Behind the Scenes: Shell Extracts Big Benefits from Unmanned Systems in 2020

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Over the last few years, Shell has started using, and relying on, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and unmanned surface vehicles (USV) for inspections, monitoring, surveying and more. Remote technology—that goes much further than a camera on a drone—saves money, improves safety and helps identify issues before they become a problem.

Using unmanned technology for data collection in the types of environments Shell operates in (oil fields, under water, high structures) reduces costs, which eliminates a barrier for important monitoring, and improves safety by reducing the number of inspections that require putting a human in high, small and other dangerous places.

UAS In Action at Shell

In the summer of 2020, staff inspected a 90 metre-high incinerator stack at Shell’s Scotford complex in Alberta, Canada, by flying a drone inside it. Normally for this type of inspection, a crane would lift a human inspector up and down the stack in an operation that might cost from $50,000 to $100,000. The drone inspection cost an hour of flying time, a few thousand dollars and all the inspectors stayed firmly planted on the ground. 

After Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area, Shell used unmanned solutions to safely perform a damage assessment on Shell Deer Park, one of the largest petroleum and chemical refineries in the United States. The speed with which photos and videos were captured and the damage was assesed ultimately help accelerate the return time of the facility.

“The drones make us safer, cheaper and more competitive,” says David Shah, Scotford’s combustion engineering specialist.

Shell has used UASs for a variety of applications, including:

  • Facilities surveillance and mapping

  • Tall structure inspection

  • Topographical survey and mapping

  • Confined space inspection

  • Asset integrity surveillance

  • Emission detection

  • Emergency response

  • And more

USVs Ready to Launch

Image from Shell

Image from Shell

In another triumph for unmanned applications at Shell, it recently launched the remote-controlled vessel X-07 to inspect the Ormen Lange gas field off the coast of Norway.

This kind of remote data collection turned out to be essential in a global pandemic, but Shell sees its application long after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. 

“This is the new normal, not a temporary fix,” says Michael Kaldenbach, Shell’s Digital Realities Leader. “We can work more safely and efficiently.”

Beyond Data Collection: Using UAS Output & ML to Make Decisions

The data collected in any UAS ultimately must be processed to create actionable insights that provide value and direction for decision-making. To optimize UAS solutions, the data collected must be paired with machine learning (ML), data visualisation and analytics tools.

Rather than a human reviewing hours of video footage, Shell uses advanced machine vision and learning to automatically process vast amounts of visual data to generate reports on potential problem areas.

Image from Shell

Image from Shell

UAS & USV Solutions Are Here to Stay

While COVID-19 certainly sped up the timeline for many of Shell’s UAS and USV applications, the initiatives have been in the works for years. 

Remote, unmanned solutions have been invaluable during the pandemic, but they’re not going anywhere any time soon...except wherever each mission might take them.