TECH
Robotics reshape offshore platform operations
Autonomous crawlers, ROVs, and manipulators take on dangerous inspection work.
Soft robotic tentacle. Photo by National Robotarium.
Robots now handle dangerous jobs on platforms at sea. They inspect, listen, and map equipment. This cuts risk, lowers costs, and keeps assets running longer.
ANYmal joins Equinor’s CCS facility. Equinor deployed ANYbotics’ four-legged ANYmal D robot at the Northern Lights CCS site. It autonomously performs inspections and monitoring in hazardous, unmanned offshore areas.
Tentacle robot tested for subsea inspections. Researchers from the UK and Brazil unveiled a soft, tentacle-like underwater robot to inspect subsea pipelines and platforms. The design improves safety and precision in complex offshore environments.
Oceaneering wins Petrobras contracts. Oceaneering announced $180 million in robotics contracts with Petrobras in 2025. The deal covers ROV services, inspection, maintenance, and tooling support for Brazilian offshore platforms.
Taurob Operator deployed offshore SE Asia. A Taurob Operator robot has been running independently for six months on an unmanned platform in Southeast Asia. The unit is remotely programmed from thousands of kilometers away.
Robots move into FPSO tanks. Equinor and Ouronova are co-developing robots for FPSO tank cleaning, inspection, and painting. These systems reduce the need for risky human entry into confined offshore spaces.
That’s not all: offshore robotics are moving from pilot to mainstream. Analysts expect autonomous robots to handle most inspection and maintenance tasks by 2030, cutting downtime and boosting platform safety.
—TFI
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