TECH & AI

The amount bp’ s oil production has increased since it adopted new technologies

The role of robots Equipment failure on an offshore platform can ripple across an entire asset, so early detection matters. Specialist monitoring teams track pressure, flow and equipment behaviour, watching for warning signs before they escalate.

Some of that work is now shifting to machines. In the Gulf of America, shoeboxsized robots are being used to inspect underwater sections of platforms, a task that previously required divers. bp expects this programme to save millions of dollars in maintenance costs over the next four years, though it has not disclosed a precise figure.

Similar drones and task-based robots are in use in Azerbaijan, where bp has also built a digital twin of all nine offshore platforms in the Caspian. Engineers use the twin to simulate scenarios and plan maintenance remotely, and the company is now considering extending the model to the onshore Sangachal Terminal.

Marianna Kerimova, Transformation & Technology Manager at bp, is direct about what she sees as the point of the investment.“ It delivers its greatest value when it keeps people safe, removes complexity and helps teams make better decisions,” she explains.

All these small improvements are adding up to something far greater across bp’ s operations. Herlinde Mannaerts- Drew, the company’ s SVP of Upstream Research & Development, says that bp’ s historic investments in technology are now bearing fruit.“ Years of focused technology integration is now paying off, helping to lift production and set new performance records in parts of the business,” she says.

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