BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 20. The Carbamide plant of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR has been admitted to the Global Lighthouse Network of the World Economic Forum and has also been awarded the Forum’s Digital Lighthouse Award, Trend reports via SOCAR.
Within the framework of the World Economic Forum, the award was presented to Mikayil Jabbarov, Chairman of SOCAR’s Supervisory Board and Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Emphasizing that this achievement is an international recognition of the successes attained in digitalizing production at the plant, implementing advanced technologies, and improving energy efficiency, Chairman of SOCAR’s Supervisory Board and Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov stated: “SOCAR Carbamide is the first plant operating in Azerbaijan to receive this award, while SOCAR is the only energy company in the world to hold three ‘Digital Lighthouse Award’ distinctions. This achievement is the result of systematic transformation, innovation, and effective efforts toward digitalization, as well as the highly efficient integration of Industry 4.0 technologies into operational processes.”
SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf said: “Being admitted to the Global Lighthouse Network and receiving the Digital Lighthouse Award is a strong endorsement of SOCAR’s transformation agenda—showing how digital technologies, advanced automation and workforce upskilling can deliver measurable gains in performance while reducing environmental impact. We will continue scaling these capabilities across SOCAR to set new benchmarks for safe, efficient and sustainable operations”.
"As a result of systematic transformation and innovation-oriented activities carried out over the past three years, the SOCAR Carbamide has distinguished itself among the world’s largest and was initially shortlisted among the finalists in 2025, after which on-site evaluations were conducted by experts provided by the World Economic Forum, resulting in the plant being admitted to the Global Lighthouse Network and also being awarded the Forum’s Digital Lighthouse Award," said SOCAR.
Previously the Digital Lighthouse Award was presented to SOCAR Petkim Petrochemical Complex and SOCAR STAR refinery. At the same time, the SOCAR Carbamide is the first facility operating in Azerbaijan to achieve this distinction. In addition, it is the world’s first fertilizer plant to be awarded this distinction.
Overall, over the past three years SOCAR has invested in advanced technologies related to production efficiency, process safety, and HSE, achieving progress in these areas. In this context, particular attention has been paid to the management of complex chemical production processes at the SOCAR Carbamide based on advanced automation and process control systems. The improvement of existing automation technologies, the use of artificial intelligence models, and the continuous development of employees’ digital skills have been expanded.
As a result, alongside an efficient operational process, a smart plant has been established that is capable of real-time forecasting, adaptation, and sustainable development. In total, 42 digital and artificial intelligence-based solutions aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution have been implemented at the plant. The measures taken have ensured closed-loop autonomous process control and workforce support with generative artificial intelligence and robotics, increasing productivity by 21% and natural gas efficiency by 24%. As a result of the transformation, carbon emissions were reduced by 19%, process waste by 72%, and unplanned downtime by 82%. In addition, 70% of employees acquired new skills and underwent upskilling. Furthermore, improvements were implemented across 41 operational and financial metrics.
The Global Lighthouse Network, established in 2018, is a platform for companies that best apply Industry 4.0 technologies in their operations. Companies that effectively use artificial intelligence and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, achieve high results in production areas and value chains, increase operational efficiency through innovative approaches, reduce environmental impact, and gain the ability to respond more flexibly to market changes are eligible to join this network. The Global Lighthouse Network platform provides member organizations with additional opportunities for experience sharing, meetings, and the establishment of new partnerships.
