Our environment is constantly being threatened by human activity. Global warming and wildlife extinction, for example, are some of the consequences of our daily routine, which at the same time is also the cause of Earth contamination. Earth contamination can appear in different forms such as air pollution, ecosystem damage, contamination, etc. and among the businesses that contribute to these occurrences, the oil transporting activity can be found. Oil transport, or in other words the existence of pipelines, is as the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) states ‘the major driver of Canada’s current and future prosperity’. However, even if they yield advantages, their hazards and their environmental impact cannot be forgotten; that is why, pipeline monitoring takes such an important role. In order to carry out this surveillance task many alternatives have been studied and many of them have already been implemented. Nevertheless, environmental impacts from pipelines have not ceased and as a result, new options are being explored. Among these new monitoring options, it seems that the use of Unmanned Systems alternative is taking shape and that, in the near future, they could be the answer for a reduction in the number of spills and leakages in pipelines. This reduction will at the same time be the response for a lower environmental impact concerning Oil sands and pipelines, and their activities. So as to evaluate the suitability of this solution, it was therefore decided to perform a risk analysis of the use of such appliances in industrial operation activities.

Outgoing