PETRONAS Advances TriCipta AI with IBM and Tridiagonal.AI JDA

8 July 2026

Left to right: Dickson Woo (General Manager & Technology Leader, IBM Malaysia), Deva K Theyventheran (IBM Consulting Malaysia Managing Partner), Hazli Sham Kassim (PETRONAS Carigali Chief Executive Officer), Ina Czarina Arief Tham (Head Tricipta AI), Pravin Jain (T.AI Chief Executive Officer), Praveen Kapse (T.AI Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer). (Image credit: PETRONAS)

PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd (PETRONAS Carigali) signed the third Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to advance its flagship TriCipta AI across the Upstream value chain.

TriCipta AI is a partnership model that combines deep domain technical expertise with advanced AI technology experts to drive the rapid development and deployment of upstream AI solutions that deliver measurable business impact and sustained competitive advantage for PETRONAS.

This latest collaboration brings together IBM Malaysia Sdn. Bhd (IBM)’s AI-powered information technology solutions and services, along with Tridiagonal.AI Pvt. Ltd. (T.AI)’s engineering domain-driven AI solutions to develop a comprehensive suite of solutions enabling upstream capabilities for Surface Equipment Optimization with AI.

Following the two landmark JDAs signed in 2025, PETRONAS is now expanding the partnership model into a different domain. The new initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency, optimize production and maintenance decisions, and ultimately maximize the value of Upstream assets.

Speaking at the ceremony, PETRONAS Carigali Chief Executive Officer Hazli Sham Kassim said: “We aren’t just adopting AI to improve workflows; we are embedding it to drive bottom-line performance, asset reliability, and speed-to-value aggressively. By utilizing AI as a tool, we are empowering our workforce to eliminate operational challenges and make better critical decisions faster.”

The milestone was commemorated at a signing ceremony attended by Hazli Sham; Head TriCipta AI, Ina Czarina Arief Tham; IBM Consulting Malaysia Managing Partner, Devabalan Theyventheran; and the T.AI CEO, Pravin Jain.

To date, PETRONAS Carigali has successfully deployed AI.SEEK and AI-enabled Global Exploration Basin Screening & Analysis (GEB), developed under the earlier JDAs. By transforming and unifying complex geoscience data into automated and advanced geospatial AI intelligence, these tools deliver rapid, actionable insights. This innovation accelerates operational efficiency, unlocks high-value opportunities, and augments PETRONAS’s exploration chance of success.

TriCipta AI has demonstrated that strategic collaboration, co-investment, and shared risk among PETRONAS, domain specialists, and AI experts are essential to delivering a competitive edge in Upstream operations. It reinforces PETRONAS’ commitment to leveraging strategic partnerships and advanced technologies to accelerate its agility and organizational resilience, cementing our position as a high-performing global energy player.