieve unparalleled operational excellence.”

From Your Site Articles
Weatherford and Honeywell announced the partnership that will combine Honeywell's emissions management suite with Weatherford's technology. Photo via Getty Images

Honeywell, Weatherford partner on emissions management for energy industry

team work

Two major corporations have teamed up to provide a comprehensive emissions management solution that should have an impact on the energy transition.

Houston-based Weatherford and North Carolina-based Honeywell, which has a significant presence in Houston, announced the partnership that will combine Honeywell's emissions management suite with Weatherford's Cygnet SCADA platform.

Customers will be able to use the new tool "to monitor, report, and take measures to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, flammable hydrocarbons, and other potentially dangerous and toxic gases," per a news release.

"Through this collaboration with Honeywell, we have built an alliance that further bridges the gap between technological excellence and environmental stewardship," Girish Saligram, president and CEO of Weatherford, says in the release. "Together, our transformative offering provides cutting-edge tools and actionable data to help customers reach their sustainability goals with confidence and efficiency."

The combined platform will provide upstream oil and gas operators a way to access emissions data in near real-time to better make business decisions on potential issues and meeting regulatory requirements. Additionally, the software should equip users with ways to improve efforts to reach environmental goals.

Honeywell's partnership with Weatherford highlights the importance of empowering organizations with solutions that can help quantify and reduce emissions within the energy industry," Pramesh Maheshwari, president of Honeywell Process Solutions, adds. "By integrating our emissions management solution with Weatherford's well lifecycle technology, our customers can now accurately set targets and monitor near real-time progress on their path to net-zero."

Last fall, a Houston-based unit of industrial conglomerate Honeywell unveiled a gas meter capable of measuring both hydrogen and natural gas. Honeywell’s European launch follows a Dutch test of the EI5 smart gas meter, which the company touts as the world’s first commercially available hydrogen-ready gas meter.

A Houston-based SPAC run by the former Weatherford CEO has agreed to merge with a company that's sustainably producing a material required by several energy transition technologies. Photo via Getty Images

Former Houston energy services CEO's SPAC announces $700M merger with energy transition materials company

M&A moves

Houston-based Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp., a “blank check” SPAC, plans to merge with Canadian quartz silica producer Sio Silica Corp. in a deal valued at more than $700 million.

The companies say the deal carries an enterprise value of $708 million and an equity value of $758 million.

Sio is sitting on a potential supply of 15.2 billion metric tons of high-purity quartz silica, a material needed to produce energy transition technologies such as photovoltaics, solar panels, semiconductors, batteries, and other electronics. Proceeds from the merger will be earmarked for construction of the first phase of Sio’s silica extraction and processing facility near Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“We searched long and hard for the right candidate to combine with Pyrophyte and its energy transition mission. Sio fulfilled all our criteria,” Bernard Duroc-Danner, chairman of Pyrophyte, says in a news release. “We are proud to join Sio on its journey to supply what is becoming in many countries around the world one of the most important strategic minerals for the world’s energy transition.”

In 2021, Pyrophyte’s stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in an IPO valued at $201.25 million. Since then, it’s solely been a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) without any business operations. Typically, a SPAC aims to acquire or merge with a private company that boasts a promising business model.

Duroc-Danner is former chairman, president, and CEO of Houston-based oilfield equipment and services company Weatherford International Ltd.

Calgary, Alberta-based Sio says high-purity quartz silica will represent a $30 billion global market opportunity by 2030. Among the products that rely on silica are semiconductors, solar panels, photovoltaic (solar) cells, optical fibers, and batteries.

Once the deal closes, the combined company will operate as Sio Silica Inc., whose stock will be traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Sio’s CEO, Feisal Somji, will lead the newly formed company.

The deal has been approved by Sio’s and Pyrophyte’s boards but still must be endorsed by the companies’ shareholders.

Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Texas A&M's micro-nuclear reactor tops energy transition news to know

Trending News

Editor's note: The top energy transition news of November includes major energy initiatives from Texas universities and the creation of a new Carbon Measures coalition. Here are the most-read EnergyCapitalHTX stories from Nov. 1-15:

1. Micro-nuclear reactor to launch next year at Texas A&M innovation campus

Last Energy will build a 5-megawatt reactor at the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus. Photo courtesy Last Energy.

The Texas A&M University System and Last Energy plan to launch a micro-nuclear reactor pilot project next summer at the Texas A&M-RELLIS technology and innovation campus in Bryan. Washington, D.C.-based Last Energy will build a 5-megawatt reactor that’s a scaled-down version of its 20-megawatt reactor. The micro-reactor initially will aim to demonstrate safety and stability, and test the ability to generate electricity for the grid. Continue reading.

2. Baker Hughes to provide equipment for massive low-carbon ammonia plant

Baker Hughes will supply equipment for Blue Point Number One, a $4 billion low-carbon ammonia plant being developed in Louisiana. Photo courtesy Technip Energies.

Houston-based energy technology company Baker Hughes has been tapped to supply equipment for what will be the world’s largest low-carbon ammonia plant. French technology and engineering company Technip Energies will buy a steam turbine generator and compression equipment from Baker Hughes for Blue Point Number One, a $4 billion low-carbon ammonia plant being developed in Louisiana by a joint venture comprising CF Industries, JERA and Mitsui & Co. Technip was awarded a contract worth at least $1.1 billion to provide services for the Blue Point project. Continue reading.

3. Major Houston energy companies join new Carbon Measures coalition

The new Carbon Measures coalition will create a framework that eliminates double-counting of carbon pollution and attributes emissions to their sources. Photo via Getty Images.

Six companies with a large presence in the Houston area have joined a new coalition of companies pursuing a better way to track the carbon emissions of products they manufacture, purchase and finance. Houston-area members of the Carbon Measures coalition are Spring-based ExxonMobil; Air Liquide, whose U.S. headquarters is in Housto; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose U.S. headquarters is in Houston; Honeywell, whose Performance Materials and Technologies business is based in Houston; BASF, whose global oilfield solutions business is based in Houston; and Linde, whose Linde Engineering Americas business is based in Houston. Continue reading.

4. Wind and solar supplied over a third of ERCOT power, report shows

A new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that wind and solar supplied more than 30 percent of ERCOT’s electricity in the first nine months of 2025. Photo via Unsplash.

Since 2023, wind and solar power have been the fastest-growing sources of electricity for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and increasingly are meeting stepped-up demand, according to a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The report says utility-scale solar generated 50 percent more electricity for ERCOT in the first nine months this year compared with the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, electricity generated by wind power rose 4 percent in the first nine months of this year versus the same period in 2024. Continue reading.

5. Rice University partners with Australian co. to boost mineral processing, battery innovation

Locksley Resources will provide antimony-rich feedstocks from a project in the Mojave Desert as part of a new partnership with Rice University that aims to develop scalable methods for extracting and utilizing antimony. Photo via locksleyresources.com.au.

Rice University and Australian mineral exploration company Locksley Resources have joined together in a research partnership to accelerate the development of antimony processing in the U.S. Antimony is a critical mineral used for defense systems, electronics and battery storage. Rice and Locksley will work together to develop scalable methods for extracting and utilizing antimony. Continue reading.

Energy sector AI spending is set to soar to $13B, report says

eyes on ai

Get ready for a massive increase in the amount of AI spending by oil and gas companies in the Houston area and around the country.

A new report from professional services firm Deloitte predicts AI will represent 57 percent of IT spending by U.S. oil and gas companies in 2029. That’s up from the estimated share of 23 percent in 2025.

According to the analysis, the amount of AI spending in the oil and gas industry will jump from an estimated $4 billion in 2025 to an estimated $13.4 billion in 2029—an increase of 235 percent.

Almost half of AI spending by U.S. oil and gas companies targets process optimization, according to Deloitte’s analysis of data from market research companies IDC and Gartner. “AI-driven analytics adjust drilling parameters and production rates in real time, improving yield and decision-making,” says the Deloitte report.

Other uses for AI in the oil and gas industry cited by Deloitte include:

  • Integrating infrastructure used by shale producers
  • Monitoring pipelines, drilling platforms, refineries, and other assets
  • Upskilling workers through AI-powered platforms
  • Connecting workers on offshore rigs via high-speed, real-time internet access supplied by satellites
  • Detecting and reporting leaks

The report says a new generation of technology, including AI and real-time analytics, is transforming office and on-site operations at oil and gas companies. The Trump administration’s “focus on AI innovation through supportive policies and investments could further accelerate large-scale adoption and digital transformation,” the report adds.

Chevron and ExxonMobil, the two biggest oil and gas companies based in the Houston area, continue to dive deeper into AI.

Chevron is taking advantage of AI to squeeze more insights from enormous datasets, VentureBeat reported.

“AI is a perfect match for the established, large-scale enterprise with huge datasets—that is exactly the tool we need,” Bill Braun, the company’s now-retired chief information officer, said at a VentureBeat event in May.

Meanwhile, AI enables ExxonMobil to conduct autonomous drilling in the waters off the coast of Guyana. ExxonMobil says its proprietary system improves drilling safety, boosts efficiency, and eliminates repetitive tasks performed by rig workers.

ExxonMobil is also relying on AI to help cut $15 billion in operating costs by 2027.

“There is a concerted effort to make sure that we’re really working hard to apply that new technology … to drive effectiveness and efficiency,” Darren Woods, executive chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, said during a 2024 earnings call.

Houston Innovation Awards winners include Fervo, Eclipse Energy & more

Top Innovators

After weeks of anticipation, the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners have been revealed. Finalists, judges, and VIPs from Houston's vibrant innovation community gathered on Nov. 13 at Greentown Labs for the fifth annual event, which is presented by InnovationMap.com.

This year, the Houston Innovation Awards recognized more than 40 finalists, with winners unveiled in 10 categories, including multiple winners from the local energy transition space.

Finalists and winners were determined by our esteemed panel of judges, comprised of 2024 winners who represent various Houston industries, as well as InnovationMap editorial leadership. One winner was determined by the public via an online competition: Startup of the Year.

The program was emceed by Lawson Gow, Head of Houston for Greentown Labs. Sponsors included Houston City College Northwest, Houston Powder Coaters, FLIGHT by Yuengling, and more.

Without further adieu, meet the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners:

Minority-founded Business: Mars Materials

Clean chemical manufacturing business Mars Materials is working to convert captured carbon into resources, such as carbon fiber and wastewater treatment chemicals. The company develops and produces its drop-in chemical products in Houston and uses an in-licensed process for the National Renewable Energy Lab to produce acrylonitrile, which is used to produce plastics, synthetic fibers and rubbers. The company reports that it plans to open its first commercial plant in the next 18 months.

Female-founded Business, presented by Houston Powder Coaters: March Biosciences

Houston cell therapy company March Biosciences aims to treat unaddressed challenging cancers, with its MB-105, a CD5-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory CD5-positive T-cell lymphoma, currently in Phase 2 clinical trials. The company was founded in 2021 by CEO Sarah Hein, Max Mamonkin and Malcolm Brenner and was born out of the TMC Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics.

Energy Transition Business: Eclipse Energy

Previously known as Gold H2, Eclipse Energy converts end-of-life oil fields into low-cost, sustainable hydrogen sources. It completed its first field trial this summer, which demonstrated subsurface bio-stimulated hydrogen production. According to the company, its technology could yield up to 250 billion kilograms of low-carbon hydrogen.

Health Tech Business: Koda Health

Koda Health has developed an advance care planning platform (ACP) that allows users to document and share their care preferences, goals and advance directives for health systems. The web-based platform guides patients through values-based decisions with interactive tools and generates state-specific, legally compliant documents that integrate seamlessly with electronic health record systems. Last year, the company also added kidney action planning to its suite of services for patients with serious illnesses. In 2025, it announced major partnerships and integrations with Epic, Guidehealth, and others, and raised a $7 million series A.

Deep Tech Business: Persona AI

Persona AI is building modularized humanoid robots that aim to deliver continuous, round-the-clock productivity and skilled labor for "dull, dirty, dangerous, and declining" jobs. The company was founded by Houston entrepreneur Nicolaus Radford, who serves as CEO, along with CTO Jerry Pratt and COO Jide Akinyode. It raised eight figures in pre-seed funding this year and is developing its prototype of a robot-welder for Hyundai's shipbuilding division, which it plans to unveil in 2026.

Scaleup of the Year: Fervo Energy

Houston-based Fervo Energy is working to provide 24/7 carbon-free energy through the development of cost-competitive geothermal power. The company is developing its flagship Cape Station geothermal power project in Utah, which is expected to generate 400 megawatts of clean energy for the grid. The company raised $205.6 million in capital to help finance the project earlier this year and fully contracted the project's capacity with the addition of a major power purchase agreement from Shell.

Incubator/Accelerator of the Year: Greentown Labs

Climatetech incubator Greentown Labs offers its community resources and a network to climate and energy innovation startups looking to grow. The collaborative community offers members state-of-the-art prototyping labs, business resources and access to investors and corporate partners. The co-located incubator was first launched in Boston in 2011 before opening in Houston in 2021.

Startup of the Year (People's Choice): FlowCare

FlowCare is developing a period health platform that integrates smart dispensers, education, and healthcare into one system to make free, high-quality, organic period products more accessible. FlowCare is live at prominent Houston venues, including Discovery Green, Texas Medical Center, The Ion, and, most recently, Space Center Houston, helping make Houston a “period positivity” city.

Mentor of the Year, presented by Houston City College Northwest: Jason Ethier, EnergyTech Nexus

Jason Ethier is the founding partner of EnergyTech Nexus, through which he has mentored numerous startups and Innovation Awards finalists, including Geokiln, Energy AI Solutions, Capwell Services and Corrolytics. He founded Dynamo Micropower in 2011 and served as its president and CEO. He later co-founded Greentown Labs in Massachusetts and helped bring the accelerator to Houston.

2025 Trailblazer Award: Wade Pinder

Wade Pinder, founder of Product Houston, identifies as an "Ecosystem Wayseeker" and is the founder of Product Houston. A former product manager at Blinds.com, he has been deeply engaged in Houston’s startup and innovation scene since 2012. Over the years, he has supported hundreds of founders, product leaders, and community builders across the Houston area. In 2023, he was honored as Mentor of the Year in the Houston Innovation Awards.

View All Listings