The testing, inspection,and certification fim Bureau Veritas is reporting a 900% rise in demand for the remote inspection of offshore assets and equipment since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bureau Veritas says requests for its remote inspection, certification, examination, and verification services has escalated from a want to a need this year as businesses seek to keep employees safe from the coronavirus. A number of remote inspection solutions are already in progress for operators and oilfield service companies, and there have been in excess of 20 additional requests since the start of this year.
Inspections and verification are vital for offshore companies to comply with legislation and ensure the efficiency and performance of their assets and equipment. Through the use of mobile cameras and the existing personnel, Bureau Veritas employees can perform these essential services remotely onshore, limiting close contact and reducing the need for travel.
Bureau Veritas, along with respective clients, has risk-profiled activities and identified which inspections can be performed remotely and which can’t to help operators and oilfield service companies plan for the year ahead, benefiting from direct and indirect savings as well as reducing carbon footprint in the process. Where physical inspection is unavoidable, an up-front technical and safety assessment underpins the reduction or elimination of risk at site.
Paul Shrieve, vice president of offshore and services form the company, said, “Previously, the remote inspection of assets and equipment received a limited reception and was thought of as a good idea, something that the industry should get around to. Customers have been considering using remote inspection as an alternative way to meet the requirements of the Offshore Safety Directive for some time. However, since the start of this year, demand has greatly increased. It is no longer a want but a need.”