Robotic Inspection Tech to Automate Offshore Sites

Offshore corporation Petrobras is automating its asset inspection processes in a new partnership with ANYbotics, deploying the ANYmal robotic inspection solution at its offshore sites.

Petrobras has invested $4 million in six ANYmal X units, which will perform “repetitive and hazardous inspection tasks” on the oil major’s floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, allowing human teams to work offsite and be deployed only when needed.

The ANYmal units are being deployed as part of a long-term pilot project, taking place throughout 2024.

According to the companies, ANYmal X is the world’s only Ex-proof legged inspection robot in the oil and gas industry’s hazardous areas, heralded as a “game changer” for asset operators.

“From an operational perspective, ANYmal X’s multisensory condition monitoring capabilities may enable anomaly detection in assets,” the companies said in a statement. “3D mapping for situational awareness, digital twins and gas leak detection.”

The project is not the first time the companies have worked together. Petrobras first deployed an ANYmal robot at its offshore sites in 2022 and the ANYmal X solution was field tested on one of its FPSO’s in 2023 as part of the ANYbotics ANYmal X Early Adopter Program.

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The news also comes as ANYbotics is scaling production, responding to businesses’ increased demand for automation and robotics technologies.  

“The impact of deploying ANYmal X is driving companies to accelerate robotic inspections,” ANYbotics said in a statement. “In late 2022, ANYbotics opened commercial orders for ANYmal X to provide industry-wide access to scalable robotic inspection solutions in oil and gas and chemicals. 

“With over 600 ANYmal X robots already reserved, ANYbotics is scaling production.”