AI-enhanced subsea maintenance for improved safety and efficiency: Exploring strategic approaches
Authors: Oludayo Olatoye Sofoluwe  , Obinna Joshua Ochulor  , Ayemere Ukato  , Dazok Donald Jambol  
Published: May 2024

As the oil and gas industry increasingly explores deeper and more remote offshore sites, the maintenance of subsea infrastructure becomes paramount. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in subsea maintenance offers promising solutions to enhance safety and efficiency in these challenging environments. This review explores strategic approaches to integrating AI into subsea maintenance operations. AI facilitates predictive maintenance by analyzing vast amounts of data collected from sensors and historical maintenance records. Machine learning algorithms can detect patterns and predict equipment failures before they occur, enabling proactive maintenance scheduling. This predictive capability reduces downtime and minimizes the risk of accidents by addressing potential issues before they escalate. AI-enabled autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) play a crucial role in subsea inspections and repairs. These AI-enhanced robots can navigate complex subsea environments, perform inspections, and execute maintenance tasks with greater precision and efficiency than human divers. By reducing the need for human intervention in hazardous environments, AI-driven AUVs and ROVs significantly improve safety. Furthermore, AI algorithms can optimize maintenance schedules based on factors such as equipment condition, environmental conditions, and operational requirements. By dynamically adjusting maintenance plans, operators can maximize equipment uptime while minimizing costs and risks. This proactive approach ensures that maintenance activities are conducted at the most opportune times, reducing the likelihood of unplanned downtime and improving overall efficiency. Moreover, AI facilitates condition-based maintenance strategies, where equipment health is continuously monitored in real-time. Sensors installed on subsea infrastructure collect data on factors such as temperature, pressure, and vibration, which is then analyzed by AI algorithms to assess equipment condition. By detecting early signs of degradation or malfunction, AI enables timely interventions, preventing costly breakdowns and ensuring optimal performance. In addition to predictive and condition-based maintenance, AI-driven analytics offer insights into operational performance and asset integrity. By analyzing data from various sources, including sensors, historical records, and operational logs, AI can identify trends, anomalies, and optimization opportunities. These insights enable operators to make data-driven decisions that enhance overall system reliability and efficiency. Strategic approaches to implementing AI in subsea maintenance require collaboration between technology providers, operators, and regulatory bodies. Establishing industry standards and guidelines for AI applications in subsea operations is crucial to ensure safety, reliability, and interoperability. Furthermore, investing in research and development to enhance AI algorithms and robotics technology is essential to unlock the full potential of AI in subsea maintenance. AI-enhanced subsea maintenance offers significant benefits in terms of safety and efficiency. By leveraging predictive analytics, autonomous robotics, and real-time monitoring, operators can optimize maintenance activities, reduce downtime, and minimize risks. Strategic approaches to integrating AI into subsea operations require collaboration, investment, and a commitment to advancing technology to meet the challenges of offshore environments.