Unmanned Offshore Production Technology
Safety Opportunities and Social Consequences
Keywords:
Unmanned Facilities, Offshore Production, Automation, Occupational Safety, Workforce TransformationAbstract
The development of automation, artificial intelligence, digital sensors, and remote control systems is driving the adoption of unmanned offshore production facilities. These technologies offer opportunities to reduce workers' exposure to explosions, fires, gas leaks, extreme weather, and marine and air transportation accidents. In addition to improving safety, unmanned facilities can also reduce logistics needs and support operations in locations far from land. However, reducing the workforce at a facility does not necessarily eliminate risk. These risks can move to digital systems, ground control centers, maintenance activities, and cybersecurity. Automation also brings social consequences in the form of changing job types, new skill demands, reduced number of operational positions, and potential inequality of access to high-skilled jobs. This perspective article discusses the safety opportunities and social consequences of unmanned offshore production technologies, while criticizing an overly efficiency-centric approach. The authors argue that unmanned facilities should be developed as a system of collaboration between humans and technology. Its success is not only judged on the basis of personnel and cost reductions, but also on the level of reliability, emergency preparedness, data security, and the industry's ability to manage the workforce transition fairly.
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