Robotics/unmanned systems
This article from the SPE Robotics and Autonomous Systems Technical Section (RASTS) explores the insights shared at the recent Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston about autonomous systems and their role in the industry's future.
The deployment of a new heavy-duty robotic system aims to reduce workforce exposure to high-risk areas while improving detection of potential leaks.
Autonomous drilling through managed pressure drilling (MPD) at the Atlantis field has given the operator confidence to scale the method.
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The $43-million deal with Saipem will utilize a wireless underwater intervention drone and an ROV for intervention work on the Njord field in the Norwegian North Sea. Equinor said the contract is the first ever from an operator for advanced wireless drone services. -
Subsea advancements in the works include longer tiebacks, an underwater drone that lives on the seafloor, and a robotic manifold capable of actuating dozens of valves. Do these new capabilities, born of necessity, signal a sea change in industrywide technology development?
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The pilot used sensor technology originally deployed by NASA for the Mars Curiosity Rover to collect methane emissions data live-streamed from a drone. BP said it plans to deploy the technology to all of its North Sea assets, including ETAP and Glen Lyon, in 2020.
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Equinor Technology Ventures and OGCI Climate Investments have agreed to back the tech developer, which integrates its SeekIR miniature gas sensors onto drones to detect, localize, and quantify carbon emissions.
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Two firms have announced new partnerships to perform unmanned-aircraft-systems-based missions for oil and gas clients in the US and abroad.
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Drones have entered the oil and gas domain as a more comprehensive method of inspection—providing not only a flexible and cost-effective way to conduct inspections but also a data-intensive structure for inspecting assets in a nondestructive manner.
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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.
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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.
