PTQ Q2 2025 Issue

Drone Inspect chimney and infrastructure

Spider & crab robot Inspect outside pipeline

Snake robot Inspect inside pipeline

Drone Inspect inside vessel

Honey bee & beetle robot Inspect inside and outside pipeline

Dog & crawler robot Patrol & monitor

Mouse & spider robot Inspect inside vessel

Carry robot Transport supplies and product

Gecko robot Inspect outside vessel

Security robots Patrol

Crawler robot Operate & manipulate

Figure 5 Many different types of drones and mobile robots are being used to perform various tasks in process plants

not just field workers, and it empowers everyone to move from task executors to decision-makers (see Figure 4 ). Understanding how decisions are made, what data are needed, where the data come from, and how decisions affect other workers in the organisation is paramount to achieving higher levels of autonomy. In the refining and petrochemical arena, decisions are becoming more com- plex, and a dearth of information or, conversely, too much information can hinder good decision-making. Everyone’s decisions need to be made based on consist- ent data and information. Workflows should be automated as much as possible to ensure everyone affected is aware of what is happening. As companies continue to invest in AI platforms and solutions, operational advisor systems for decision support will become autonomous. An example of autonomous orchestration is the automa- tion of the workflow around the prediction of equipment failure. For instance, if it is determined that a piece of equipment needs to be fixed, the system should handle all the necessary steps to accomplish it. The detection of an anomaly would trigger the maintenance system to schedule repairs at a time that minimises production disruptions. It could select the technician with the right qualifications. The system would issue work permits and instruct the workers which tools are necessary, how to get to the location, and so on. Once there, it would provide maintenance history and instructions and facilitate any necessary communica- tion with vendors or small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Robots and drones In industrial settings, where human operators traditionally conduct leak detection, gauge monitoring, and physical

inspections, robotic systems are emerging as a transform- ative technology capable of performing these essential surveillance and maintenance functions with greater pre- cision, consistency, and safety. Various types of drones and robots are gaining popularity for numerous applications in the refining and petrochemical industries. Aerial drones are used in many inspection operations. Robots come in var- ious forms, each optimised for specific tasks. With added intelligence, drones and robots will autonomously handle more jobs, including basic maintenance. The data they col- lect and the tasks they perform must be integrated with IT and operational technology (OT) data. For downstream operations, robotics primarily target asset inspection and maintenance. To maximise benefits, it is important to deploy, maintain, integrate, and coordinate various robot activities. Snake robots are ideal for inspecting inside pipes. Drones handle inspections, detecting leaks and gas emissions, and examining confined spaces. Crawler robots navigate plants to perform operator tasks. Robots with arms can do main- tenance like turning valves, pushing buttons, painting, and replacing circuit boards in cabinets. Robots may use gas sensors for leaks, high-definition (HD) cameras for gauges, infrared cameras for tempera- ture, microphones for abnormal noises, and accelerometers for vibration. Drones use cameras to capture video from elevated inspection points and perform ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurements. Deploying robots in an industrial setting requires a mobile robot management system to coordinate the various types of robots and applications. Information integration is crucial for creating a unified graphical interface where operators can monitor the actions and alerts from each robot and

PTQ Q2 2025