Huawei founder meets with PetroChina chairman

A petrol pump at PetroChina's service station March 25, 2022. File photo

Ren Zhengfei, the elusive founder of the tech behemoth Huawei Technologies Co., held a meeting with top executives from China's leading oil and gas conglomerate in Shenzhen last week.

Ren was engaged in talks with Dai Houliang, the chairman of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) and its listed subsidiary, PetroChina Co., on Thursday.

According to a newsletter released by CNPC on Friday, the subjects of discussion included enhancing corporate governance, pursuing digital transformation and intelligent growth, as well as fostering scientific and technological innovation.

Dai also toured Huawei's Computing Innovation Lab, renowned for its research and development endeavors focused on Huawei's Kunpeng and Ascend processors, which are integral to data-center servers.

A primary emphasis of the discussions was CNPC's efforts in low-carbon energy, highlighting the enduring partnership between Huawei and the energy titan, particularly in the domain of intelligent energy.

Over recent years, CNPC and Huawei have embarked on numerous joint ventures across a wide spectrum of fields, including crude oil exploration and development, oil and gas field production, pipeline network storage and transportation, intelligent refining, multifaceted energy replenishment stations, and pioneering energy solutions.

Huawei has further assisted CNPC in developing a cognitive computing platform known as E8. This platform leverages artificial intelligence technologies, including knowledge graphs, natural language processing, and machine learning, to construct, process, and utilize knowledge systems. It furnishes sophisticated analytical methods for research into oil and gas exploration and production, as well as production management, thereby facilitating broader access to reserves and curtailing costs. Through this platform, decision-makers are empowered to derive insights from vast datasets for swift and more informed decisions, as detailed in an industry report on Huawei's website.

In 2021, Huawei aided PetroChina in establishing its inaugural multi-service energy station in Beijing, amalgamating PetroChina's diverse energy offerings, such as petrol, gas, hydrogen, and electricity, with ancillary services including retail, dining, and car washing provisions.

In November 2022, PetroChina Shenzhen New Energy Research Institute Co., a subsidiary of PetroChina, inked a strategic collaboration pact in Shenzhen with Huawei Digital Energy Technology Co., the digital energy subsidiary of Huawei.

As per the agreement, both entities committed to leveraging their respective strengths to spur technological innovation continuously, co-develop clean energy prototype projects, and support PetroChina's ambition to proactively embrace a green and low-carbon transition.