Presentation
Conversion of a Conventional Workboat into an Unmanned Craft for Offshore Oil Spill Containment and Recovery Operations
SessionMeet the Poster Authors
DescriptionOil spills are one of the most significant environmental disasters, causing severe harm to marine life, water quality, and coastal communities. The containment and recovery of oil spills require specialized equipment and skilled personnel to be effective. Workboats that operate by towing oil booms are an essential part of oil spill containment and recovery operations. However, this operation can last for hours, being stressful and uncomfortable for the crew inside the workboat to maintain constant radio communication and hands on controls to keep the formation with the mother vessel. Furthermore, this operation has been associated with a significant number of accidents, resulting in injuries and fatalities. As the oil and gas industry has a drive for zero accidents, the use of uncrewed workboats is a possible solution to achieve higher safety standards while also improving the effectiveness of operations. This poster presents a case study of the conversion of a workboat into an uncrewed craft, describing the steps of the project, from requirements gathering to full deployment exercise with an offshore oil boom. We share lessons learned and conclude that such conversion is a cost-effective way to mitigate risks to human life.
Authors
Event Type
Poster
TimeMonday, May 13th5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
LocationExhibit Hall G
Preparedness
Prevention
Remediation
Response
Restoration