Robots to assist oil and gas

Oil and gas extraction is taking place in ever more inaccessible and extreme locations, from the icy Arctic to the bottom of the sea, driving an increasing use of remotecontrolled or autonomous systems, a field where space has plenty of expertise to share. For example, conventional underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles could be upgraded with space-rated vision systems and robotic controllers. Remote inspection of facilities also becomes more efficient: Novelty or Anomaly Hunter (NOAH) software developed for space probes to spot anything unusual or out of place could be fitted to unmanned vehicles for the monotonous task of inspecting hundreds of kilometres of pipelines for leaks.