The Age of Drones

Trude Meland

Drones are used in a wide range of applications, from hobbyists taking vacation photos or videos, to infrastructure inspection in industry or modern warfare. Drones can also be used to transport items offshore.

— The drone has just taken off from Gullfaks A, heading towards Gullfaks C. Photo: Heino Maurer/Norwegian Petroleum Museum

In August 2022, drones were used for the first time to fly between two installations in the North Sea. The flight went between Gullfaks A and B.

In December 2021, Equinor and Nordic Unmanned signed a contract for drone services worth up to 2.7 million euros. The goal was to establish daily drone routes between various offshore installations and dedicated supply bases, as a supplement to helicopters. Under certain conditions, drones could be both faster and less resource-intensive, for example when there is an urgent need for small parts.

The base for drone traffic in the field was to be on Gullfaks C. Nordic Unmanned stated in a press release that this was the world’s first offshore logistics operation using drones.[REMOVE]Fotnote: TU – 22. juli 2022 – Starter daglige droneflyvninger på Gullfaks-feltet

The drones weighed 25 kg and had a capacity to carry loads of up to four kilograms. In other words, small and urgent deliveries.[REMOVE]

The charging station for the drone battery is stored beneath the helideck. The drone was part of a pilot project transporting packages between Gullfaks A and C. Photo: Shadé B. Martins/Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Fotnote: NRK 18.9.2023 – Nå flyr Equinor daglige droneturer med utstyr til plattformene

3D Printing and Innovative Logistics

It was not the first time drones were used on the Norwegian continental shelf. In August 2020, Equinor conducted drone flights from Mongstad to the Troll A platform. The drones also flew between platforms.

The first cargo was a 3D-printed diesel nozzle holder – a critical component in the lifeboats on Troll A. The part was no longer in production and difficult to obtain. An advanced metal 3D printer created a replica in a durable industrial alloy. The flight took just over an hour to cover approximately 80 kilometers to the Troll field at an altitude of about 5,000 feet. The operation was considered successful.

On September 15, 2023, the operations center for drone flights between Mongstad and the oil fields in the North Sea was opened in Bergen, at Equinor’s offices in Sandsli. The drones were based at the oil facility in Mongstad in Nordhordland.

The use of drones can be both faster and more cost-effective than traditional methods such as helicopters or ships. And in emergency situations, the drones’ ability to quickly deliver small and critical parts may prove crucial.[REMOVE]Fotnote: Equinor completes world’s first logistics operation with a drone to an offshore installation – equinor.com