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Equinor has achieved a “world first” with the use of a drone to deliver parts of the lifeboat system offshore, in what could be a sign of future North Sea logistics operations
Equinor has completed a 50-mile drone flight from Mongstad, Norway to the offshore field of Troll A, in a test that could transform the way we operate, both below and above the sea surface.
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About the Drone used by Equinor
The drone used by Equinor was manufactured by Schiebel and traveled at 5.000 feet during the hour-long flight, "the world's first of its kind where an actual offshore cargo operation was conducted over a long distance to an operational offshore facility". A similar operation was carried out in May at a shorter distance in the port of Rotterdam for the construction vessel. Pioneering Spirit.
Improved use of drone equipment has been touted as one of the next steps in decarbonizing the oil and gas sector, reducing the need for helicopters and other freight transport that produce emissions.
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Arne Nylund, Equinor's executive vice president for Norwegian development and production, said: "Drones can enhance safety, increase production efficiency and contribute to reducing CO2 emissions from Norwegian oil and gas."
“Drones will also play a role as we shape new energy solutions on the Norwegian platform.”
The Camcopter s-100 model used by Equinor has a cruising speed of around 93 miles per hour, capable of carrying weight of up to 50 kg
Drones have not yet been used in the UK sector for equipment delivery, although they are already heavily used for tasks such as maintenance inspections and methane emissions monitoring.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is currently working on an “innovation sandbox” project with companies such as Total, FlyLogix and the Oil and Gas Technology Center to test and prove that drones can be used more widely in open airspace such as offshore platforms.
FlyLogix, which last year sent a remote-controlled plane on a 115-mile round trip to BP's Clair platform west of Shetland for methane monitoring, said the project is key to increasing the benefits of drones in the sector.
Earlier this month, Equinor stated that success on this front could mean deploying drones much more quickly for jobs such as moving equipment, “searching” in search and rescue, among other applications in the offshore oil and gas industry.
