Robotics will increasingly become essential for the oil and gas (O&G) industry with robot renting, also known as robots as a service (RaaS), likely to “revolutionise” the sector, according to data analytics firm GlobalData.
The company’s latest report, titled ‘Robotics in Oil and Gas (2021) – Thematic Research’, found that robots have already been essential in the energy industry, a trend that will accelerate as the number of tasks that robots can perform continues to increase dramatically.
“A number of technology vendors are trying to adopt RaaS in addition to selling robotics equipment. This market has considerable potential for growth within O&G as it can save players the considerable costs associated with purchasing robotics systems,” Ravindra Puranik, oil & gas analyst at GlobalData said in a statement.
RaaS is currently under development with collaboration ongoing between oil and gas firms and robotics companies. The technology is only possible because of advancements in cloud computing and connectivity, Filipe Oliveira, thematic analyst at GlobalData explained.
“Cloud technology has changed the way we work, how we access entertainment, and is now changing robotics. Cloud-connected robots are smarter — learning from each other’s experience, instead of just their own — and can be monitored, managed and maintained remotely,” Oliveira said.
Robots are increasingly in functionality, with O&G robots operating as terrestrial crawlers, quadrupeds, aerial drones, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). Additionally, GlobalData pointed to new digital technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) as likely to continue to improve the performance of robots in the oil and gas setting.
“Robotics will have applications throughout all workstreams within O&G. For upstream operations, uses include automated drilling or conducting seismic surveys; for midstream, they can be used for inspection and maintenance, as well as for design, construction and remote monitoring; while downstream applications include automated refuelling and material handling,” Puranik added.
“Robotics offer high reliability and efficiency, while also improving overall operational safety. Various terrestrial, airborne and submerged robots are already playing critical roles in several high-stake O&G projects across the value chain.”
