Operation solutions firm Wood and National Energy Resources Australia (NERA) are jointly developing a tool for autonomously inspecting critical industrial equipment for subsea oil and gas infrastructure.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) and Wood’s augmented machine vision solutions could lead to the development of a real-time inspection device capable of autonomously detecting and categorizing equipment inconsistencies.

Once developed, the solution promises to potentially change the way asset inspections are conducted, keeping humans from high-risk environments, expediting the speed with which issues are detected and, consequently, the response and resolution times.

Azad Hessamodini, strategy and development president of Wood’s Technical Consulting Solutions business, said: “We are delighted to partner once again with NERA on a project that aligns with our focus on using innovative solutions to enable more connected operations that set customers up for future success.

“Outcomes from this project could potentially transform an industry where inspections are susceptible to human-error and inconsistencies. By combining Wood’s deep domain knowledge with cutting-edge AI technology, we create a safer and faster inspection approach and provide operators with more accurate and up-to-date information to help maximise the output of their assets.

“The project will not only tap into Wood’s expertise in asset performance optimisation, but apply learnings from a hackathon hosted in partnership with the University of Western Australia. It is fantastic to see that the energy industry is embracing new ways of solving problems.”

The project is due to be completed by the end of 2020.