Deep Underwater Technology Improves the Safety and Reliability of Offshore Operations
Keywords:
Subsea Technology, Offshore Operations, Safety, Reliability, InspectionAbstract
Offshore operations are activities that require a high level of safety and reliability because they are carried out in a marine environment that has different conditions from activities on land. Waves, ocean currents, pressure, weather, and seabed conditions can affect the equipment and infrastructure used. One of the important parts in supporting these activities is subsea technology. This technology is used in various activities, from monitoring the condition of equipment, installing and operating underwater facilities, to inspecting and maintaining infrastructure. The use of underwater technology can help reduce work done directly by humans in risky environments. In addition, technologies such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), sensors, monitoring systems, and inspection devices can help determine the condition of equipment more quickly. However, the application of underwater technology also has several challenges, such as high costs, the need for experts, unpredictable marine environmental conditions, and equipment maintenance needs. Therefore, the use of underwater technology needs to be carried out with good planning and supervision in order to improve safety while maintaining the reliability of offshore operations in the long term.
References
[1] O. E. Oyekanmi and A. A. Onwumere, “Safety, Environmental Compliance, and Risk Management in Offshore Operations,” NIPES - J. Energy Technol. Environ., 2025, doi: 10.37933/jete/7.4.2025.2576.
[2] D. Kulpin and E. Ivanitskaya, “Occupational Safety Issues when Building an Underwater Inhabited Complex for the Development of Oil and Gas Resources,” Occup. Saf. Ind., 2026, doi: 10.24000/0409-2961-2026-3-45-53.
[3] S. P. Nakka, J. Silknitter, H. Kersh, and S. Khan, “Deep Learning for Underwater Condition Monitoring of Offshore Energy Installations,” in 2025 IEEE Green Technologies Conference (GreenTech), 2025, pp. 1–5. doi: 10.1109/greentech62170.2025.10977681.
[4] O. J. Ochulor, O. O. Sofoluwe, A. Ukato, and D. D. Jambol, “Technological innovations and optimized work methods in subsea maintenance and production,” Eng. Sci. Technol. J., 2024, doi: 10.51594/estj.v5i5.1112.
[5] D. C. Wegner, “A review on the advances in underwater inspection of subsea infrastructure: Tools, technologies, and applications,” Common. Phys. Sci., 2025, doi: 10.4314/cps.v12i5.15.
[6] T.-T. Dai, W.-Q. Jiang, and Z.-G. Jia, “A review on environmental load identification and structural health monitoring of offshore structures,” Adv. Struct. Eng., 2026, doi: 10.1177/13694332261420440.
[7] P. Shcherban, “TRIZ – Driven Design of Inspection ROVs for Offshore Oil andGas Infrastructure,” Maritime, 2026, doi: 10.31217/p.40.2.9.
[8] P. Chauhan, A. Shrivastava, and S. Dwivedy, “Investigation of outdoor environmental and human factors of ROV operation for novice user: a survey,” Ergonomics, vol. 69, pp. 1366–1383, 2025, doi: 10.1080/00140139.2025.2519878.
[9] V. Tuninetti et al., “Evaluating Pipeline Inspection Technologies for Enhanced Corrosion Detection in Mining Water Transport Systems,” Appl. Sci., 2025, doi: 10.3390/app15031316.
[10] O. O. Sofoluwe, O. J. Ochulor, A. Ukato, and D. D. Jambol, “AI-enhanced subsea maintenance for improved safety and efficiency: Exploring strategic approaches,” Int. J. Sci. Res. Arch., 2024, doi: 10.30574/ijsra.2024.12.1.0766.
[11] O. J. Ochulor, O. O. Sofoluwe, A. Ukato, and D. D. Jambol, “Challenges and strategic solutions in commissioning and start-up of subsea production systems,” Magna Sci. Adv. Res. Rev., 2024, doi: 10.30574/msarr.2024.11.1.0072.
[12] C. Sing, M. Khazar, D. Ross, A. Tamer, and V. Alessandro, “Hsse and Cost Improvements Through the Deployment of Robotic Technology for Deepwater Underwater Inspection In-Lieu of Diving,” in Offshore Technology Conference Asia, 2026. doi: 10.4043/36551-ms.
[13] P. Xia, K. McSweeney, K. Crippen, and E. Du, “Enhancing Subsea ROV Operations: A Survey of Operator Challenges, Essential Skills, and Novel Teleoperation Technologies,” Mar. Technol. Soc. J., 2025, doi: 10.4031/mtsj.59.3.3.
[14] J. Aigboduwa, “Intelligent Risk Management and Decision-Making in Complex Offshore Engineering Projects,” Int. J. Pet. Gas Eng. Res., 2025, doi: 10.37745/ijpger.17/vol8n24481.
