Robotics/unmanned systems
The SPE Ecuador Section brought the excitement of robotics and energy education to life through an intensive 1-day Energy4me training, reaching 1,324 children from rural Quito.
The company has installed an autonomous drone system on Aker BP’s Edvard Grieg platform in the North Sea, enabling frequent, remote inspections from shore.
The USV Challenger will be remotely controlled from shore and will be equipped with multiple autonomous features.
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Funded by a €10.6 million grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program, the ambitious project will, for the first time, undertake an oceanwide approach to understanding the factors that control the distribution, stability, and vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems. -
Drones are becoming an important tool for energy companies looking to improve on-site safety and operational efficiencies, and the industry is looking for the best way to maximize their value. What are some the challenges in getting these programs off the ground?
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The criticality of above-water riser hull piping requires frequent inspections. Traditional manual inspection methods present safety and efficiency concerns, but work is being done to see if robotic technologies—such as drones and crawlers—can do the job as good as, or even better than, humans.
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As drones become a more significant part of energy projects, the guide outlines the steps operators should take in assessing their capabilities to run a drone program and the elements such programs should consider, including safety and regulatory concerns.
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The American Petroleum Institute announced the publication of its Guide for Developing an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, which will help ensure worker and operational safety as the industry introduces drones in its operations.
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An oil pipeline that runs across Saudi Arabia was hit by drones on 14 May west of its capital of Riyadh, the Saudi energy minister said, shortly after rebels in Yemen claimed they carried out coordinated drone strikes against the kingdom.
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Advances in robotics can revolutionize the way maintenance, inspection, and testing is performed, making operations safer by reducing exposure of personnel to hazards. This paper analyzes the causes of slow industry adoption of robotic technologies and presents a roadmap for accelerated adoption.
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Robots may not be ready to take over the world just yet, but they are making great strides in the offshore industry. A technical session at this year’s Offshore Technology Conference presented some of the advances, including untethered ROVs and subsea broadband communications.
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During the last decade, the use of drones for industrial asset inspections has grown significantly. The ability to inspect in-service flares can eliminate millions of dollars of operational expenditure and mitigate safety risks presented by traditional access methods.
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Forum Subsea Technologies has secured orders from DOF Subsea to supply three of its Ultra Compact Perry XLX-C work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). DOF Subsea will deploy the vehicles onto three of its ROV support vessels for recently awarded projects in Brazil.
