Offshore/subsea systems

Mobile Platform Enables AI-Powered Underwater Image Processing

This paper introduces a technology for offshore pipeline inspection centered on an autonomous robotic system equipped with underwater computer vision and edge-computing capabilities.

Fig. 1—AUV for underwater infrastructure maintenance.
Fig. 1—AUV for underwater infrastructure maintenance.
Source: OTC 35821.

Timely inspection of subsea infrastructure—particularly pipelines—is crucial for preventing oil spills and protecting the environment. This paper introduces a technology for offshore pipeline inspection centered on an autonomous robotic system equipped with underwater computer vision and edge-computing capabilities. The aim is to create a fast, cost-effective solution for inspecting underwater structures, enabling early detection of environmental hazards.

Introduction

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have revolutionized the ability to explore and monitor marine environments. The cornerstone of AUV capabilities lies in their imaging systems, although the underwater environment poses unique and complex challenges for these systems.

Additional image-processing and correction ability remains a goal for AUVs, creating computational demands that must be balanced against limited onboard power and processing capabilities (Fig.

×
SPE_logo_CMYK_trans_sm.png
Continue Reading with SPE Membership
SPE Members: Please sign in at the top of the page for access to this member-exclusive content. If you are not a member and you find JPT content valuable, we encourage you to become a part of the SPE member community to gain full access.