Page 17: of Marine Technology Magazine (October 2017)

tions to be completed 20 times more key elements across multiple elevation would also be used to image the struc- quickly than traditional rope-access depths. In the example of an unmanned, tural and coating condition on the hull techniques, which can take an average eight-pile production and compressor exterior and associated components, of eight weeks to complete when us- platform, this would include perform- along with the coating condition and ing human inspection teams. The direct ing topside, hull and structural critical surface corrosion on all columns and costs of UAS programs are half those of inspection point (SCIP) surveys. A UAS other SCIPs. Figure 2 shows the video human inspections – and UAS programs would be used to take topside photos of log of a typical report.

also eliminate other indirect costs asso- the structure, along with video footage The images in Figure 3 are among ciated with offshore bed space, standby throughout the inspection. The UAS 1,900 visual images that were captured boats and the transport of personnel to and from the rig by air or sea. The costs of helicopters, alone, can average as much as $2,500 an hour and up to $60,000 per