# Drone Tank Inspections: Enhancing Safety, Cost Efficiency, and Accuracy
PERTAMINA, Indonesia's national energy company, engaged Halo Robotics to conduct a comprehensive maintenance overhaul of a massive crude oil storage tank at their Balongan refinery. The Elios 2 drone played a pivotal role in this drone tank inspection, surpassing initial expectations.
## Key Benefits At A Glance
- **Safety**: Utilizing the Elios 2 eliminated the need for hazardous manned entry via ropes and scaffolding, drastically enhancing safety measures.
- **Cost Efficiency**: Substantial savings were achieved by cutting down on time-consuming inconsistencies between asset owners and contractors, along with eliminating the costs associated with scaffolding.
- **Efficiency**: The inspection process was streamlined with the Elios 2, establishing systematic methods for future inspections of aging assets for long-term analysis.
- **Data Coverage**: Access to hard-to-reach areas was made possible, providing critical data swiftly and comprehensively.
## Introduction
PERTAMINA is Indonesia's leading energy provider. In their pursuit of better maintenance practices, they partnered with Halo Robotics, a drone technology firm based in Jakarta, to undertake a significant maintenance task at their Balongan refinery, which has a processing capacity of 125,000 barrels per stream day.
The specific structure requiring attention was a vast crude oil storage tank. Sharing characteristics similar to API 650 tanks globally used for bulk crude oil and gasoline storage, the outcomes and methods from this project hold applicability across refineries utilizing such tanks.
*Image of the oil storage tank at the Balongan refinery*
## Revolutionizing Oil Storage Tank Inspections
PERTAMINA aimed to conduct a thorough inspection of a substantial crude oil storage tank at their Balongan refinery. This tank, with a capacity of 37,000 cubic meters and constructed in 1972, demanded immediate attention.
PERTAMINA's objectives for this maintenance project included:
- Updating the original 1972 tank drawings with current as-built schematics.
- Conducting a detailed interior inspection to establish EPC requirements.
- Reducing risks by minimizing the need for rope access and manned entry.
- Improving overall EPC maintenance efficiency.
Crucially, the data gathered had to be compatible with all stages of planning and execution.
To meet these goals, PERTAMINA divided the work into two key outputs:
- Creating a Digital Twin for updated structural data.
- Performing a Confined Space Inspection for comprehensive visual checks.
The ultimate aim was to develop replicable processes applicable nationwide.
*Note: This case study focuses solely on the Confined Space Inspection. For details on the Digital Twin creation, refer to the full white paper on Halo Robotics' website.*
*Inspectors working inside the oil storage tank*
## Leveraging the Elios for Drone Inspections
Halo Robotics employed the Flyability Elios drone to execute the confined space inspection. They highlighted several features of the Elios that influenced their decision:
- **Collision-resistant design** allows for safe interaction with assets.
- **High-quality imaging** captures 4K video and thermal IR data.
- **Advanced lighting** mimics manual inspection techniques.
- **Stabilization and Distance Lock** ensures precise inspections.
- **User-friendly software** simplifies data analysis and reporting.
*Elios 2 in operation inside the oil storage tank*
## Visual Data Collection During Drone Inspections
The Elios 2 outperformed expectations during the confined space inspection within the crude oil storage tank.
Traditional methods involving human entry with rope access and scaffolding were replaced by drone-based inspections, resulting in enhanced safety, reduced costs, and improved efficiency.
"The results from this drone technology surpassed our expectations. It will greatly support preventive maintenance, enabling us to pinpoint defects accurately and implement appropriate repairs."
-Almuayat Librata, Oil and Gas Transportation Manager at Pertamina EP
## Drone Tank Inspection Mission Details
Halo Robotics designed flight plans targeting specific tank components like the shell, welds, rafters, girders, joints, and roof. Over five days, 20-22 flights were conducted daily, amassing 760 GB of footage, including RGB 4K and thermal videos.
Post-collection, the raw data was processed offsite into a formal inspection report using Flyability’s Inspector software. This tool facilitated easy review, selection of Points of Interest (POIs), annotations, and comparison of thermal and RGB videos.
The entire review and report generation process took 14 days, including an API-certified inspection.
## Point of Interest (POI) Reporting Examples
**Corrosion Identified – Tank Joint Left Side**
**Inspector Comments:**
- 2 bolts counted
- Steel plate thinning
- Corrosion spanning 0-67mm
- Measurement: 67mm ± 5mm
**Flaking and Oil Build-Up – Tank Joint Right Side**
**Inspector Comments:**
- 2 bolts counted
- Significant flaking and oil deposits
- Deep homogeneous corrosion
- Raw metal exposed to oxidation
- Measurement: 67mm ± 5mm
*Sample report from Flyability’s Inspector software*
## Future Prospects for Drone Inspections
PERTAMINA found Halo Robotics' use of the Elios drone highly successful. The confined space inspection proved drones can systematically evaluate large tanks safely without the need for risky scaffolding and rope access.
"We firmly believe drone technology will revolutionize tank inspections by reducing risks and costs while boosting safety and efficiency."
-Erikson Nainggolan, Operation Planning Assistant Manager at Pertamina EP
With this project completed, PERTAMINA is collaborating with Halo Robotics to explore further drone applications across its Indonesian refinery network.
This collaboration marks a significant step towards modernizing maintenance operations nationwide.
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