Drone use cases in the oil and gas industry

Published by

Joshua Spires

on

January 31, 2025

Wondering how indoor drones, such as the Elios 3 are being used in the oil and gas industry? The primary way they are being used is to collect visual data remotely during internal inspections.

Wondering how indoor drones, such as the Elios 3 are being used in the oil and gas industry? The primary way they are being used is to collect visual data remotely during internal inspections.

Key use cases

Here's a list of the most common assets where inspectors are using indoor drones to support their internal inspections in the oil and gas industry, including notes about what inspectors are looking for and doing when inspecting them.

Chimneys & smokestacks

Performing a general visual inspections to detect cracks and anomalies on the inside of a sky-high chimney within an oil refinery.

Storage tanks

Looking for cracks and corrosion on rafters, walls, and the roof sections of storage tanks during integrity-assessment turnarounds by performing close visual inspections.

Jetties

Collecting close up images underneath a jetty to check its structural integrity, as well as the integrity of the piping it carries.

Offshore rigs, FPSOs, & drilling ships

Checking the inside of ballasts and tanks for possible anomalies of the structures on offshore rigs, FPSOs, and drilling ships.

Refineries

Performing the visual inspection of critical production units of petroleum refineries, such as Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) units and Cokers.

Asset decommissioning & rehabilitation

Assessing the extent of damages inside an asset to plan for its decommissioning or rehabilitation and evaluate the cost of the operation without putting humans at risk.

Source: Flyability

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