The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is advancing subsea pipeline safety through the development of Smart Touch, a state-of-the-art robotic inspection technology designed to overcome limitations of current manual inspection methods. Timely and accurate inspection of subsea pipelines, particularly bolted flanges, is critical to preventing leaks and mitigating environmental risks. Existing techniques rely heavily on human operators and are costly and time-intensive, especially in deep-water environments. This research aims to advance the technology readiness of autonomous, robotics-enabled solution that integrates Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) equipped with stress-wave-based smart touch sensors, scanning sonar, and video systems to perform fully automated underwater inspections.
The project will be executed in two phases: (1) validation of smart sensing technology using manually controlled ROVs, and (2) development of advanced core technologies, including machine learning algorithms for bolt-looseness detection, autopilot navigation, and automated smart touch manipulation. By advancing autonomous inspection and predictive maintenance, BSEE supports the reduction in operational risks and improvement in environmental protection in offshore oil and gas operations.
Ongoing