Yokogawa and Shell Partner to Revolutionize Plant Monitoring with Robotics
June 19, 2025 | By Scott Jenkins
Tokyo, Japan — Yokogawa Electric Corporation has announced a significant long-term partnership with Shell Global Solutions to enhance plant monitoring and maintenance through advanced robotics and drone technology. The collaboration will see the integration of Shell’s Operator Round by Exception (ORE) machine vision tool into Yokogawa’s OpreX™ Robot Management Core.
ORE, which employs AI analytics for tasks such as reading gauges and detecting leaks, stems from a two-year initiative within Shell aimed at boosting integrity management and remote site inspection capabilities. The amalgamation of Yokogawa’s robot management platform with Shell’s innovative technology promises to facilitate safer and more efficient plant operations across various sectors including energy and chemicals.
The OpreX Robot Management Core acts as a central hub for managing diverse robotic systems in maintenance roles typically handled by human operators. By interconnecting these systems with control and safety infrastructures, operators can streamline operations, paving the way for more autonomous functionalities in the future.
Initially, the partnership will deploy robotics operations at two Shell facilities to utilize robotics and drones for improved efficiency in plant maintenance. This collaboration marks a key milestone for both organizations at the Energy Transition Campus in Amsterdam, aimed at fostering joint innovation in energy solutions.
Masaharu Maeda, Yokogawa’s executive vice president, expressed enthusiasm about addressing workforce challenges and enhancing safety in plant operations. Shell’s CIO, Gerben de Jong, emphasized the profound impact of integrating robotics with AI, heralding a transformative leap in productivity and safety standards.
The collaboration not only signifies a commitment to cutting-edge solutions for industrial sectors but also lays the groundwork for ongoing research and development in machine vision technology.
For further details, please visit Yokogawa’s official website.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
