Page 24: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2023)

Autonomy & Defense

PROTECTING OFFSHORE

ENERGY SOURCES

By George Galdorisi

Photo courtesy Mr. Dave Meron hen most people discuss energy sources such as ronmental concerns – impelled by major events such as the fossil fuel and green energy, it is from an “either- Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico – have

Wor” perspective. Some favor the former while oth- served as a brake on U.S. offshore drilling. ers advocate for the latter. However, what is often lost in the While offshore oil and gas companies have been proactive arguments on both sides is that regardless of the type of energy in ensuring the safety of their offshore platforms, more re- being extracted or generated, those platforms that are offshore, mains to be done. Using current technology, this is dull, dirty especially oil rigs, oil and gas pipelines, and wind farms, are and dangerous work that impedes comprehensive inspections incredibly vulnerable to anyone who wants to attack these of these production rigs. Today, platform operators depend sources in wartime, or just to make a political statement. on divers and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to perform

One need look no further than the sabotage of Nord Stream these inspections. gas pipelines that run from Russia to Europe under the Bal- This is good as far as it goes, but ROVs have a limited ? eld tic Sea to understand the vulnerability of sea-based energy of view, and putting divers in the water always involves sub- sources. Thus, the fossil fuel industry and the green energy stantial risk and increasingly high cost. industry do have one area in common – the need to protect On the “green” side of the equation, offshore wind farms their offshore platforms. have seen explosive growth, and predictions of more wind

While the exigencies of climate change have led to major farms in littoral waters point to exponential growth for this strides in the development and ? elding of renewable energy industry. Several offshore wind farms are in operation now, sources such as solar, wind and others, for the foreseeable and more are planned. Sadly, there has been little dialogue as future, the world’s energy needs will continue to be met pri- to how to protect these expensive offshore wind farms, and marily by oil and natural gas. Offshore energy production has they remain highly vulnerable.

been increasing over the past decade and now stands at over Maritime Tactical Systems, Inc. (MARTAC), a Florida-based two-and-one-half million barrels of oil and almost three tril- manufacturer of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), has ? eld- lion cubic feet of gas a day. ed a family of low-cost, rugged and adaptable MANTAS and

For the United States, this massive production effort is sus- Devil Ray unmanned surface vehicles. Part of the attraction tained by hundreds of offshore drilling rigs, primarily in the of using a USV such as MANTAS or Devil Ray to inspect off-

Gulf of Mexico. According to Forbes Magazine, the Depart- shore oil and gas platforms, pipelines and offshore wind farms ment of the Interior has opened up 25 regions in the outer is that these unmanned surface vehicles have seen extensive use continental shelf to oil and gas exploration. However, envi- in military exercises, experiments and demonstrations, as well 24 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • May 2023

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