Robotization of the fuel and energy complex: great opportunities, serious challenges and consolidated solutions

Elena VINOGRADOVAColumnist for the magazine "Energy Policy"

The Government of the Russian Federation has set an ambitious goal - to achieve "digital maturity" by 2030 and enter the world's top 25 countries in terms of the amount of robotics used in industry. The fuel and energy complex should become the driving force behind the mass introduction of industrial robots and robotic technologies, since, on the one hand, the energy sectors are fundamental to the Russian economy, and on the other hand, the level of digitalization of the energy industry is quite high. At the same time, the main issue remains the availability of comprehensive domestic technological solutions and software, their compliance with global analogues, the ability of customer companies to effectively invest and implement Russian developments, and contractor companies - to fully and promptly satisfy the demand for national technologies in accordance with global standards. Possible options for solving the problems and challenges of robotization of the fuel and energy complex will be discussed at the TNF Industrial and Energy Forum, which will be held on September 15-18 in Tyumen.

New robots, new opportunities

The tasks of switching to the use of robots are simple and clear. Systemic robotic solutions increase the level of productivity and resource efficiency, provide a larger volume of data for analysis, reduce accidents and eliminate the human factor. The scope for the use of robots in the fuel and energy complex is truly enormous: from geological exploration to the repair of energy facilities. For example, BP launched a project to monitor methane emissions at wells and pipelines using unmanned aerial vehicles flying at an altitude inaccessible to other sensors. Saudi Aramco has developed a robot to analyze the condition of offshore oil pipelines at shallow depths. Shell has introduced a robot to monitor infrastructure facilities in remote areas dangerous to humans, capable of operating autonomously for up to 6 months.

Domestic companies are not lagging behind. Thus, Transneft, in collaboration with the robotics company Tubot, part of the Rusnano group, is developing robotic systems using artificial intelligence to detect and eliminate defects in the design of underground oil pipelines. In the scientific and educational center "Kuzbass" within the framework of the national project "Science", robotic machines for coal mining in dangerous for humans faces were created. Specialists from Rosneft's VNIKTIneftekhimoborudovaniye created robotic complexes for diagnosing high-density polyethylene reactors and for determining gaps in a propane dehydrogenation reactor, which they presented at TNF-2023.

There are many examples of the implementation of Russian-developed robots, and they are used in various areas: from soil analysis when assessing well drilling to welding pipelines and developing recipes for chemical production. The very specifics of the energy industries are pushing companies to a wider use of robotic equipment - this is the danger of working in difficult conditions, often unsuitable for humans, such as deep mines with high methane levels, underwater oil production projects, explosive petrochemical production; and the complexity and long-term nature of the industries themselves, requiring analysis of a large volume of accumulated data.

How many robots does the fuel and energy complex need?

According to the Russian Ministry of Energy, robotization in the fuel and energy sector will require the introduction of at least 22 thousand robots of different levels and functions by 2030. “In order to enter the top 25 countries in terms of robotization, we need to have, according to our calculations, about 145 robots per 10 thousand people by 2030. In this regard, it is planned to introduce about 22 thousand robots in total by 2030 in fuel and energy companies,” said Eduard Sheremetsev, Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, in November 2024.

Achieving such a high level of robotization and automation of work processes can provide a serious economic effect. "The total effect, according to our rather modest estimates, will be about 100 billion rubles. This takes into account savings on the wage fund and taking into account the costs of direct technical maintenance of robots," noted E. Sheremetsev.

At the same time, both the Ministry of Energy and market participants admit that the current level of robot implementation in Russia is far behind the stated plans. Thus, E. Sheremetsev stated that today, on average, in Russia there are only 19 robots per 10 thousand employees, and in the fuel and energy sector this figure is several times lower and amounts to only 10 robots per 10 thousand people. In other words, this is less than 7% of the stated target indicators, notes Tubot CEO Stanislav Rozanov.

According to a study by the Association of Digital Technologies in Industry, as of the beginning of 2025, less than 400 robots had been introduced in the energy sectors, of which only 33% were truly domestic.

This level of robotization is extremely low compared to the world's technical leaders. Thus, in South Korea, the density of robot use in industry per 10 thousand employees already reaches 1.01 thousand, in Singapore - 770 robots, in China - 470 robots, in Germany - 429 robots, in Japan - 419 robots, in the USA - 295 robots. Against this background, it will be extremely difficult to fight for a place in the top 25.

Single order

Despite the obvious economic and social advantages, industrial robotization in Russia faces several serious challenges at once. One of the main problems is the low level of overall industrial orders.

As the head of the Ministry of Energy Sergey Tsivilev noted in his speech at the Government Hour in the Federation Council in July this year, the total volume of industrial orders for robots by 2030 will be 6,500 units. The largest companies prefer to independently develop the necessary technologies on the basis of their research centers and laboratories. According to experts, businesses invest from 3 to 10% of their annual revenue in their own scientific and technical developments in the field of digitalization, automation of control and robotics. At the same time, many companies work in parallel on similar processes without developing uniform standards, requirements and regulatory frameworks at the national level.

The solution to this problem could be the creation of large technological testing grounds for ordering, developing, testing and introducing standards for the main components of robotics, equipment, control systems, processors, power drives, engines and the like. "If we form the right industry order, then large-unit assembly directly for a specific customer in the form of a certain designer will significantly speed up the process and allow manufacturing companies to understand the volume of the order," explained E. Sheremetsev.

"Large customers actively highlight their needs and work with technology startups through various platforms and accelerators. An example of collaboration is our work with PJSC Transneft to create an in-pipe robot for oil pumping stations," noted S. Rozanov.

One of such platforms is the TNF forum. For several years now, the so-called "Supplier Days" have been held on the basis of the TNF Industrial and Energy Forum, which allow the largest oil and gas companies to present their industrial orders and work with suppliers of equipment, technologies and services.

Modernization, communications and benefits

An equally serious problem is the lack of infrastructure for active robotization of fuel and energy complex industries. Indeed, many fuel and energy complex facilities were built back in the early 2000s and were not designed for automated control and the use of robotics. Modernization of such facilities requires colossal investments, often incommensurate with the level of the project.

A separate problem is the lack of basic communication with remote fuel and energy complex facilities. “If we talk about service robots, our facilities are located, excuse me, where there is one and a half bears per square kilometer, and there is not always communication there, and we cannot always provide this high-quality communication,” noted E. Sheremetsev.

Currently, companies are modernizing their infrastructure facilities and implementing new management systems, including those using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the creation of powerful databases. At this stage, state systemic support for companies' investment opportunities, tax incentives, and grants for the development of accelerators, testing grounds, and test benches are needed. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid imbalances in the development of certain robotic systems.

"Of all robots, more than 50% are service robots and less than 50% are industrial robots. Meanwhile, the national project is currently designed to support only industrial robots, which will slow down the implementation of service systems. The most popular robots include in-pipe diagnostics robots, logistics robots, perimeter security robots, robots for cleaning and inspecting objects," noted S. Rozanov.

“In general, the development of domestic robotic technologies requires the creation of testing grounds, personnel development, the use of “cashback for implementation” systems, state support for R&D through subsidies for costs or grants for development and reverse engineering, as well as the development of companies engaged in components,” added the head of Tubot.

These issues will be actively discussed within the framework of the TNF-2025 Business Program, which will allow the joint efforts of regulatory bodies, major customer companies, equipment manufacturers and service contractors to develop uniform optimal solutions for the robotization of fuel and energy sectors and the conquest of leading positions in the global market.