OTC 2019: Brazilian group developing downhole robots for well inspections

May 7, 2019
Repsol Sinopec Brasil, Ouro Negro, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro will jointly develop an autonomous modular robotic system to operate in and inspect oil wells.

Offshore staff

RIO DE JANEIRO – Repsol Sinopec Brasil, Ouro Negro, and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) will jointly develop an autonomous modular robotic system to operate in and inspect oil wells.

One of the main target applications for the Wellrobot project is P&A operations.

Eduardo Costa, CEO of Ouro Negro, said: “This robotic system will reduce costs, especially those related to well logging and rig time, and operational risks. It will optimize the critical plugging and abandonment process undertaken during decommissioning in mature basins.”

“The University-Company partnership will accelerate the development of this innovative robotic system by integrating teams with development knowledge of high-reliability hardware and intelligent control software required to perform the challenging tasks proposed,” added Marco Antonio Meggiolaro, coordinator of the Robotics Laboratory of PUC-Rio and Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department of the Centre of Science and Technology of PUC-Rio.

More information available at stand 215 in the Brazil pavilion.

05/07/2019