Nauticus Robotics Inc., a developer of ocean robots and artificial intelligence for autonomous services in offshore industries, has entered into a contract with Shell plc for inspection services on a subsea field development in the Gulf of Mexico. While the contract value has not been disclosed, it provides the possibility for future inspection service projects.
The contract comes after Nauticus successfully qualified its autonomous methods of subsea operations for inspection services. This recognition demonstrates the company’s transition to a fully operational offshore services provider.
The project will utilize Nauticus’ autonomous subsea robot Aquanaut to perform noncontact and contact inspections across an extensive subsea complex. Aquanaut will serve as the “workhorse” of the project and will conduct operations in water depths exceeding 3,281 feet (1000 meters). A remote pilot will collaborate with Aquanaut through acoustic communication to ensure safe operations.
The project also features a “force multiplier” solution, allowing for multiple scopes of work to be executed simultaneously from a smaller class of service vessel. Aquanaut’s ability to operate without an umbilical connection is a key factor in enabling the business case for this approach.
Nauticus CEO Nicolaus Radford expressed enthusiasm about the contract, stating, “Nauticus now has visibility for long-term inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) services work for Shell and the opportunity to become the preferred supplier for this advanced work.”
In addition to the contract with Shell, Nauticus recently signed an agreement with Petrobras to deploy Aquanaut for infield inspection services in Brazil. The contract involves approximately two months of subsea inspection time and is one of the largest awarded contracts of its kind worldwide.
Nauticus also engaged with Equinor ASA for the deployment of its proprietary leak detection technology service. This project aims to address the need for improved leak detection technologies in subsea operations.
Nauticus Robotics offers customers data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets while reducing operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The company’s technologies are at the forefront of the industry, revolutionizing how work is done in the ocean.
Source: The original article was written by Rita Teodoro and can be found at [email protected].