Last fall, Gopal Kothari packed his bags and flew across the world on a unique mission.
His assignment? To determine whether a mini remotely operated vehicle (ROV) traditionally used to clean fishing vessels could be used on Chevron Thailand’s offshore assets.
The test was conducted in collaboration with the company’s Thailand Business Unit. It showed that mini ROVs—equipped with a patented washing module—can be safer, faster, and easier to use for clearing damaging marine growth from subsea structures.
“To see cleaning mini ROVs in action on oil and gas assets was extremely satisfying,” said Kothari, a Chevron technology deployment and adoption manager. “I was really impressed by this technology that can keep our people safe while delivering high performance.”
Marine growth on subsea structures adds unnecessary weight, and it damages coatings that protect against corrosion.
Bravo Marine, a Norwegian startup, is the developer of the mini ROV that’s used for removing unwanted marine growth from subsea structures. It has partnered with Chevron to deploy this solution.