Drone technology has presented a viable solution to these challenges. A highly skilled pilot can overcome the lack of GPS underneath the platform and fly fully manually to complete inspections which are quicker, safer and cost-effective.

The Cyberhawk team of two, an experienced offshore pilot and an industry trained inspection engineer, were flown to the first platform then transferred to the standby vessel to conduct a full underdeck inspection of the second (unmanned) platform. Following this, the Cyberhawk team then returned to shore to inspect a communication tower at the Inch Gas Terminal.

As well as the integrity assessments, our team also captured data which allowed a 3D point cloud model of the platform to be generated. This provided Kinsale Energy with a detailed, dimensionally accurate 360 degree view of the asset which meant the operator could plan decommissioning activity using contextualised, up-to-date visual information.

Chris Fleming, CEO at Cyberhawk said: “The benefits of drone technology for decommissioning are becoming widely recognised and we’re pleased to have completed this project, a first for offshore oil and gas in Ireland, for Kinsale Energy.

“As well as conducting integrity assessments ahead of decommissioning, it’s been hugely encouraging to see clients maximise our time on their platforms to capture data which gives them a previously unseen view of their asset. This information is being used in various ways, to support contract tendering , planning and scheduling, and also provides onshore staff with an understanding of the asset that they may not previously have benefitted from.

“We continue to invest in the development of our digital and asset visualisation solutions, which have become a major part of our drone inspection and survey business, allowing clients to use the data collected in various work streams.”

The more likely alternative inspection technique would be to use rope access. This method presents a lower-cost solution and would take around two weeks to complete a scope of this scale.

Using a drone, however, brings even more efficiency to the inspection process. This underdeck inspection was completed within just one day, representing a dramatic time and cost-saving. The drone pilot is also able to obtain standoff shots of the underdeck, an angle that would not be obtainable from these alternative inspection techniques.

Rope access also presents an increased risk to safety, involving hanging from the platform attached by ropes, and extended periods of working at height.

The client opted to use drones to conduct this inspection to gain safe, efficient access to this complex area and ascertain a complete view from standoff shots to the imagery of focal areas.

Whilst the application of drone inspection is becoming more widely understood and embraced, a platform underdeck is one area that many believe is inaccessible by a drone. This is undoubtedly a challenging area to inspect, where pilots are met with no GPS, potential magnetic interference and complex structures to navigate around. In many cases, this results in the pilot hovering the drone at the edge of the platform and pointing the camera upwards. The implication of this is low-quality data, which does not give a close enough view of any potential defects and therefore cannot support decision-making.

A full underdeck inspection can, however, be undertaken by an experienced pilot who has the ability to fly completely manually, which Cyberhawk has once again proven in this case. Check out our video to see our team in action on this underdeck inspection.

The client was pleased with the results and continues to work with Cyberhawk to explore new applications for drone inspection on its assets.

The operator chose drones as the preferred method of inspection due to:

Speed – production had ceased until the extent of damage had been confirmed and it was deemed safe to bring the field back online, therefore it was important the inspection was conducted as quickly as possible.
Access to difficult areas – many parts of the field had become extremely difficult for personnel to access and with potential aftershocks still occurring, the use of drones was much quicker and safer, and offered the ability to capture a highly detailed visual record of every asset.

We sent in a highly experienced team – a drone pilot and an inspection engineer – who spent two weeks on-site, inspecting assets for up to 12 hours per day. Hundreds of gigabytes of data were captured during this time and due to the speed in which reports were required, our team processed the data remotely, conducting engineering analysis at our inspection centre in the UK. This meant comprehensive reports could be sent to the client on a daily basis via iHawk, our cloud-based reporting system.

More than 50 deliverables were provided to the client, who was pleased with the data and impressed with the accuracy of results. Production at the field commenced soon after our team completed the project.

After generating a detailed inspection report, it was deemed that a flare tip replacement was not required at this stage and all that was needed was to renew the pilot burners. This intervention has allowed the client to postpone a shutdown by several months, and means that a longer shutdown can be undertaken, where deeper maintenance can be carried out. UAVs can be used to monitor the flare system until that time.

The client was extremely impressed with the results from the inspection and is looking to utilise our UAV inspection services ahead of future planned shutdowns.

The usual means of access for this type of inspection would be to use a cherry picker. An inspection using this method, however, could take two weeks to complete and involves extended periods of working at height, which is a contributor to one of the biggest causes of injuries and fatalities at work – falls from height.

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.”

By providing quicker inspection times, reduced cost of inspection and avoidance of unplanned shutdowns, Cyberhawk’s UAV solution has once again proven its worth in the petrochemical sector.

This technique allowed Cyberhawk to quickly and efficiently undertake a safe audit of the structure, which in turn meant the client could prioritise further contact inspection or maintenance work. The US coastguard (USCG) and a class certification body was there to witness the inspection as Cyberhawk was the only UAV inspection company that met the standards they set.

Utilising an internal UAV, Cyberhawk successfully completed the workscope delivering high quality inspection reports which enabled the client to understand the tank’s condition. The client reported the project was carried out efficiently, saving them standby time at the port, with over a million pounds in cost savings.

Traditionally, rope access or scaffolding would be used to inspect the structure however due to the size of the strucutre this would have been a very time-consuming process using traditional access techniques.

Cyberhawk successfully completed all the inspection work scopes over the course of six days, proving the speed and efficiency of UAV inspections and reinforcing that the technology can produce exceptional results in the harshest of offshore environments.

Cyberhawk successfully completed the work scopes, delivering high quality inspection reports with high resolution imagery which enabled the client to understand both the asset’s condition and a previous repair made to the flare tips. The client reported the project was carried out within budget and reported significant time savings.

Cyberhawk successfully completed the work scope delivering a high-quality inspection report with high-resolution images which enabled the client to understand the tank’s condition. The pontoons were found to be in generally good condition throughout with no significant damage or defects. The client reported the project was carried out within budget and reported significant time savings.

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.

Traditionally, this inspection would be completed with the use of a helicopter, however, the level of detail obtainable is nowhere near what is achieved with UAV operated by experienced personnel. The Cyberhawk team worked quickly and efficiently, with the successful inspection taking just a few days instead of weeks. Furthermore, the detailed visual data captured by our UAVs and analysed by our engineering teams assisted in focusing maintenance only in areas that required it.

The project reinforced Cyberhawk’s leading position in the industry and region to date.

Traditionally, this inspection would be completed with the use of a helicopter, however, the level of detail obtainable is nowhere near what is achieved with UAV technology. Furthermore, the need for daily monitoring in critical condition scenarios requires fast mobilisation, and maintaining a safe distance from the asset.

Together with the quicker inspection times, reduced cost of inspection and avoidance of unplanned shutdowns, Cyberhawk’s UAV solution has once again demonstrated what a UAV inspection and engineering company can bring to the offshore oil and gas sector.

All the information used for planning successfully assisted a smooth and risk free run of the project,. Furthermore, by using the decommissioning vessel on standby for less time, costs were reduced dramatically.

The Brent Delta platform decommissioning also has a more personal twist for Cyberhawk. Back in the early 80s, our CEO’s father Jesz Fleming worked for Shell as the client representative on the saturation diving vessel, Arctic Seal. Chris remembers hearing the stories about the brave men who spent their working days in the deep dark water of the North Sea. As many tasks once carried out by divers are now completed by ROVs, in the aim to reduce risk for personnel, the drone is also now replacing humans and, where possible, removing exposure to potential risk.

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.

While this flare was shutdown, one particularly challenge was another nearby flare, which was live. This meant our pilot had to keep the drone away from the second flare, so the inspection quality or the safety of the asset would not be compromised. Our team had the challenging task of creating a flight plan that would help them gather as much information as possible, whilst avoiding the proximity of the live flare.

Sending teams to the inside of the flare would expose humans to potential gas leaks as well as the risk of dropped objects. With Cyberhawk’s UAV inspection, any gas leak can be detected through specific monitors on the drone, with findings used to notify site management of any potentially dangerous defects to be addressed.

Cyberhawk has once again demonstrated how complex inspection projects can be completed using UAV technology, in a faster time and at a lower cost than traditional methods.

Cyberhawk’s solution mitigated the risks associated with other methods, such as working at height or near contaminated areas. It also provided detailed data on the condition of the asset which allowed the client to take maintenance measures wherever needed, thus prioritising actions and significantly minimising costs.

As part of a detailed multi scope inspection in 2016, Cyberhawk detected critical damage on the flare tip of a fixed platform in the North Sea. Since then, Cyberhawk has been asked to closely monitor the damage and report back any potential further degradation, with the intent to defer a costly unplanned shutdown until the planned TAR.

Traditionally this inspection would be completed with the use of a helicopter, however, the level of detail obtainable is nowhere near what is achieved with UAV technology. Together with the quicker inspection times, reduced cost of inspection and avoidance of unplanned shutdowns, Cyberhawk’s UAV solution has once again proven its worth in the offshore oil and gas sector.

Steve Bowskill, Senior Integrity Engineer at Centrica said: “This is the second survey we have had Cyberhawk do for us in the last few months. They have been doing underdeck inspections on some of our remote platforms from a FRC boat, saving us time, money and ensuring inspections are being completed safely.

“Their inspection methods enabled the core helicopter intervention crew on the topsides of the remote platform to remain the same. Cyberhawk team did not take up POB on the platform, ensuring other maintenance tasks could continue unhindered, thus meeting the scheduled plan. We have also used them on our terminals at Barrow in Furness.

“They are an excellent company to work with and their engineers are very professional with great reports to allow informed engineering decisions to be made.”

Cyberhawk completed the visual inspection of the underdeck in just two days, compared with rope access which would have required over five weeks to complete. The client was then able to make an informed decision on whether further manned inspections were required, only sending in the RAT team to specific selected locations if needed.

In projects of this nature savings are in the range of £1,000,000+, and most operators are now regularly using this technique for underdeck inspections.

The traditional inspection method for this project would have been rope access, resulting in personnel working at height and three times longer to complete and even longer if scaffolding was required. Utilising Cyberhawk’s UAVs allowed the inspection to be completed in just three days and secured significant time and cost savings for the client.

The detailed inspection report showed that the flare was in good condition, despite being in use for over 10 years. This helped the client to understand the status of deterioration, and avoid unnecessary maintenance costs.

An experienced team of two from Cyberhawk, including a flare 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 of the flare tip and supporting derrick structure. Alternative methods such as rope access or scaffolding would have taken weeks to complete, required a shutdown of the facility and would have presented significant dangers to personnel, such as working at height. Multiple inspections were completed to provide further information on changes due to gas composition.

The project reinforced Cyberhawk’s leading position within the industry and in Europe.

With the challenges of no GPS signal and little light inside the tank, as well as bad weather outside the tank, Cyberhawk’s pilots had to use all their training and work with an extremely high level of precision to ensure a successful end result.

Utilising an internal UAV, Cyberhawk successfully completed the work scope delivering high quality inspection report which enabled the client to understand the tank’s defects. The client reported the project was carried out within budget and reported significant time and cost savings.

Traditionally inspections of this nature would be complete by rope access, or if using scaffolding take months when considering set up and dismantling.

Cyberhawk successfully completed inspections over the course of two weeks, proving the speed and efficiency of UAV inspections and reinforcing that the technology can produce exceptional results in the harshest of offshore environments.

To undertake our first piece of offshore work in Nigeria, it was essential to secure the necessary flight permissions from the aviation authority.

Our two-man team was mobilised to the platform, consisting of a UAV pilot and an inspection engineer, with each project successfully completed in two days.

The coker’s environment presented a whole host of operational challenges to the Cyberhawk team. A built up coker absorbs light which affects the pilot’s line of sight – not only is it extremely dusty but there is also a high risk that the UAV could become trapped.

Cyberhawk’s previous success of working within confined spaces, along with the highly skilled pilots employed, saw the team emerge as the preferred provider for this difficult workscope.

Utilising Cyberhawk’s UAVs meant engineers were able assess the condition of the asset prior to de-coking which had not been previously possible by human entry due to the potential hazard of falling slabs of coke and resulted in the project being successfully completed in just one day.

The skills our pilots and engineers possess allowed the team to successfully complete the inspection in two days. We discovered a multitude of cracks in the tip of the flare, providing data which allowed engineers to assess the condition of the asset and make repair or replacement decisions.

The project was carried out over the course of two days with results delivered through Cyberhawk’s asset management software, iHawk. This provided the client with accurate sizing and positioning of defects along with the provision of high definition orthophotos of each elevation of the chimney.

The successfully completion of this project represented a major leap forward for drone technology and the huge safety benefits it has to offer.

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.

With the added challenges of limited GPS signal inside the tank and dark conditions, Cyberhawk’s pilots had to work with an extremely high level of precision during the inspection to ensure a successful end result.

Utilising a multi-rotor UAV, Cyberhawk successfully completed the workscope delivering high resolution images which enabled the client to understand the tank’s defects. The client reported the project was carried out within budget and reported significant time savings, along with other positive feedback.

The alternative method considered for this nature of inspection would have been to use a six man rope access technician team (RAT). This technique increases man hours and would have seen the RAT team hang off the flat-bottom platform for several weeks.

Cyberhawk managed to complete the visual inspection of the underdeck in just three days whereas the six man RAT required almost 100 days (14 weeks). The client was then able to make an informed decision on whether further manned inspections were required, only sending in the RAT team to specific selected locations if needed.

In projects of this nature savings are in the range of £1,000,000+, and most operators are now using this technique for underdeck and splash zone inspections.

Given the complications of working in Singapore airspace, Cyberhawk mobilised two teams of ROAV pilots and inspection engineers on-site, so that work could be completed even more quickly. The entire project took only three weeks to complete.

The alternative inspection methods would usually be using scaffolding for chimney stack inspection, which takes significantly longer, presents high risks to personnel and can incur huge costs. For flares, this would usually involve the flare being shut down, meaning a loss of production time, and thereafter personnel climbing to inspect.

The operator reported that the all of the work was completed safely and successfully, and resulted in a 14x OPEX reduction and savings of $3.5m by avoiding the requirement for scaffolding to inspect the chimney stacks.

A two man team was mobilised to the platform, consisting of a UAV pilot and an inspection engineer. Work was completed quickly and efficiently, with the inspection taking just one afternoon in comparison with the usual seven days.

Furthermore, in many cases the operator would have the vent tip replaced during inspections ‘as standard’, rather than inspecting and then only going on to replace if required. Cyberhawk was able to inspect the vent tip and collect data which showed that a replacement was not required, and therefore costs were minimised.

An inspection execution engineer from the operator not only stated that the use of UAV technology “eliminated the need to work at height, hence reducing HSSE exposure to personnel” but also that the work “saved the company from any production deferment, which totalled up to $2.27million in savings”.

One of Maersk Oil’s main priorities was to reduce the human risk factors which are presented by rope access, which includes working at height for sustained periods of time as well as working in confined spaces.

Cyberhawk mobilized an experienced two-man UAV team, consisting of a drone pilot and inspection engineer. The inspection of the critical components of the tank was completed within a day, in comparison with rope access which would usually take between three to four days for the same work scope.

Inspecting the tank with Cyberhawk’s UAV allowed Maersk Oil to undertake a quick and safe audit of the tank, in turn allowing the company to identify and more efficiently plan for any possible contact based inspections in both this and other tanks.

The detailed inspection reports completed by Cyberhawk’s plant inspector and flare experts provided the facility with the information they required to fully plan and prepare flare tip replacement and repair work during the next planned turnaround.

This project reinforced Cyberhawk’s position as world leader in the field of UAV inspections, adding to its track record of world firsts in industrial oil and gas inspections around the world.

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.