Petrobras is using Microsoft Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase the safety of workers operating in its offshore operations. The innovation will help Petrobras analyze fieldwork images focusing on safety, environment and health, detecting deviations and incidents such as misuse of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), unsafe loading positioning, route obstruction escape and access to restricted environments.

“As people's safety is an important issue for us, we think about how we can use new technologies to reduce the risk of accidents in offshore operations,” says Petrobras Director of Digital Transformation and Innovation, Nicolás Simone (photo). “Through innovation, we provide a safer industrial environment, with fewer accidents and, consequently, guarantee of operational continuity and higher productivity,” he adds.

Images that represent risk or normal situations are presented to Microsoft's Artificial Intelligence system, which “learns” to recognize and distinguish them. “The system is trained by algorithms to automatically identify operational safety risks in images recorded by high-resolution cameras,” explains consultant Hardy Pereira Pinto, of the Petrobras Research Center (Cenpes), and one of the solution's creators. .

This requires a large amount of stored images, with a variety of situations at different times (day and night), lighting, and different people. Perceived the threat, the system warns of the risk immediately, more quickly and effectively. “Next, proactive action is expected to mitigate these risks and consequently reduce the number of incidents and accidents. Technology does not sleep, acting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ”jokes the researcher.

Microsoft's AI solution in use by Petrobras is linked to computer vision when software learns to interpret images. Thus, the analysis of the images allows the generation of information and statistical data that can help to direct training according to the most frequent variables (times and places of greatest threat, for example), thus reducing the exposure time of the training. risk worker.

In September, the first phase of the implementation of the AI solution conducted by Petrobras in partnership with Microsoft was completed, with the activation of the system on the NS-38 drillship. Currently, the solution is generating risk alerts by identifying access to restricted areas and inappropriate use of safety equipment, benefiting about 180 shipped workers and a total of 300 people, when added to the people who circulate at the site.

“Petrobras' use of Microsoft technology is an example of how artificial intelligence solutions can positively impact not only the business, but also ensure the well-being of employees. Our role is to extend these use cases to other industries as well, ”says Luiz Pires, director of the Advanced Technology Laboratory (ATL) at Microsoft Brazil.

Still in the image collection phase to train artificial intelligence, the identification and generation of alerts about safe cargo positioning will be added in the next phases of the project. In addition, the idea is to expand the technology to other drillships and offshore operations. “The initial scope was restricted to marine rig environments, but in order to increase coverage, the project incorporated monitoring of a workshop in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, and support vessels. For the future, we want to increase coverage for any Petrobras operating unit with occupational hazards that require monitoring, such as platforms, refining plants and construction and assembly environments, ”concludes Hardy.

About Petrobras 

Petrobras is an integrated energy company focused on oil and gas, recognized as a leader in deep and ultra-deep water exploration and production, operating mainly in Brazil. The company's values are respect for life, people and the environment; ethics and transparency; market orientation; overcoming and confidence; and management by results.

About Microsoft

Microsoft enables digital transformation in the age of smart cloud and smart frontier. Your mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. The company has been in Brazil for 30 years and is one of 110 subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, founded in 1975. Since 2003, the company has invested more than R $ 451 million bringing free technology to 5,757 NGOs in Brazil, benefiting various social projects. Since 2011, Microsoft has supported more than 7,000 startups in Brazil, investing more than $ 202 million in cloud credits.