Wood secures funding for oil-and-gas robotics project in Newfoundland and Labrador
January 27, 2022
By CCE
It was one of 26 successful proposals.
Photo courtesy Province of N.L.
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing nearly $3 million to consulting engineering firm Wood for an autonomous robotics project to support the recovery of the province’s offshore oil and gas industry.
Secured under the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Recovery Assistance Fund, the project aims to establish a new inspection and maintenance offering in the region for both onshore and offshore oil and gas infrastructure assets. Its successful completion could lead to the deployment of multiple robots and support for future developments.
The project is also intended to maximize employment. It will involve a variety of new technical roles to customize robots and develop software to analyze visual, thermal, methane and acoustic data. This detailed information will help the team monitor asset integrity and allow for earlier detection of leaks, corrosion and anomalous vibrations and temperatures. The resulting opportunities to make timelier decisions regarding maintenance and repairs should improve safety for personnel, reduce carbon emissions and drive lower-cost, sustainable operations.
Wood’s proposal for an autonomous robotic inspection service for oil and gas facilities was one of 26 proposals that successfully received a total of approximately $35.5 million of funding under the program, which is no longer accepting further applications.
