Offshore robotics - survey, implementation, outlook

This paper describes a feasibility study for the use of robotics in offshore oil and gas exploration and production facilities. One application for robotics with potential to reduce operational expenditure and health, safety and environment exposure is a Mobile Universal Service Robot. The implementation of a first demonstrator and its evaluation in a real world field test is described afterwards. Assisted tele-operation as well as the capability to manipulate process equipment were two requests raised by offshore professionals during this field test. Finally this paper describes approaches of the ImRoNet project to achieve these requests.