'Toolbox' could improve deep-sea inspection of oil pipelines

Researchers involved in the GREX project aim to develop new technology that will allow autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to work together as a team, meaning that it will be possible to inspect more vital deep-sea oil drilling infrastructure at greater speed.

Jörg Kalwa, who represents project co-ordinator ATLAS Elektronik, said that the oil industry normally carries out inspections of offshore pipelines with remotely operated unmanned vehicles (ROVs) controlled by long cables that relay information to a supply ship on the sea surface.

These ships are expensive to rent and he said that savings could be made by deploying a team of long-range AUVs to carry out inspections from multiple angles and locations simultaneously.

While oil companies have used AUVs for deep ocean-floor explorations before, the devices are usually designed to carry out various inspection duties on their own, Kalwa said, meaning they carry a significant amount of onboard sensors and move slowly as they comb vast areas.