ROV inspections are becoming more and more popular in the petrochemical industry. These companies offer various inspection solutions for offshore oil rigs, deepwater drilling platforms, and other areas where it is too dangerous or impractical to send human inspectors.
This article will discuss what ROV inspections are, why they are necessary, how they work, and who should use them.
What Are ROV Inspections?
An ROV inspection is a process where an unmanned underwater vehicle , or robot, inspects the pipes and equipment of offshore oil rigs. The inspections are done remotely by drilling operators stationed onshore. These video feeds can be streamed live to the surface so that inspectors can keep an eye on their work in real-time from anywhere in the world via satellite connection.
As such, they cut down significantly on time spent traveling back and forth from shore to rig sites and reduce personnel expenses typically associated with offshore exploration operations.
Why Are They Necessary?
ROV inspections have become necessary because human divers cannot perform these hazardous tasks without putting themselves at risk for injury or death due to harsh conditions like extreme temperatures (hot water dissolves air bubbles, resulting in rapid decompression and death) or deep water (where the increased pressure causes nitrogen to accumulate).
As a result, most inspection work is now done by remotely operated vehicles.
ROVs are equipped with video cameras that send back live images, which can be viewed onshore and recorded for future study. They navigate underwater using sonar scanners that map their surroundings like radar systems above ground. This allows operators onshore to see what’s happening up close at the bottom of the ocean floor without endangering human life while inspecting rig equipment such as drill pipes, engine rooms, ballast tanks, safety valves, and more.
How Do ROV Inspections Work?
One of the most important aspects of oil rig safety is inspection. One way to inspect offshore rigs and structures that may be difficult, dangerous, or impossible for a human inspector to reach is remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
These unmanned submersibles travel down to perform inspections much like an endoscope in medical work. They go into places inaccessible by divers, such as deepwater towers and pipelines buried beneath the seafloor; they can also investigate areas too small for people to fit comfortably inside them. ROVs are equipped with video cameras that send back live images, which can be viewed onshore and recorded for future study.
A major concern about using robotic technology underwater is corrosion caused by oxygen-depleted air bubbles. To counter this, ROVs are typically made of materials that resist corrosion from different types of water and may also include a double shell to protect the electronics inside.
Additionally, there is always danger in sending an unmanned craft down into deep waters where it can be crushed by currents or struck by debris. Specialized autopilots monitor these risks as well as other factors while guiding the rovers along their mission paths.
Inspecting offshore rigs and structures with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) is not uncommon for companies looking to ensure they are operating at peak efficiency without any damage below the surface, but what exactly do ROV inspections entail? These unmanned submersibles go underwater to perform inspections much like an endoscope would. Still, instead of being used for medical purposes, they are sent to inspect offshore structures for damage and corrosion.
At first glance, it may seem like a simple task; however, there is much more that goes into completing an ROV inspection than simply attaching the submersible to a cable and dropping it down near the target surface area.
Who Needs An ROV Inspection Service?
This type of service can be beneficial for several different types of businesses and organizations. Industries such as transportation, tourism, and energy production, in particular, are known to contract out ROV inspection services regularly.
What Are The Benefits?
One obvious benefit is that these inspections often take far less time than they would if done manually; this means more efficient use of company resources overall, translating into cost savings. There’s also the fact that no one has to put their lives at risk during an underwater inspection making it much safer for everyone involved with the process.
In addition, there may even be information discovered while performing an examination using ROV technology that could have otherwise been overlooked without any high-tech equipment assistance.
