DR I LLI N G AUTOMATION
connections. Cameras capture images of
the location and orientation of the bolts
and other equipment; a control system
then analyzes these images and other sen-
sor information and communicates with
the robotic arms to ensure that factors
such as position and rotational angle are
correct before the robots place and torque
the bolts. The robots can also perform
other tasks, such as installing or removing
a hole cover or filling hydraulic lines.
Robotic arms like these are more com-
monly used in controlled environments,
such as manufacturing plants, not the
harsh, dynamic conditions of an offshore
drilling rig. The design team incorporat-
ed adaptive control software to help the
robots perform consistently even when
wind or waves affect the motion of the
drillship and riser, for example.
The robotic system is integrated with
the rig’s restricted zone access manage-
ment system to ensure people stay away
from the robots, which will stop if a person
gets too close. There is also a direct link
“You’ve got something like this that completely
changes how you’ve ever done anything before
– put big yellow robots out on the rig floor. And
once you take that step, you start to think, what
else is possible?”
- Travis McGuire, Transocean
back to onshore operations assurance pro-
cesses, which continuously monitor how
activities are running on the rig.
Next step in offshore
automation The introduction of the robotic riser
system has been a positive experience
for Transocean and has stimulated idea
creation for other potential automation
applications, Mr McGuire said.
“You’ve got something like this that
completely changes how you’ve ever done
anything before – put big yellow robots
out on the rig floor. And once you take
that step, you start to think, what else is
possible? How can we use these things to
leverage other ideas?”
What about the common concern that
automation is going to displace traditional
rig jobs?
“I don’t think we’re near that point right
now,” Mr McGuire said. Looking at all of
the processes that a drilling operation
entails, there are so many small activities
that could be automated, but “somebody’s
going to be there to be a part of that pro-
cess.” DC
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