Robotic Inspection
Inspection of oil and gas infrastructure - pipelines, tanks, flare stacks, subsea risers, and structural steelwork - has traditionally required scaffolding, rope access, or confined space entry. Robotic inspection uses drones, crawlers, and autonomous underwater vehicles to perform these tasks faster, cheaper, and without putting people at risk.
Types of Inspection Robots
Aerial Drones (UAVs)
Inspect flare stacks, tank roofs, cooling towers, and structural steelwork using high-resolution cameras, thermal imaging, and LiDAR. Eliminate the need for scaffolding and rope access.
Example: A flare stack inspection that took 3 days with scaffolding is completed in 4 hours by drone with better image quality, saving $80K per inspection.
Crawlers & Pipe Inspection Robots
Magnetic crawlers traverse the outside of storage tanks and vessels, carrying ultrasonic thickness gauges. Internal crawlers inspect pipeline interiors, detecting corrosion, dents, and weld defects.
Example: A magnetic crawler inspects a 20,000 bbl storage tank wall in 8 hours, mapping wall thickness at 10,000 points - vs 3 days with manual UT inspection.
ROVs & AUVs (Subsea)
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) inspect subsea pipelines, risers, and Christmas trees with cameras and manipulator arms. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) survey seabed and pipeline routes autonomously.
Example: An AUV surveys 50 km of subsea pipeline in a single mission, using sonar and cameras to detect spans, scour, and third-party damage.
Spot-like Quadruped Robots
Four-legged robots (e.g., Boston Dynamics Spot) patrol facilities autonomously, capturing thermal images, reading gauges, detecting gas leaks, and monitoring equipment status on scheduled routes.
Example: Cognite and Aker BP deploy Spot robots on North Sea platforms for routine inspection rounds, covering the same route every shift without human intervention.
Benefits of Robotic Inspection
Safety
Eliminates working at height, confined space entry, and diving - the most dangerous activities in oil and gas.
Speed
Inspections that took days with scaffolding are completed in hours with drones and crawlers.
Data Quality
Robots capture consistent, repeatable measurements. Drone imagery can be compared over time to detect changes in structural condition.
Cost
Reduced scaffolding, rope access, vessel hire (offshore), and production shutdowns during inspection windows.