Underwater RFID Applications for Agile, Accurate and Safe Identification of Subsea Pipelines and Equipment

Abstract The objectives of this article are to present the results of a research and development (R&D) project completed in January 2024 and address some of the technological and business challenges associated with the development of ready-to-use subsea RFID ("Radio Frequency Identification") solutions, scalable according to the future scenarios envisioned in the offshore oil and gas industry. The main technological challenge to be overcome is to identify underwater assets in an agile, accurate, and secure manner through RFID technology. The R&D project assessed the feasibility of applying RFID technology in a submerged environment and was conducted in partnership between PETROBRAS and the Brazilian startup I-DUTTO. The evaluated solution consists of a set of adapted commercial RFID devices, where the active reader would be integrated into a submarine vehicle, and the passive tag would be attached to the subsea asset. Tests were conducted in a saltwater pool to measure the communication range between the mobile reader and the fixed tag. The main obstacle faced by subsea RFID applications is the high attenuation of electromagnetic waves in saltwater, which greatly reduces communication ranges between devices. The final measured range test results achieved by the completed R&D project indicate that such applications are still feasible, paving the way for future developments. Despite the promising test results achieved in the pool, there are important technological and business challenges that need to be properly addressed by the RFID and subsea service markets to make the utilization of this technology feasible on a larger scale, generating value for the oil and gas industry. These challenges include the development of new, more powerful, and durable RFID devices suitable for aggressive environments, as well as their integration with remotely operated or autonomous underwater vehicles. In conclusion, the authors believe that the application of RFID technology in a submerged marine environment will represent a significant advancement in reducing costs and identification errors in underwater operations. A novelty presented in the article is the proven technical feasibility, through pool tests, of applying RFID technology in underwater environments. In addition to the ability to identify underwater items, even in low or no visibility conditions, this technology will enable the improvement of automated navigation and positioning systems for autonomous vehicles to meet the increasing demand for robotization in underwater inspection and maintenance operations.