Tag: Shell

  • Shell and DJI partner on drone tech for energy industry

    Shell and DJI partner on drone tech for energy industry

    2,300-acre Shell Deer Park Refinery provides complex testbed for aerial inspections and incident response

    Photo: SimonSkafar/E+/Getty Images
    Photo: SimonSkafar/E+/Getty Images

    DJI is partnering with Shell Oil Company to create, test and deploy DJI drone technology at its Deer Park Manufacturing Complex to improve efficiency and worker safety during industrial inspections and emergency incident response.

    The Shell Deer Park drone team adopted DJI drones in 2016 to reduce the need to work at height while improving safety and cutting the cost of inspections in the process. As a Solution Development Partner, Shell will work with DJI to develop and test advanced drone solutions, like the DJI Matrice 300 RTK, that allow workers to automate required inspections of critical infrastructure like flare tips and floating roof tanks whose condition and activity are difficult to assess from ground level.

    “As one of the world’s largest energy companies, Shell has provided us with valuable insight into the unique challenges of conducting aerial inspections at one of its largest facilities where infrastructure exceeds the height of 250 feet off the ground,” said Cynthia Huang, until recently the director of business development at DJI. “Through our collaboration, DJI will receive valuable first-hand insight into the complexities of deploying drone technology at a world-class refinery, and co-develop new product features like AI Spot-Check that will allow Shell and other innovative energy companies to use drones to safely and easily conduct required inspections of critical infrastructure.”

    “Shell Deer Park is excited to become a Solution Development Partner with DJI as we continue to adopt drone technology,” said Shell Deer Park’s Chief Drone Pilot John McClain. “Through this partnership, Shell Deer Park will have access to some of the most advanced drone technology from DJI to help elevate workplace safety and improve efficiency across our operations in the world’s largest industry.”

  • Terra Drone Europe completes aerial 3D survey, 3D model for Shell oil rig platform

    Terra Drone Europe completes aerial 3D survey, 3D model for Shell oil rig platform

    Terra Drone Europe, a group company of Terra Drone Corporation, has completed an aerial 3D survey and produced a 3D model of an offshore oil rig platform in the North Sea for Shell.

    According to Terra Drone Europe, the platform complex that was surveyed was positioned several years ago when GNSS survey techniques were neither very advanced nor common. Several coordinates were known and as-build drawings were available, but Shell wanted to know the position of each and every element on the platform to facilitate accurate drill rig positioning.

    Terra Drone Europe completed an aerial 3D survey and produced a 3D model of an offshore oil rig platform in the North Sea for Shell. (Photo: Terra Drone)
    Terra Drone Europe completed an aerial 3D survey and produced a 3D model of an offshore oil rig platform in the North Sea for Shell. (Photo: Terra Drone)

    Thus, the company recruited Terra Drone Europe to capture the as-is conditions through a high-precision oil rig platform survey. According to Terra Drone, the survey was divided into two parts: one part dedicated to creating a 3D point cloud and the second to accurately check the position of the platform using GNSS readings.

    Two GNSS receivers were installed at several different locations on each platform and used to log in the raw data which was later processed. When this data was combined with the 3D point cloud created by Terra Drone Europe, the coordinates of each asset on the platform structure were determined.

    Terra Drone Corporation recently established new branches focusing on the oil and gas sector in Argentina, Angola, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates. The company also formed a new branch to provide advanced nondestructive testing and inspection services to the oil and gas industry.