OIL AND GAS

Drone Usage Has Been Growing Exponentially In Oil And Gas Industry In The Last Years. The Use Cases Grew Rapidly And Expanded From Image And Video Capturing To Sensing Weathering, Rusting, And Spacing Characteristics Of The Asset Under Consideration. Drones Are Useful In All Industries But When It Comes To Oil And Gas, They Are A Super Significant Investment. With The Right Control Application, They Can Be A Super-Reliant Asset Across The Entire Oil Field. Drone Solutions Are Transforming The Oil And Gas Industry, Minimizing Risk And Reducing Costs And Downtime While Protecting Asset Integrity.

General Inspections

External inspections (examples: stacks, offshore RIGS, FFSOs, drilling vessels, oil tanks, storage tanks, refineries, methane detection and monitoring, among others) and Internal inspections (examples: oil wells, tank inspections; pipeline inspections, offshore platforms, jackups and drillships, FCC units and cokers, damage analysis, among others).

Pipeline Inspection

Drones play a crucial role in monitoring the vast network of pipelines that transport oil and gas across long distances. Equipped with advanced sensors like infrared thermography to detect thermal anomalies, which is a major indicator of leaks or corrosion along pipeline surfaces, drones are deployed flexibly to quickly obtain an overview of the pipeline network while capturing details with a sensor zoom. Digitize inspection results by deploying drones to obtain a live view of the pipeline network to collect evidence of illegal activities and keep the images on file for record keeping and status comparison.

Facility and Equipment Management

Quickly and remotely inspect, map and monitor facilities such as stacks and cooling towers from the ground without interrupting operations. In addition, as it is difficult to keep track of oil and gas facility construction projects, as they are often dispersed, which means that more work crews have to be moved. Fixed cameras on site cannot cover the entire site in detail, so they do not capture critical information about progress. Large amounts of video images can drown out critical details, making it difficult to track areas. Drones can create accurate 2D maps and 3D models of the site on demand. The 3D models can be used to track dynamic changes or daily progress.

Leak detection and repair (LDAR)

Leaks compromise the safety of the site and surrounding communities. The location of the leak can be difficult to identify, let alone acquire a reading of the leak concentration. Personnel on the ground cannot quickly visualize the magnitude of the leak or predict its evolution without an overview. Drones equipped with gas detector payloads can quickly scan large areas and identify the location of the leak so that it can be addressed immediately. Drones can help personnel determine the extent of the leak, while sending aerial information that helps monitor on-site repairs.

Environmental Monitoring

Drones can now be equipped with multispectral and hyper spectral cameras and are used to monitor the environmental impact of oil and gas operations. They can assess soil health, vegetation health, and water quality in and around drilling sites. By collecting this data, companies can adhere to environmental regulations, ensure responsible resource extraction, and minimize ecological disruption.

Emergency Response

Critical situations like oil spills, drones are a great way of providing rapid assessment and situational awareness. They are equipped with high-resolution cameras and sensors to capture real-time data on spill extents and movement. This aids emergency response teams in making informed decisions about containment strategies and resource allocation. Drones also help to mitigate human exposure to hazardous conditions during emergency operations

Security and Risk Management

When it comes to field security, drones add an extra layer to it by patrolling expansive oil fields, pipelines, and remote facilities. They are equipped with high-definition cameras and night vision capabilities and can detect unauthorized activities, trespassing, or potential security breaches. Drones provide real-time visual feeds to security personnel, enabling rapid responses and enhancing overall site security. And they can be really helpful in identifying and mitigating safety risks. Drones can remotely inspect areas prone to landslides, monitor unstable terrains, and assess potential gas leaks or toxic emissions. They can be a great tool for managing risks by reducing human exposure to hazardous environments, drones enhance worker safety and support adherence to strict safety protocols.