Robotics aid safety in oil & gas.

Throughout unmanned facilities within the oil and gas industry, a human presence is generally still needed for regular inspection work, so deploying Ex certified robots (ATEX and IECEx Zone 1) incorporated with the ION Science Falco, can have a significant positive impact on safety by minimising worker field trips, which in turn reduces operating costs.

ION Science’s Falco VOC (volatile organic compound) monitor boasts fast response times and several innovative design features. The instrument’s typhoon technology prevents condensation forming on the sensor making it ideal for use in high humidity and harsh weather conditions.

Ian Peerless, Operations Director at ExRobotics comments: “Our robots are used in the oil and gas industry mainly for first response, fugitive emission and preventative maintenance. The introduction of more stringent fugitive emission regulations and the subsequent opening up of new markets prompted the need for a fixed gas detection instrument that could be incorporated into our remotely operated ExR-1 robot.

“The ION Science Falco VOC monitor was recommended by a significant player in the oil industry who conducted extensive performance tests and trials at a large refinery where the Falco came out on top. When ExRobotics did testing of its own, we also found the detector to be robust and reliable.”

The ExRobotics ExR-1 robot is equipped with camera’s for visual inspection, microphones for sound monitoring and the Falco gas detector for leak detection. It sends an alarm to the control room if a leak is detected.

ExR-1 with Falco navigates autonomously through installations and find its way back to its docking station to recharge. This means that inspectors and operators can reduce their visits to remote or hazardous locations, greatly improving their work safety.

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