How drone pipeline monitoring could benefit the oil and gas industry

Pipelines are the backbone of the oil and gas industry, which makes pipeline monitoring a top priority. A single crack can shut down a company's entire operation, resulting in frustrated customers and costly business disruptions. For example, total costs—including business losses and cleanup—for the Keystone pipeline leak were an estimated $480 million. Additionally, pipeline spills may result in environmental damage, harming the planet and a company's reputation.

Pipeline inspections have traditionally been conducted using sensors that are either carried by humans or mounted on the pipe itself. For example, fixed detectors—located at areas of a pipeline where issues are more likely to occur—have sensors that send notifications to the company if a leak occurs. Inspectors also walk the pipeline in locations not reachable by the fixed detectors, using portable sensors.

However, manual inspections are dangerous and costly. Inspectors travel to remote locations and physically walk the pipelines in conditions that are often unsafe, putting the inspectors at risk. Since 2000, more than 307 people died in the U.S. during pipeline inspections, and 1,221 people have been injured. In that same time period, pipeline incidents in the U.S. cost $9.7 billion.
 

Using drones in oil and gas

Oil and gas companies are turning to drones for pipeline monitoring to reduce both costs and risks. According to the World Economic Forum, drones can be used for numerous use cases in building, operating and maintaining pipelines.¹ For example, pipeline safety, operations and maintenance are improved through leak and spill detection, safety audits and preventative inspections.²

By integrating drones in the oil and gas industries with sensors and public 5G connectivity or a private 5G network, where it is available, oil and gas companies could be able to transform the way they manage their operations and potentially increase safety. During a drone inspection, an engineer monitors the autonomous drone from a control room. The drone's sensors use computer vision to automatically detect issues and artificial intelligence (AI)-based image analytics to detect abnormalities. Among other things, the drone looks at patterns on the concrete and metal surface to look for joint failures, protective coat loss and physical changes such as indentations and bending.

With more frequent inspections, a drone can find leaks in the very early stages, which reduces costs and impact. During the inspection, the sensors can analyze air samples to discover potential leaks. Some drones are equipped with specialized cameras that can provide additional information based on radiation absorption. When physical damage or corrosion is detected, the drone sends the relevant video feedback to the control room. If more information is needed, the engineer can take over the drone's controls and maneuver it to inspect specific areas. In many cases, the engineer can use the drone to prevent further damage from an identified issue, such as preventing tiny cracks from becoming leaks.
 

Benefits of drone monitoring for oil and gas companies

Here are common benefits of drones in oil and gas for monitoring pipelines:
 

Reduced costs

Using drones for aerial inspection and other tasks instead of mounting fixed detectors in high risk areas may help improve cost efficiencies, since they can access hard to reach areas. They can also help reduce labor costs by significantly cutting down on inspection time. Drones are more flexible and can be more rapidly deployed for quick inspections than human-piloted aircraft. Additionally, drones can help spot possible issues early, which can save money through early preventative maintenance rather than costly repairs.
 

Greater coverage than foot patrols

Some areas are challenging to reach by foot, so they are not inspected as often—or not inspected at all. With drone monitoring, companies can inspect their entire pipeline on a more regular basis, even in remote areas.
 

Improved safety

Because workers no longer have to conduct foot patrols along the pipeline, worker safety is significantly improved. Improved working conditions also increase employee retention. According to a fairly recent research paper, work environment—which the researchers defined as the degree employees feel physically safe at work—significantly and positively affects employee retention.
 

The future of pipeline monitoring

Drone technology represents the next best practice for pipeline monitoring, especially in terms of safety. By keeping their workers safe, oil and gas companies can decrease costs, reduce risks and increase retention.

Learn more about how Verizon's technologies and solutions can provide the right connectivity for you to use drones for pipeline monitoring in oil and gas.

The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.