Flare StackInspections
The Sky Guys were approached by a multinational oil and gas company to conduct an inspection for the structural evaluation, condition assessment and technical analysis of live flare stacks located in the Sarnia Manufacturing Centre for Shell Canada Ltd.
The Scope of Work (SOW) required:
- Capture of digital imagery/ video of live assets.
- Preparation of data for technical analysis, in accordance with the scope under the engagement contract.
Conducting the inspection while the asset was live, and streaming a live feed to the ground enabled our client to adjust valve and blow-off pressures to adequately analyze their assets throughout normal operational conditions.
The raw site data required to fulfill the requirements set forth in the engagement contract was captured in 4 UAV flights over a 2-hour period.
OIL & GAS - DRONE METHOD VS. TRADITIONAL INSPECTIONS
TIME SAVINGS
COST SAVINGS
Results
By conducting an inspection of live assets, we eliminated the requirement for a shutdown. Typically, 2 shutdowns are required. One for the analysis of the existing structure, the other for the refurbishment/ replacement required as a result of the existing structure. Our flight concluded that there was no need for a shutdown to repair or refurbish anything on the assets in question.
Our client estimated that with the potential knowledge gained from a UAV inspection, they would be able to eliminate the repair shutdown time by at least 50%. The UAV data would provide actionable insight into the types of materials required for repair, personnel and time requirements to improve operational efficiency.
| The Sky Guys | Traditional | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INSPECTION | Collecting raw site data for analysis | 2 hours on site | 7 days on site |
| REQUIRED LABOR | Teams and expertise required for fulfillment | 2-man team, pilot and sensor operator | 10-man team, including, scaffolding workers, technicians and engineers |
| FLARE STACK SHUTDOWN | For measurement / analysis | No shutdown required | 2 days |
| PROJECT FULFILLMENT | Data capture, production of actionable data, delivery | Completed on site | Completed on site |
| COST | Cost to client to collect site data for analysis, including costs associated with flare stack shutdown | $5,566 | $25,000 + labour $5,000,000+ (potential lost revenues during shutdown) |
| SAVINGS | 97% time savings and 78% cost savings, matching inspection-grade accuracy 99.9% cost savings potential from lost revenues |
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