4 remarkable applications of AI in the oil & gas Industry

Why use AI to make operations more efficient and safer

There is an ever-greater need for remote monitoring oil & gas production facilities driven by escalating supply chain costs, lack of skills and labor to monitor production, and the growing pressure to become more sustainable.

Manual monitoring of oil and gas production at remote facilities is very expensive. The cost for two people to visit an oil well can be as high as $10,000 per day. Hence, many companies are seeking to operate and automate monitoring remotely.

Smart remote control and sensing are key

Remote monitoring using legacy technologies, such as sensors, is often unreliable, difficult to install, and costly to operate, in addition to being limited in functionality and adaptability.

AI video technology enables remote monitoring of facility operations to be more cost-effective, reliable, and smart. High-performance edge processor cameras perform complex video analytics and store both video and metadata directly in the device.

The following examples not only illustrate what is already feasible using AI video analytics today, but each application shown below can also be easily and quickly implemented using Azena's IoT platform and Application Store for video cameras. 

You can step into the world of smart video surveillance immediately after reading.

1. Flare and smoke detection

Camera equipped with AI Video Analytics for flare monitoring detects anomalies in the flame such as dark spots due to sooting as well as flame failure.

Objectives:

• Comply with environmental regulations and avoid high fines by ensuring clean flaring.
• Detect smoke formation early to prevent threats to people from fire and intoxication.

How AI flare and smoke detection works:

• AI Video Analytics from the Azena Application Store enables video cameras to detect visual anomalies in a production facility such as smoke and sooty flames.
• In case of a critical event, the system detects the deviation from the standard state and reports an issue.
• AI flare and smoke detection work even in poor lighting conditions due to bad weather or twilight.

2. Liquid leak detection

AI-empowered video camera detects and reports leaks in pipes and tanks in real-time

Objectives:

• Automate 24/7 monitoring of tanks and pipelines.
• Prevent the loss of water and in the case of oil and chemicals avoid soil contamination.
• Reduce plant downtime due to repair and refill of large reservoirs.

How to leak detection works:

• AI Video Analytics empowers video cameras to detect visual anomalies in production lines such as trickles and fountains, as well as small defects even before they become leaks.
• In case of a critical event, the system detects the deviation from the standard state and reports an issue.

3. Tank level monitoring

Tank level monitoring using AI thermal imaging where the human eye cannot reach.

Objectives:

• Reliable monitoring of liquid levels inside tanks and other containers.
• Compensate for limitations of traditional sensors.
• Avoid lack of liquid or overfilling and possible consequential damage.
• Reduce health risks to humans through manual measurement and monitoring.

How tank level monitoring works:

• AI-enabled thermal imaging cameras detect the liquid level in tanks from the outside.
• Virtual scales measure the level without physical sensors inside.
• If the liquid level rises above or falls below a critical level, an alarm is automatically triggered.

4. License plate recognition

An AI camera with license plate recognition from the Azena Application Store controls the barrier at the entrance to a production facility.

Objectives:

• Automate vehicle access management in remote and low-manned facilities.
• Prevent unauthorized access reliably and without involving extra staff.

How license plate recognition works:

• Azena-empowered cameras equipped with license plate recognition from the Azena Application Store recognize the license plates of trucks and cars.
• The license plates are checked directly in the devices with regard to access authorization.
• For vehicles with authorized license plates, the camera directly initiates the opening of the barrier.

Further applications for AI in oil and gas production and transportation

• Detect vandalism and sabotage at remote sites
• Pipeline inspection using drones with AI video technology
• Monitor the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Detect accidents with people involved using AI fall detection

This is only a small selection. With each new camera app released in the Azena Application Store, there will be entirely new opportunities to combine smart features on the edge to make oil and gas production and transportation even more efficient and safe.

Conclusion

AI video analytics is designed to compensate for the limitations of human perception and traditional sensing. Wherever there is a need to reliably and efficiently monitor operations 24/7, AI-enabled video technology is the tool of choice. 

Azena offers operators a very simple approach to quickly enter the world of smart video surveillance. Take a look at our Application Store to see the wide range of applications available. Turning a video camera into a business all-rounder has never been easier.