The oil and gas industry is massive—with an estimated revenue of $3.3 trillion it makes up 3.8% of the entire global economy. And now the industry is growing even larger thanks to drone technology.
Drones are streamlining several oil and gas operations including pipeline inspections. They can fly over vast stretches of land at minimal cost while taking high-quality photos and video for asset holders to assess pipe conditions.
In this article, we’ll compare drone and traditional pipeline inspection methods, why drones are better, and some of the current challenges to using drones in pipeline surveys.
So whether you’re an engineer, inspector, or drone pilot, this guide is for you.
Table of Contents
The United States Oil and Gas Pipeline Infrastructure
Before we dive in, let’s first review what the oil and gas pipeline infrastructure in the US currently looks like.
Oil and natural gas are extracted from the earth through wells. The companies that focus on this stage are called “exploration and production” (E&P) companies. They look for areas of land where drilling in the ground will yield the most results. Right now, there are over a million oil wells in the US and more are being built each year.
Most of the time oil and natural gas are extracted out of the same well, but they must be separated before they can be transported. That’s why there are two main types of oil and gas pipelines:
- Petroleum pipelines—They gather crude oil from production wells and transport it to refineries. Once refined into gasoline or kerosene, the oil is transferred to storage or distribution stations.
- Natural gas pipelines—Natural gas pipelines gather raw gas from production wells and then transport it to ports, refiners, cities, homes, and businesses.
Video Credit: Business Insider
There are over 129 operating US petroleum refineries where gas and oil are converted into gasoline, jet fuel, heating oil, asphalt, and more. And there are over 2.6 million miles of oil and gas pipeline that stretch across the country to transport it all.
Though some of the pipelines are above ground, most are underground. As a result, the average American isn’t aware of how vast the oil and gas pipeline network really is.
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The Importance of Inspecting Pipelines
Oil and gas pipelines need to be inspected several times per year to ensure they function properly and to prevent costly damage—like leaks, corrosion, and even explosions.
In 2012, for example, a pipeline in Sissonville, West Virginia exploded, destroying 3 houses and damaging several others. The reason? The pipeline hadn’t been inspected since 1988 and had started to corrode due to a deteriorating pipe coating.
That’s why inspections are so important. They can detect corrosion, anomalies, and cracks to help prevent pipeline bursts, punctures, fractures, buckling, and more.
In fact, 25% of pipeline accidents are caused by corrosion. So without regular inspection, the risk of pipeline failure will go unnoticed and could lead to disaster for the surrounding neighborhoods and environment.
Widespread Adoption of Drones in Oil and Gas
With the environmental stakes so high, we are seeing more and more oil and gas companies starting to implement drone technology in their operations. They include BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and more.
These companies are actively using drones to inspect and monitor not only pipelines but onshore and offshore oil wells and construction sites. They are also using them to respond to industrial accidents like oil spills. All of this improves safety, increases efficiency, and cuts costs across a range of oil and gas operations.
For example, drones can inspect an oil rig while it’s still in operation to save companies thousands of dollars in shut-down costs. Or they can provide as-built surveys for tracking construction on new oil rigs. The benefits are huge.
“These missions can add value across the lifecycle of an oil and gas asset, including during site selection, pre-construction, progress monitoring, pre-purchase evaluation, asset management and inspection, and the decommissioning of assets.”
- Patrick Lohman, PrecisionHawk
Traditional Methods of Inspecting Pipelines
In a traditional pipeline inspection, a ground team surveys a pipeline on foot at about 6 miles per day. Along the way, they use portable leak detectors and their eyes to look for any signs of corrosion or leaks.
But manual inspections are time consuming and labor intensive. They also expose workers to unnecessary safety risks from the pipelines and often dangerous terrain.
Sometimes inspectors use cars or ATVs to get from one point to the next to speed things up or they’ll even use helicopters to get a wider aerial view. But this can get expensive fast as a typical helicopter inspection costs about $3000 per hour.
When you consider all the man hours and equipment costs, it’s easy to see how many companies struggle to inspect their pipelines as frequently as they should.
What's included in the PDF...
The complete step-by-step beginners roadmap for infrastructure inspections
Crucial factors of success when implementing a drone program
The game-changing advantages of utilizing drones for inspections
Benefits of Using Drones for Pipeline Inspections
Luckily, drones can help cut costs and make pipeline inspections much more efficient and effective. In fact, drone surveys offer several benefits over traditional pipeline inspection methods. Let’s go over them:
Leak Detection
Drones can capture detailed aerial images over large stretches with both high-resolution RGB cameras and thermal sensors that show variations in temperature. That way, you can quickly get a comprehensive view of any pipeline.
Then you can use advanced drone software to pinpoint anomalies in the footage and find potential leaks. This automates the leak detection process and nearly eliminates many human errors.
Faster Inspections
Drones can also inspect pipelines more quickly. Not only are they easy to deploy but they can fly up to 60 MPH (100 km/h) from large heights to cover much more ground than a foot patrol can. For example, DJI Enterprise helped oil and gas company PipeChina inspect over 110 miles of pipeline in just one day:
Video Credit: DJI Enterprise
On top of that, you can program drones to fly predetermined routes. That way, the drone can fly routine inspections while you sit back and receive real-time survey data.
Emergency Response
Drones can also help in emergency situations. If a pipeline explodes, they can be quickly deployed on the scene and give a real-time video assessment. This lets you check to see when the site is safe enough to send in emergency crews.
Drones can also monitor pipelines during and after natural disasters like storms. That way, you can make sure any damage to a pipe is addressed quickly. Whether it’s a pipeline failure or a natural disaster, drones can provide live aerial monitoring to help save assets and even lives.
Security
Pipelines face a growing security threat from vandalism, theft, and even terrorism. This is partly because there’s been an increase in anti-pipeline activism over the years. For example, between 2016 and 2017, activists protested the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) to defend the sacred land of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Such events call for increased security to maintain the peace and protect all parties involved.
One way drones can help is by flying aerial patrols. They can regularly monitor pipelines and provide real-time updates for added security.
Keeping Workers Safe
Drones also improve worker safety. They can easily get to hard-to-reach locations and provide real-time footage of pipelines for asset holders to monitor remotely. This way, they eliminate the need for inspectors to cover rugged terrain, use dangerous equipment, and expose themselves to toxic chemicals.
By performing more frequent inspections, drones can also detect leaks and corrosion sooner. This helps prevent future accidents that might put workers’ health and safety at risk.
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Existing Challenges of Drone Pipeline Surveys
All that said, using drones for pipeline surveys also has its challenges. Here are some that you should know:
Beyond Visual Line of Sight
One of the major obstacles for drones in inspecting pipelines is staying within visual line of sight (VLOS). The FAA requires all drone pilots to stay within VLOS unless they get a special waiver, which can be difficult to do.
But many drone operators and manufacturers have found creative ways to get around this. For example, the DJI Matrice 300 RTK has a “handoff” feature that allows a second pilot in another location to take control of a drone mid-flight. This allows multiple pilots to be spaced out within VLOS of the drone and fly it long distances uninterrupted.
Keep in mind, the DJI Matrice 300 RTK and similar drones will cost you upwards of $10,000. And that doesn’t even include the cameras, extra batteries, and other required equipment. So the costs associated with complying with BVLOS regulations can be quite high.
Reviewing and Organizing the Data
Drone pipeline inspections produce a lot of data. So you’ll need a good way to review, share, and organize it all. You can take different approaches here but a software solution is usually best. It’ll keep everything in one place and streamline workflows for you.
For example, advanced drone software like DroneDeploy helps you take photos along pipeline routes and automatically piece them together so that you have the health status of the entire pipeline on a high-resolution map.
Airspace Restrictions
Another challenge in drone pipeline inspections is getting the right flight authorization. If you don’t, you’ll be flying illegally. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) divides the national airspace into uncontrolled, controlled, and restricted airspace and has different rules for each:
- Uncontrolled airspace is unrestricted and does not require preflight authorization.
- Controlled airspace requires you to request Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) authorization. You can usually get this within minutes on a LAANC app.
- Restricted airspace aka no-fly zones requires you to get a special waiver from the proper authority, which is often a government or military institution.
Next Steps: Hiring a Professional Drone Pipeline Inspection Company
Are you ready to use drones on your next pipeline inspection? Well, you’re now off to a good start. This is a growing field with plenty of new developments happening every day.
And if you’re looking for a professional drone service company, The Drone Life can help. Our expert pilots have helped on several infrastructure inspections to help our clients reduce inspection time and implement new drone technology workflows. Feel free to contact us today for a free consultation.
What's included in the PDF...
The complete step-by-step beginners roadmap for infrastructure inspections
Crucial factors of success when implementing a drone program
The game-changing advantages of utilizing drones for inspections
