Case Study: Shell Energy achieves safer, faster tank inspections with Energy Robotics autonomous drones

Drone Tank Inspections at Shell Rheinland

The customer, Shell Energy, faced the challenge of conducting manual inspections of its 25-meter-high tank roofs at its Rheinland facility, a tedious and hazardous process that took employees several hours to complete. Shell partnered with the vendor, Energy Robotics, to implement its automated drone inspection solution to digitalize this operation and improve worker safety.

Energy Robotics provided a BVLOS-approved automated drone solution that executes pre-defined missions to inspect tank roofs, checking seals and detecting rainwater. This solution reduced the inspection time from several hours to just 20 minutes, significantly increasing efficiency. For Shell, this automation minimized the potential for workplace accidents and was a major step toward its Goal Zero safety initiative, all while enabling remote monitoring from anywhere in Germany.

Shell Energy

Thomas Klein

Digital Innovation Lead