Québec, Canada – October 18, 2022 – As part of its commitment to sustainability and safeguarding the future, Previan is at the forefront of advanced sensing solutions which will help to unlock a safe tomorrow, both for the world and its people. The world and its ecosystems are complex and constantly evolving, with assets rapidly aging. Previan believes that the productivity of these assets and their integrity must remain protected and takes a position in defending their future. Today, Previan salutes Shell’s efforts to promote safer tank inspections and is very proud that the diagnostic solutions from its Eddyfi Technologies Business Unit are at the heart of this new initiative.
”A strong sense of responsibility towards people and nature is deeply coded within our corporate DNA. Our technologies play key roles in protecting communities and the world we live in. Having it become strongly intertwined into the business practices of Shell and partake in the security of their people and the integrity of their assets validates our mission and our efforts” said Martin Theriault, CEO and founder of Previan.
Safety is a major focus in day-to-day work at Shell. At the core of their strategy is their pursuit of ‘Goal Zero’, which means that their activities do not harm people or harm the environment. The latest project in which Previan’s technology solutions were deployed is in Bulgaria. Currently, Bulgarian fuel dealers are obliged to carry out a thorough inspection of autogas tanks once every four years. During the inspection, inspectors of the State Agency for Metrological and Technical Supervision enter inside the tank and inspect the walls to determine the possible presence of corrosion, bumps on the metal parts, problems in the state of the welding joints. Based on it, the inspectors assess the safety and operability of the tank. Such entry into autogas tanks, even for prepared and well-equipped people, poses many risks to their health – the main one is gassing, which can lead to very serious consequences.”
For Shell, this kind of inspection is not the best health and safety solution. Therefore, the company aimed at providing an alternative solution for the inspection of pressure vessels such as underground autogas tanks through robotic technique, which excludes the entry of humans into the vessel.
“Shell does not allow manned tank entry unless there are legislative requirements to undertake inspection and testing. With this in mind, Shell have been seeking a solution whereby inspections can be done robotically and without the need for human entry into the tank. Using a robotic solution achieves this – as shown in the video – by removing that inspector from the tank and placing them in a safe environment. At the same time, Eddyfi’s robotic system is able to gather so much more data than would be captured through the manned inspection, and this data leads to a better understanding of asset health, and better decision making, leading to a safer all-around future” says Kevin Airey, Fuel Systems Development Engineer at Shell UK. “Since the initial engagement, Shell now have an accepted unmanned robotic tank inspection solution for a key market. We continue to work solutions for other markets that may have a slightly different inspection requirement. With this continued partnership, there is great confidence that Eddyfi will be able to deliver each aspect of our requirements.”
About Previan
Previan, known as Eddyfi/NDT prior to June 2022, is a fast-growing, innovative, and private industrial technology group focused on advanced diagnostic technologies to monitor the world’s infrastructure health. The Group serves asset owners, large engineering firms, and service companies globally in markets such as Aerospace, Civil Infrastructure, Energy, Mining, Power Generation, and Rail. Via sensors, hardware, robotics and software, Previan makes a safe and sustainable future possible, by pushing the limits of diagnostic technologies that preserve the integrity of our world’s critical infrastructure and assets. The company employs over 1,550 people throughout 33 offices worldwide and serves clients in more than 110 countries. More information can be found on the company’s website: www.previan.com.
For Further Information, please contact:
Veronique Chayer
Director, Strategic Communications and External Relations
Office: 1 833 773-8426
Mobile: 581 999-9202
[email protected]
