Project R.E.A.D.S. RFID-Enabled Aerial Detection System: Providing Realtime Safety Information During Offshore Emergencies

Abstract

According to the Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement (BSEE), injuries, fires and explosions on the outer continental shelf (OCS)[1] are the majority of incident types reported for fiscal year 2016. Although the number of incidents/spills have reduced over a span of 7 years (2009-2016) there is still a need to reduce casualties to human life and property that occur because of inadequate response techniques. Offshore Oil and Gas drilling operations involve numerous occupational hazards and activities that could possibly harm or potentially lead to the death of personnel onboard during an off-shore emergency [1]. One such tragic event is Gulf of Mexico case study, where emergency responders were unable to track and rescue 11 workers involved. The main objective of the project is to equip emergency responders and safety officers with appropriate tools needed to track crew members and launch a targeted evacuation rescue effort when an accident occurs in an offshore oil rig. The drone’s advantage of proximity as well as maneuverability enables detection of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, providing real-time location. The tags will also provide health status information of onboard personnel from a safe distance and assist with providing responders with the decision-making tools necessary for proper prioritization of response efforts. Other safety information such as live visual feed and temperature profiles through thermal imaging will also be available to the emergency responders. This will assist responders in their effort to assess the severity and criticality of the situation and develop a rescue strategy. With the assistance of Project R.E.A.D.S. (RFID-Enabled Aerial Detection System), the rescue efforts would be more efficient and effective in saving lives because of the drone’s ability to accurately detect personnel via a system of readers attached to drones and tags strategically located on crew member clothing.

Unmanned Aerial Systems for the Oil and Gas Industry: Overview, Applications, and Challenges

“…Over the past two decades, O&G asset owners, operators, and service providers have been evaluating and leveraging UAS for a range of applications. Across the entire O&G life cycle, most popular application areas include asset integrity inspection (excluding pipelines) [13], [46]- [66], pipeline petrol [67]- [80], [80]- [84], environmental monitoring [85]- [100], geophysical/geoscience/topological surveys [45], [101]- [111], security monitoring [71], search and rescue missions [112], oilfield equipment inventory management [113], and data relay for sensor networks [114]- [116]. The following subsections discuss these applications in detail.…”

“…2) Search, Rescue and Disaster Management [12], [15], [112], [136] The O&G industry is committed to providing a safer working environment with a lower probability of an accident. Despite these efforts and standards, it is still necessary to reduce the threats to human life and property, which may occur due to inadequate emergency response.…”

“…If an accident occurs, locating the field personnel as fast as possible is crucial to ensure their safety. For example, during an accident in the Gulf of Mexico, the emergency responders failed to locate 11 offshore field workers which resulted in 11 deaths [112]. Wireless sensor network-based or RFID tag-based personnel tracking systems can be implemented to locate the field personnel [112].…”

“…For example, during an accident in the Gulf of Mexico, the emergency responders failed to locate 11 offshore field workers which resulted in 11 deaths [112]. Wireless sensor network-based or RFID tag-based personnel tracking systems can be implemented to locate the field personnel [112]. Most of the existing implementations rely on the Wi-Fi network or RFID reader network integrated to the drilling, production, refining, or any other facility.…”