On the same project, an additional three elevated flare stacks and 24 bridges were inspected, maximising the mobilisation. Dubai Petroleum’s Asset Integrity Manager reported: “Having worked with Cyberhawk in the past, we understand the potential on offer from UAV inspection. This confidence led us to use UAVs in a new area within our business, this riser survey project. The campaign was a great success and we are pleased with the outcome.

“The speed and efficiency with which this project was completed has proven that the scope and application of UAV inspection can be expanded for our requirements, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Cyberhawk in the future.”

Cyberhawk was chosen due to its strong global track record, working with oil and gas supermajors and national oil companies in the middle east for over eight years. Alternative inspection methods, such as rope access or scaffolding, would have taken weeks to complete, required a shutdown of the facility and would have presented significant risks to personnel, such as working at height. In this case, it would also have been difficult to spot the damage due to the design of the flare, which only allowed a clear view from above. Whilst a helicopter would have addressed this issue, it would have resulted in costs three to four times higher.

Thanks to the skill and ability of Cyberhawk’s pilots, the inspection of the critical flare tip was successfully completed, allowing the client to defer a costly shutdown and reduce potential risk to personnel.

Regional operational challenges in Middle East include heat, which affects the battery life of the drones, as well as sandstorms that cause low visibility. This meant that our experienced team had to work very quickly, efficiently and with a high level of skill.

Furthermore, due to challenging customs restrictions in Saudi Arabia, Cyberhawk had to demonstrate a strong track record and high level of knowledge of UAV regulations in order to secure the necessary flight permissions from the aviation authority, as well as additional approvals from the local airforce.

Together with quicker inspection times, reduced cost of inspection and avoidance of unplanned shutdowns, Cyberhawk’s UAV solution once again proved its worth in the oil and gas sector.

An experienced team of two from Cyberhawk, including an industry qualified inspection engineer and oil and gas qualified inspection pilot, was mobilised to undertake the work and took just two days to conduct the full inspection. Alternative methods such as rope access or scaffolding would have taken months to complete, required shutdown of the facility and would have increased dangers to personnel, such as working at height.

The alternative technique considered for the flare tip inspections was using a full-size helicopter, however, this method would not have given a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the whole flare such as under the flare deck and supporting structure. The UAV also meant other difficult inspection work scopes such as bridges, tripods, and telecom towers could be inspected on the same mobilization. Therefore, the use of UAVs was investigated and deemed to be the preferred method for addressing these issues.

Cyberhawk’s significant aviation experience of operating in more than 20 countries globally meant that we knew how to secure the necessary flight permissions from the UAE aviation authority, as well as additional approvals from the local airforce.

A two-man team was mobilized to the platform, consisting of an experienced UAV pilot and an oil and gas inspection engineer. Detailed inspection reports were then produced by Cyberhawk’s experienced oil and gas inspection team with additional analysis from Cyberhawk’s flare expert on the condition of the flare tips. The operator reported that the work was completed safely and efficiently with high quality reports provided in a timely manner.