Resident Robotics for Offshore - De-Risking and Developing Solutions to Provide a Real-Time, On-Demand Presence Offshore

Abstract This paper explores the challenges, development gaps, and potential benefits associated with the deployment of "resident robots", both aerial and ground, on offshore energy facilities, drawing on a year of rigorous testing and development. Resident robots, designed to perform continuous and on-demand inspection and surveillance tasks, have significant potential to improve asset integrity work processes and make front line more productive and safer. This paper identifies key challenges faced to develop a resident robotic capability for both ground robots and drones that delivers on use cases such as emissions monitoring, inspection and emergency response. Furthermore, this paper presents current limitations and development gaps such as limited robot and sensors capabilities, regulatory approval processes and operational safety, highlighting the need for ongoing innovation. A substantial portion of the paper is dedicated to the testing phases at a state-of-the-art robotics testing facility in Houston, Texas. This facility provided a controlled environment for iterative testing and refinement, addressing real-world operational scenarios and validating robot performance under simulated offshore conditions. The paper concludes by discussing the potential benefits of resident robots, including reduced human intervention, increased operational uptime, and enhanced data collection for predictive maintenance. By addressing development gaps and leveraging successful test outcomes, this research underscores the transformative potential of resident robots in optimizing offshore energy infrastructure.