autonomous underwater vehicles

Developments in the emerging technologies of unmanned vehicles are leading to new land, sea, and air applications in the oil and gas industry.

AUVs have evolved from an emerging technology with niche uses to a viable solution and an established part of operations in various marine sectors. Douglas-Westwood’s AUV Market Forecast considers the prospective demand for AUVs in the commercial, military and research sectors over the next 5 years.

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have demonstrated their capabilities during the search for Malaysian Airlines flight 370 in the Indian Ocean.

As production from mature basins onshore and in shallow water declines, the development of deepwater reserves has become vital. Consequently, production and Capex are expected to rise.

Robotic submarines, capable of operating by themselves thousands of feet underwater for months or perhaps years at a time, are under development as the vanguard of tomorrow’s subsea oil and gas fields.