The oil and gas industry are one of the largest industries, but also one of the most capital intensive. They are the largest contributors to the global economy. Although these industries are some of the most profitable in the world, the actual conversion of natural resources into usable products comes at a high cost. For example, for refinery investments, a large part of operating budgets is used specifically for monitoring and inspection.
Frequent inspections are needed to maintain large oil and gas production facilities. The aim is to avoid accidents and ensure the safety of workers. However, classical inspection methods are quite expensive and time-consuming, and in the end sometimes not effective enough.
The advent and introduction of drone technology has not only cut the costs of the oil and gas industry many times over, but has also helped their development.
Drones in the oil and gas industry
Drones are now finding applications in so many fields that their development and production has become an unstoppable process. For some fields, these devices have become a necessity. This is also true for the oil and gas industry.
Thanks to small drones and their capabilities, inspection, monitoring and locating leaks has become much faster, safer and economical. That's why more and more companies have started investing in them.
Аdvantages of drones for the oil and gas industry
Safety
There are a number of inspections that take place in these fields that can be dangerous for engineers. Thanks to drones, these tasks can be performed much more safely and protect workers and equipment from life-threatening situations.
Close inspection
Because piloting is done from a distance, and drones are maneuverable and small in size, you can get very close to the object being observed.
Saving time
In these industries, large objects often need to be inspected, which takes time to carry out by a human. With drones, you can gather the necessary data much faster.
Reduce costs
Drones are a great solution with which you can reduce on operational costs. They replace human effort and increase accessibility.
Efficiency
You can crawl and analyze large arrays much more efficiently and quickly than you would need with other equipment.
How drones are used in the oil and gas industry?
Asset inspections
Drones feature high quality thermal cameras as well as specialized analysis software. With them, you can create precise 3D models in a matter of minutes. This enables you to carry out much larger scale inspections of pipelines, external surfaces, oil facilities and more.
Aerial surveillance
A major reason for the use of drones in the oil and gas industry is the possibility of remote sensing. Often this is also done to monitor tanks, trucks, equipment and other infrastructure. Remote sensing is also used to monitor unmanned production platforms or facilities under construction, offering engineers quick visual access.
Emergency response
Quickly locating disasters and incidents is especially important. Drones are also used to respond to emergencies such as an industrial accident, methane leak detection, an approaching hazard and more. This way, a quick and adequate decision can be made on how to deal with the specific situation.
DJI drones for the oil and gas industry
DJI Phantom 4 RTK
DJI Phantom 4 RTK is extremely suitable for small and medium projects. This drone is designed for surveying and mapping. It features a 1″ CMOS 20MP sensor to provide you with accurate data. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
With the DJI Phantom 4RTK, you can capture at distances up to 7 km. The drone can operate in PPK-mission mode, further improving reliability.
The DJI Matrice 300 RTK is a high-end industrial drone. It is resistant to moisture, wind and extreme temperatures, making mission possible even in more unstable weather.
The 55-minute flight time is also impressive, as is the 15 km flight range, making it ideal for extended missions.
In addition, the M300 RTK can carry up to three payloads simultaneously, with a total take-off weight of 9 kg.
Check out the rest of DJI's industrial drones on COPTER.BG’s website. Contact our team if you need a consultation.
