The oil and gas industry has seen its fair share of change over the past few years. New technologies are continually streamlining both upstream and downstream activities. Whilst major industry players are starting to incorporate more sustainable practices. A response to the more society-wide shift towards a greener present and future. Of all the oil and gas industry trends that we’ve seen, however, one of the most exciting has been the industry’s adoption of drone technology. The team here at TriStone Holdings Ltd, a rapidly growing oil and gas venture capital firm, wanted to take a look at how these aerial helpers are contributing to the overall progression of the industry.
Helping With Pipelines
Pipeline leakages have been the bane of drilling companies for decades now. Not only do they cause untold financial stress, but they also have severe environmental repercussions. What’s worse is that these are not uncommon occurrences by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, according to Fractracker, between 2010 and the end of 2019, the US sae a total of 6,298 pipeline accidents. Part of the reason that so many pipeline incidents crop up, is because it has traditionally been labour-intensive and difficult to regularly monitor them. Before drones, a physical inspection was the only way in which you could spot potential faults within the pipe. Now, however, drones can be sent out to conduct the more routine inspection work, saving time, money and man-hours.
Surveillance
Drilling operations, and the equipment utilised therein, are expensive setups. That’s before you even begin to factor in the valuable natural resource they’re set up to extract. All of which means that drilling sites must have high levels of security and surveillance. Drones, with their 360-degree monitoring, can deliver a much clearer surveillance picture than static cameras and security guards. This makes them an appealing prospect for many oil companies.
Exploration Of Potential New Sites
Increasingly, drones are being used to explore and inspect potential oil and gas sites. They can carry out aerial (and underground) explorations and can report back not only video imagery, but 3D modelling, infrared analysis, and much more. Thanks to drones, topographical and geographical surveys become much easier to carry out. In short, they help build up a more detailed and accurate picture than an oil and gas company would traditionally have been able to do.
This presents a real money-saving opportunity in that, thanks to drones, companies will make better decisions; they’re less likely to pursue a site which will yield poorer results or turn out to be a ‘dud’. You may be beginning to see, then, just why drone technology has become one of the frontrunners of oil and gas industry trends over the past couple of years.
The drone technologies being put out are becoming ever-smarter. Their uses and applications within the oil and gas industry, therefore, are only going to increase in the future. Smarter drilling means better drilling, and drone technology certainly facilitate smarter drilling. So, if you’d like to find out more about our work as an oil and gas venture capital company, or about any of the other oil and gas industry trends, then get in touch! Contact TriStone Holdings Ltd today on 0800 055 7079 to learn more. We’ve also featured in numerous press publications, which you can find here. Whilst you’re at it, why not take a look at our company’s Facebook page here!
