RusselSmith, Kongsberg Ferrotech introduce autonomous subsea robots in Nigeria

RusselSmith, Nigerian integrated oil field services provider, has teamed up with Kongsberg Ferrotech, a Norwegian subsea robotics company, to introduce a range of autonomous subsea robotic technologies to the Nigerian market.

The robotic solutions are designed to perform inspection, repair and maintenance tasks on subsea pipelines, with the advantage of being able to assess and repair subsea pipes in a single operation without divers and other conventional vessel-supported equipment.

This partnership will see RusselSmith further improving its subsea monitoring, repair and lifetime extension service offerings for rigid and flexible pipes, umbilicals and ancillaries.

Christopher Carlsen, Kongsberg Ferrotech’s general manager, said: “We are very pleased to collaborate with RusselSmith to introduce our autonomous robotic technologies to the Nigerian market. We believe that these technologies will have a very positive impact on Asset Integrity Management operations in the country.”

RusselSmith’s divisional chief executive, Effiong Okwong, said: “This is a game-changer for our operations. It is also a positive development for the Nigerian oil & gas industry because operators in Nigeria now have access to a versatile and effective emergency pipeline repair system that has a small footprint and is also autonomous. We have a growing number of ageing assets in the country that require focused maintenance and life extension efforts. Such maintenance efforts can now be further optimized for efficiency and made more cost-effective by adopting robotic solutions like ours.

“On the environmental front, we can expect to see a reduction in pollution due to pipeline leaks because operators will be better equipped to maintain pipelines and respond quickly to incidents. At RusselSmith, our focus remains on providing smart technology solutions to help our customers unlock more value from their assets in safe and efficient ways.”