Pertamina, Indonesia's leading energy company, partnered with Halo Robotics to conduct a major overhaul of a large crude oil storage tank. The project utilized the Elios 2 drone for tank inspections, delivering results that surpassed all expectations.

Key Benefits at a Glance

Safety: By using the Elios 2 to gather visual data inside the tank, there was no need for personnel to enter the confined space via rope access or scaffolding. This significantly improved worker safety during the inspection process.

Return on Investment: The Elios 2 helped reduce costs associated with inconsistencies between asset owners and EPC contractors. It also minimized downtime and eliminated the need for expensive scaffolding, resulting in substantial savings.

Efficiency: The use of the Elios 2 streamlined the inspection process, enabling systematic and repeatable checks of aging infrastructure. This allowed for long-term monitoring and analysis of critical assets.

Data Coverage: The drone provided access to previously unreachable areas, capturing high-quality visual and thermal data quickly. This enhanced the overall data set available for maintenance planning and decision-making.

Introduction

Pertamina is Indonesia’s national energy company, and it recently turned to Halo Robotics, a Jakarta-based drone technology firm, to assist with a major maintenance project at its Balongan refinery. The facility has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per stream day (mbsd), making it one of the country’s largest refining sites.

The specific task involved overhauling a massive crude oil storage tank. This type of tank is commonly designed according to API 650 standards, which are used globally for bulk oil and fuel storage. As such, the methods and outcomes from this project could be applicable to other refineries using similar tank designs.

A picture of the oil storage tank at the Balongan refinery

Innovating Oil Storage Tank Inspections

Pertamina needed to perform a comprehensive inspection of a large crude oil storage tank at the Balongan refinery. The tank, built in 1972, had a capacity of 37,000 cubic meters and required updates to its original design drawings.

The main objectives of the project were:

• Update the 1972 drawings with current as-built schematics and blueprints.
• Conduct a systematic internal inspection to determine EPC requirements.
• Reduce the risk for inspectors by minimizing the need for rope access and manual entry into tanks.
• Improve the efficiency of EPC processes, including evaluation, planning, and execution.

To achieve these goals, Pertamina divided the work into two key outputs: creating a Digital Twin of the tank and performing a Confined Space Inspection.

This case study focuses on the second output—Confined Space Inspection. For more information on the Digital Twin creation, you can refer to the full white paper on Halo Robotics’ website.

Inspectors working inside the oil storage tank

Using the Elios for Drone Tank Inspections

Halo Robotics was tasked with implementing new technologies to meet both the Digital Twin and Confined Space Inspection requirements. For the latter, they chose Flyability’s Elios drone due to its advanced features, including:

• Collision-tolerant cage for safe indoor operations.
• High-resolution 4K RGB and thermal cameras for detailed visual data.
• Powerful LED lighting for clear visibility in dark environments.
• Stabilization and distance lock systems for accurate, consistent flights.
• Inspector software for efficient data review and report generation.

A picture of the Elios 2 flying in the oil storage tank during the drone tank inspection. The Elios 3 now offers LiDAR and close visual data collection capabilities.

Gathering Visual Data During a Drone Tank Inspection

The Elios 2 exceeded expectations in terms of performance and data quality during the confined space inspection. Compared to traditional methods that require human entry with rope access and scaffolding, the drone significantly improved safety, reduced costs, and increased operational efficiency.

"The results achieved with this drone technology have surpassed our expectations. These operations will greatly support preventive maintenance, helping us identify defects, plan the right maintenance, and improve speed and accuracy," said Almuayat Librata, Oil and Gas Transportation Manager at Pertamina EP.

Drone Tank Inspection Mission Details

Halo Robotics created detailed flight plans to inspect various parts of the tank, including the shell, welds, rafters, girders, joints, and roof. Over five days, 20–22 flights were conducted daily with the Elios 2, resulting in 760 GB of video footage (including 4K RGB and thermal video).

This data was processed using Flyability’s Inspector software, allowing for efficient review, annotation, and report generation. The final inspection report was completed in 14 days, including input from an API-certified inspector.

Point of Interest (POI) Reporting Examples

Corrosion Identified—Tank Joint Left Side

Inspector comments:

• 2x bolts counted
• Shrinking thickness of steel plating and supports
• Significant corrosion observed, 0 mm – 67 mm from the joint
• Distance measurement: 67mm +/- 5mm

Flaking and Oil Material Build-Up Observed—Tank Joint Right Side

Inspector comments:

• 2x bolts counted
• Significant flaking or oil material deposit observed, 67mm height
• Homogeneous deep corrosion
• Deformation and exposure of raw metal to oxidation and galvanic reaction observed
• Distance measurement: 67mm +/- 5mm

Example report generated by Flyability’s Inspector software

Looking Ahead to Drone Tank Inspections

Pertamina found the use of the Elios drone for this major maintenance project to be highly successful. The confined space inspection proved that even the largest oil storage tanks can be systematically inspected by drone, meeting the standards of an API-certified inspector without requiring manned entry.

"We believe that implementing this type of drone technology will enhance tank inspections by reducing risks and costs while improving safety and efficiency," said Erikson Nainggolan, Operation Planning Assistant Manager at Pertamina EP.

With this project completed, Pertamina is now exploring how to expand the use of drone technology across its other refineries in Indonesia. The future looks promising for drone-assisted maintenance in the oil and gas industry.

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