Equity Engineering Wins Department of Energy Grant for Development of Next-Gen AI

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded E²G | The Equity Engineering Group, Inc. a $1.5 million USD grant to develop a web-based, cloud-computing platform that will enhance and automate complex operational lifecycle decision-making for the aging energy industry. E²G is developing the BENGI (Bayesian Engine for Insights) technology that leverages explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) for probabilistic financial optimization to help companies maximize profit, minimize cost, increase safety, reduce failures, and benefit from many other desired outcomes.

“Our Innovative Software & Research team is at the forefront of innovation. The platforms and software they are developing innovatively solve major industry problems by combining advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning with expert knowledge and engineering analysis,” says David A. Osage, P.E., President and CEO at E²G.

With this DOE grant, E²G will apply the core BENGI technology to the financial optimization of inspection and maintenance activities for aging assets subject to progressive damage from many possible mechanisms. E²G is initially focusing BENGI on piping systems, as they will yield the greatest financial benefit from reducing the number of unnecessary inspections and/or decreasing maintenance expenses due to excess or unexpected failures. In the future, BENGI will also consider all asset lifecycle decisions and asset types. 

BENGI is next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). One shortcoming of traditional AI technology is its focus on pure data analysis. BENGI goes beyond traditional AI technology by integrating human engineering and scientific knowledge with AI and ML. BENGI is explainable AI (XAI). A primary benefit of BENGI is proper blending of expert knowledge and physics-based models with new inspection findings and maintenance records, in real-time.

“With this grant, we will develop technology that optimizes piping system inspection and maintenance activities to help companies reduce the number of unnecessary inspections, decrease maintenance expenses, reduce unexpected failures, and improve operational safety. We are turning research into reality,” says Charles H. Panzarella, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Principal Researcher II at E²G.

E²G will integrate BENGI’s technological developments into its suite of software solutions, including the specialty engineering analysis tools available on the Equity Engineering Cloud (eec) and future E²G software products. BENGI’s flexible design will also allow seamless integration with third-party software platforms. Regardless of platform, everyone can realize the benefits of BENGI. E²G will leverage BENGI to deliver an innovative pipeline and piping system integrity management software platform, PipeSight, that will utilize all pipeline inspection data, including incomplete and uncertain information, to financially optimize asset management lifecycle decisions.

E²G is launching a beta testing program for PipeSight. Energy companies with aging pipelines and/or facility piping systems are invited to participate in the beta testing program and may contact E²G for more information. Additionally, E²G is offering to solve other industrial applications and problems with the BENGI technology. Interested companies may contact Dr. Charles Panzarella at cpanzarella@e2g.com.

About E²G

E²G is a technology-driven company that solves engineering problems. Our consulting services and software are focused on finding answers to challenging industry problems, while promoting safety and reducing risk to people, equipment, and the environment. E²G leverages technology and industry experience to extend the safe operating life of new and aging equipment by helping to prevent future failures, increase efficiencies, reduce downtime, maximize reliability, and minimize damage. E²G has 179 employees with offices located in Shaker Heights, OH, Houston, TX, and Newport Beach, CA. For more information on E²G’s BENGI technology, industrial applications we are applying it to, and/or to participate in the PipeSight software beta project, please visit E2G.com.