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to accurately assess the defective asset in Statoil to provide detailed maintenance ? are system is quite simply beyond the question, rather than shutting the asset information on the enormous Sleipner A reach of ‘traditional’ inspection tech- down at the ? rst sign of an issue. Planned platform. It is hard to over-emphasise the niques, creating an uncertainty about its shutdowns can be made more ef? cient by importance and complexity of operations condition.

using ROAV inspection to precisely iden- on Sleipner.

North Sea tify the condition and tify the condition and The platform acts as conduit and pro-The platform acts as conduit and pro- Avoiding costly shutdownsAvoiding costly shutdowns cessing facil- speci? cation of parts speci? cation of parts cessing facil- Cyberhawk had already inspected ? are Cyberhawk had already inspected ? are that may need to be that may need to be stacks at Immingham and Kårstø stacks at Immingham and Kårstø replaced. at the other ends of the pipe-at the other ends of the pipe- line. Statoil was keen to use this line. Statoil was keen to use this

Background to method because live ? are inspec-method because live ? are inspec-

ROAV inspectionROAV inspection tion eliminates the requirement to tion eliminates the requirement to

The miniature shutdown not only the Sleipner ? eld shutdown not only the Sleipner ? eld ? ying vehicles but also the Troll, Draupner, Kårstø, but also the Troll, Draupner, Kårstø, or ROAVs use Nyhamna, Langeled, Easington and Nyhamna, Langeled, Easington and high-de? nition Zeebrugge facilities, all of which feed Zeebrugge facilities, all of which feed video and high- in or out of the Sleipner A platform.in or out of the Sleipner A platform.

de? nition still

Getting down to work – Getting down to work – and thermal working togetherworking together cameras to provide detailed Following a HAZOPS meet-Following a HAZOPS meet- informa- ing with representatives from ing with representatives from tion for inspection purposes. tion for inspection purposes. operations, inspection, and operations, inspection, and

Cyberhawk’s battery-powered Cyberhawk’s battery-powered maintenance, the Cyberhawk maintenance, the Cyberhawk

ROAVs weigh less than 2kg (about ROAVs weigh less than 2kg (about team completed the JHA (Job team completed the JHA (Job the weight of a large seagull) and Hazard Analysis) under the Hazard Analysis) under the are less than 1m in length. They guidance of the shutdown guidance of the shutdown are operated by a highly trained, manager for the Sleipner manager for the Sleipner two-man crew consisting of a highly platform who was instru-platform who was instru- trained pilot and a quali? ed inspec- mental in planning and mental in planning and tion engineer. A two-man crew is coordinating the entire coordinating the entire critical for safe industrial inspection project. With the plat-project. With the plat- using ROAVs. form management having form management having

The ROAV is ? own from the ground The ROAV is ? own from the ground approved the permit, approved the permit, by a pilot who remains within visual the inspection of the the inspection of the line of site of the ROAV at all times. 120m-high ? are stack 120m-high ? are stack

Typically the take-off and landing posi- Typically the take-off and landing posi- and the three live ? are and the three live ? are tions are close to the base of the structure tions are close to the base of the structure tips was ready to begin.tips was ready to begin.

being inspected. With the pilot’s atten- being inspected. With the pilot’s atten- Faced with some challenging weather Faced with some challenging weather tion focused solely on the operation of tion focused solely on the operation of conditions with winds blowing at 25 conditions with winds blowing at 25

Top: Cyberhawk’s ROAV approaching Top: Cyberhawk’s ROAV approaching the ROAV, the inspection engineer is knots, the pilot and inspector set up their knots, the pilot and inspector set up their the platforms underdeck.

able to concentrate on controlling the equipment on the nearby riser platform,

Bottom: Structural inspection image of camera payload. This ensures that the some 200m away from the ? ares, and the platforms ? are stack.

ROAV team is able to capture clear Close began ? ying operations. The Cyberhawk

Visual Inspection (CVI) images and ity for a number of offshore and onshore ROAV is able to cope with high wind produce a comprehensive and authorita- installations that supply gas to as far conditions and to hold its position which tive inspection report that enables asset a? eld as the UK and The Netherlands, makes for an extremely stable hovering owners to make informed maintenance as well as to the domestic terminal at platform.

decisions. With an experienced and Kårstø. Shutting down the Sleipner plat- In under a minute the small ? ying quali? ed –typically ASME (American form has a direct impact on distribution machine was hovering above the ? are

Society of Mechanical Engineers) and and supply to these other facilities and tower, capturing valuable inspection

CSWIP (Certi? cation Scheme for Welding requires a major scheduling and coordi- data. On the ? rst ? ight, Cyberhawk and Inspection Personnel) – inspection nation process that can take months. used an infrared thermal camera to engineer on every assignment and the Due to the operational centrality of detect internal burning in the ? are presentation of an interim report before the Sleipner A as a ‘hub’, even when the tips, a condition known as ‘burn back.’ leaving the site, the customer is able to platform is shutdown for turnaround, Soon after this, the camera system was have a timely, peer-to-peer discussion the ? are system (which serves as a safety changed and still photographs and video about the condition of their asset. device should something go wrong) must were captured of the tip and ? are deck still be capable of cold ? aring poten- revealing minor damage to the radiation

Keeping an operational hub tially explosive gases. As such it remains panels. All three ? are tips were found fully operational ‘out of bounds’ to workers even dur- to be in good condition allowing future

Cyberhawk was recently called in by ing the shutdown. This means that the turnarounds to be revised with this new

August 2014 | OE oedigital.com 114 112_OE0814_Geofocus4_Cyberhawk.indd 114 7/22/14 3:48 PM