Whether it’s the search for next-generation transport, cleaner energy or more efficient industrial processes, successful innovation requires forward thinking, and the vision to anticipate future problems as well as to solve existing ones. Innovations designed to keep hazards and accidents at bay contribute immensely to societal progress, and yet, many often go unnoticed. The impact of their contributions is most evident in the world's energy and industrial sectors.
Making Oil and Gas Safer
Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable forms of energy will take time, and some countries will continue to rely on oil and gas exploration and production to supply their immediate energy needs. Extracting and refining fossil fuels, however, comes with its fair share of hazards that pose significant risk to human workers.
Typically, it’s thought that enhancing safety involves higher costs. In fact, an energy industry survey found that more than 80 percent of companies were expecting to increase health and safety spending in 2017. But with oil prices on a downward trend, investment in risk control measures, like maintenance and inspections, may come under pressure.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, some of the most prominent hazards facing oil and gas workers include:
- Explosions and Fires
- Confined Spaces
- Ergonomic Hazards
- High-Pressure Lines and Equipment
- Electrical and Other Hazardous Energy
Managing these hazards effectively using humans is dangerous, inefficient and expensive. Engineers at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group in Kobe, Japan are developing an autonomous inspection robot that can mitigate these risks and reduce costs at the same time.
The goal is to create a round-the-clock, automatic contactless charging, explosion-proof all-weather vehicle that can operate anywhere, from large factories to offshore rigs. Capable of detecting oil or gas leaks and system malfunctions, the robot can report problems to remote monitoring centers and carry out actions to alleviate the danger of explosions and other hazards, keeping employees out of harm’s way.
