Nine rigs from Valaris-Aramco JV’s fleet embrace ALTAVE’s AI monitoring solution

January 15, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

ARO Drilling, a 50/50 joint venture between Valaris and Aramco in Saudi Arabia, has made arrangements to equip nine rigs with artificial intelligence (AI) monitoring technology from ALTAVE, a technology player specializing in the development of AI solutions for monitoring and securing complex operations.

Following a pilot project conducted throughout 2025, which is said to have delivered measurable improvement in safety compliance, operational governance, and risk visibility, supporting ARO’s decision to scale the solution to a significant portion of its fleet, the rig operator opted to expand its collaboration with ALTAVE.

As a result, the duo has formalized a contract to implement the Harpia platform on nine offshore rigs. This platform is perceived to combine advanced AI and computer vision to enable continuous monitoring of critical operations. Beyond core compliance metrics such as Red Zone access control and PPE verification, ALTAVE claims the platform supports a broader range of safety, efficiency, and governance protocols.

All operational data is consolidated into dashboards and periodic reports for HSE and operations teams. The company’s service model includes 24/7 technical support and a continuous monitoring system, ensuring sustained performance throughout the contract.

This partnership is seen as a further reinforcement of ARO’s commitment to its well-being, integrity, safety, and excellence (WISE) pillars and the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, integrating digital technology into its offshore drilling operations.

Bruno Avena, CEO of ALTAVE, highlighted: “It is an honor to be a technology partner of a company that is at the forefront of digital transformation in the energy industry. ARO demonstrated leadership by embracing artificial intelligence as a strategic tool to elevate its safety and excellence standards.

“During the pilot phase, we validated the robustness of our software in one of the world’s most demanding operational environments, and we are proud to now scale this intelligence across the fleet.”

The latest technology enrollment comes months after the drilling player and International Maritime Industries (IMI) inked a deal for a fourth jack-up in a series of 20 planned newbuild Saudi-operated and manufactured offshore rigs.