Publications

FSO Gagak Rimang has fifteen cargo and two slop tanks and each tank needs to be regularly inspected following risk-based inspection (RBI) program to ensure its structural integrity. This RBI is usually done by eleven personnel of rope access team and can take up to five days. The ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd (EMCL) technical team looked for the alternative methods of conducting this inspection to reduce confined space entry (CSE), working at height and heat stress risks to personnel, save time and reduce cost. The technical team worked with a specialist drone vendor which recognized by Classification Body, to pilot the use of a drone to inspect the cargo tank. A thorough drone inspection and flight plan was reviewed to address the inspection scope and complexity. The inspection was done using both caged, uncaged drone and ground camera. An expert pilot, inspector, light and air ducting operator, standby rescue and heat stress technician were the people required to be in the tank with the drone during the inspection. Compared to a rope access team results for close visual inspection (CVI) which could take days for the same sample, drone could improving the quality of the visual inspection data gathered. The first drone inspection in FSO on No. 1 starboard cargo tank was constrained by the tank temperature which limited the controller instrumentation work above 45 degree Celsius. After several trial failed, site team decided to stop the drone and change to rope access technique for completing the inspection works. Some lessons were learned for future drone usage improvement such as tank temperature, battery management, inspection timing and operating drones with breathing apparatus. Better drone specification which can sustain the FSO tank temperature for reducing the man entry risk into confined spaces for compliant inspection.