Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the energy industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked robotics startups developing solutions for oil & gas.
Global Startup Heat Map: 5 Top Robotics Startups
The 5 robotics startups you will explore below are chosen based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. This analysis is based on the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 robotics solutions our Innovation Researchers curated for this report. Moreover, you get insights into regions that observe a high startup activity and the global geographic distribution of the 221 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Solinas Integrity – Inspection Robots
In-pipe inspection robots inspect flow rates, help in pigging, and conduct pipe integrity assessments in complex pipeline geometries without compromising structural safety. Further, the robots overcome the need for humans in labor-intensive and dangerous work environments during pipeline repair and maintenance. In-pipe inspection robots are also useful for addressing important pipeline challenges and health, safety, and environment (HSE) concerns.
Solinas Integrity is an Indian startup offering robotic solutions for in-pipe inspections, leak detections, pigging, and tank inspection. The startup’s proprietary in-pipe inspection robot iGlobus features multiple sensors to detect leaks in oil and gas pipelines. The startup’s second in-pipe inspection robot, iPig, offers condition assessment of oil and gas pipelines. Moreover, Solinas provides the SEPoy robot for tank inspection and the Endobot for leakage detection.
Eelume – Underwater Robots
Robotic solutions are disrupting the oil and gas offshore industry with subsea and deep-sea applications. Underwater robots enable applications for setting, inspection, and maintenance of subsea Christmas trees, blowout preventers (BOP), production risers, and pipelines. To this end, emerging companies are incorporating maintenance tools, internet of things (IoT) sensors, 360-degree cameras, and heavy lifting capabilities into marine-based robots. Swimming robots simultaneously reduce risks and manpower requirements associated with offshore platforms.
Norwegian scaleup Eelume offers automated underwater vehicles (AUVs) for subsea inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) operations. Eelume is a flexible AUV engineered to operate underwater in docking stations and service the subsea installations, whenever needed. It features a modular system that consists of sensors, joints, thrusters, cameras, and lights. The AUV’s dual-arm configuration provides specialized tools for grabbing, torquing, and cleaning, that allow subsea engineers to efficiently maintain installations. Eelume also reduces human intervention by increasing safety and precision in offshore structural operations.
Blueprint Lab – Robotic Arms
Robotic arms and end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) are very useful for applications in the oil and gas industry. In upstream operations, they connect the rig floor to drill pipes, in addition to possessing gripping, welding, and assembly operations capabilities. In the midstream industry, robotic arms localize stations of gases and material handling while also offering support for inspections, forklifts, and maintenance & repairs. And for downstream operations, industrial robotic arms increase productivity and reduce costs by assisting in plant and refinery operations, process handling, and maintenance of equipment.
Australian startup Blueprint Lab enables automation in the oil and gas industry by developing robotic arms. The startup’s advanced robotic arms are capable of working in harsh and dangerous environments. Blueprint Lab’s robotic arms comprise of manipulators, master arms, and reach controls, that attach to underwater vehicles and other infrastructure. The startup’s robotic manipulators enable engineers to perform complex interventions, visual inspections, and non-destructive testing (NDT) for offshore structures. Blueprint Lab’s robotic arms further offer reliability, high grip-strength, and reduce overall mission time.
uWare – Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
AUVs reduce human intervention in subsea operations by utilizing self-propulsion and computer-controlled systems. The remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) find multiple industry use cases in the scientific, military, commercial, marine, and geoscience industries. In the oil and gas industry, AUVs map the seafloor before installing subsea infrastructure and pipelines. Using AUVs is a cost-effective approach to subsea installations, which also creates minimum disruption to the environment.
Belgian startup uWare produces AUVs that serve many purposes. The startup’s AUVs are advanced and robust, designed for exploring deep ocean surfaces, and require minimal to no assistance. uWare’s AUVs find applications in oil and gas exploration, sea-floor surveying, and infrastructure inspections. By integrating artificial intelligence and wireless communication technologies, uWare’s AUVs are useful in the inspection, monitoring, and protection of underwater assets and operations.
Rigarm – Drilling Systems Automation (DSA)
Offshore drilling requires skilled people to work in harsh offshore environments as it comes with a high risk for workers’ safety. Drilling Systems Automation is based on digital industrial communication, control, and automation. DSA systems consist of drill floor robots, robotic roughnecks, multi-size elevators, and robotic pipe handlers to effectively improve the performance and efficiency of the drilling operations. This also helps oil and gas drilling companies reduce well costs and promote general drilling safety.
Canadian startup Rigarm offers a patented Autonomous Rig as a part of a DSA solution. Rigarm’s solutions include downhole sensor systems, vision-enabled autonomous robots, LIDAR, and radar. The Autonomous Rig comprises smart robotic pipe handlers that work as one to transport pipe stands. The Autonomous Rig also offers a dual-path mast with a movable crown block that helps cut overall trip times. Further, the startup offers drilling engineers solutions for software development and building mechanical & electronic designs.
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