The Petrobras robot in partnership with PUC-Rio will be responsible for carrying out tasks that bring high risks to the oil company's employees
Petrobras scientists have developed a robot specialized in inspecting and cleaning offshore flexible pipelines, in partnership with PUC-Rio. The unique robot, which is equipped with HD cameras and is operated remotely, was named the Autonomous Underwater Riser Inspection Diverless, or AURI. The AURI is capable of identifying, with great precision, the most diverse damages or problems that are occurring in the pipelines, such as bubbles, tears and/or deformation of the outer layer, indicating collapse or possible leakage. In this way, the safety and efficiency of operations are increased, not to mention the reduction of operating costs.
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Robot installation process in offshore flexible pipelines
The Petrobras robot in partnership with PUC-Rio, which has already won the ANP Technological Innovation Award, granted by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), will be installed in offshore flexible pipelines with the support of an ROV (English acronym for Remote Operated Vehicle). When installed, it starts executing tasks, being operated remotely by a specialized professional.
Another differential is related to the robot's ability to carry the necessary tools to carry out the inspection of offshore flexible pipelines, in 360 degrees, even if the pipelines are very close to the side, a region considered impossible to be evaluated by tools coupled to the ROVs. After developing this technology with PUC-Rio, Petrobras is now seeking licensing as well as a patent for the project.
Technician Marcos Reis de Morais reported that more than 10 companies showed interest in this technology, which will serve in the future to be incorporated into subsea inspection service contracts. The development of this robot is part of the Petrobras Diverless Synergy Program, which was created to seek solutions that can help reduce the exposure of professionals to risk, in addition to increasing safety during offshore operations.
Risk reduction by exposing Petrobras professionals throughout offshore operations
Technician Morais explained that the tools that are currently used to clean the pipelines are attached to the ROVs throughout the entire operation and, even so, after that, the ROV needs to be used to carry out the visual inspection.
The Auri Diverless will exempt the ROV from carrying out cleaning and inspection, making its function just to install and uninstall, being released for other activities afterwards.
Auri will also record videos of the inspected region for later analysis and image archiving, allowing the assessment of the flexible pipelines by the teams that will remain on land, in complete safety.
Other future possibilities
According to those responsible for the robot's project, the tool has the potential to prevent professionals from spending more than 1.300 hours diving, thus reducing their exposure to high risk and remaining safe during offshore operations.
Jorge Luiz Brito, from the Duque de Caxias Refinery, Reduc, which is also part of the project, reported that they were given the challenge of making a critical inspection stage of these flexible pipelines autonomous, which is precisely the part of cleaning and visual inspection in shallow slides – up to 50 meters – in an area traditionally occupied by divers.
Brito added that they are analyzing some possibilities to develop a set of platforms that AURI Diverless will be part of.
