The World's First Subsea Pipeline Inspection and Repair Robot

Abstract The Pipeline Inspection and Repair robot, "IRM Robot, can deliver full pipeline Inspection, Repair and Maintenance (IRM) service with less time, less resources, and less risk. Delivering all tasks in a single robot represents a major achievement, and a significant reduction in CO2emissions since all the IRM activities are performed in a single trip of a vessel and with a single crew. By performing all repairs in a closed habitat, all debris from the repair is brought back to the surface for disposal. In the Oil and Gas industry, subsea pipelines are the vital part of installed subsea infrastructures. As these pipelines age, they are subjected to different forms of degradation, including internal corrosion. In the worst cases, this degradation eventually leads to through-wall defects, leaks and production shutdown. Currently, underwater pipeline repairs are conducted by saturation divers to stop or prevent product leakage. To reduce this operating cost, the concept of developing an advanced pipeline repair solution was initiated. Since 2015, the robot has been developed for advanced IRM of horizontal tubulars using subsea working habitats equipped with a multi-axis, digitally controlled machining center. The robot can deliver full pipeline services for spot repair including Inspection, Repair and Maintenance. Subsea interventions can be performed with few days with small resources and risks. Combining all the pipeline repair tasks into a single robot represents a major achievement for the industry. The new technology is capable to repair all pipeline diameters. The current robot covers all sizes from 8″ – 20″ in. Comparing the workflow between the conventional approach and new subsea pipeline inspection and repair robot. Clearly, deciding to perform remedy action for non-leak repairs can be made much faster as the operating cost is over twenty percents cheaper than a conventional repair by a saturation diver. As such, asset owners can resume full operations considerably faster when compared to the conventional approach. The Pipeline Repair Robot has undergone extensive testing and demonstration in the Gulf of Thailand during May - August 2022, the process involves engineering calculation for testing pipeline inside the pool (Pit Test), Pit test demonstration with third party witnesses, engineering calculation for first subsea operation in the gulf of Thailand, hazard and operation study (HAZOP) prior to the operation with the asset owner, world first offshore operation and the final review and report with the customer acceptance. It successfully completed the first ever robotic non-metallic repair on an operational pipeline in the Gulf of Thailand and It has been commercialized since in October 2022 after the acceptance of the first subsea operation by customer.