Equinor has tested underwater drones from Eelume, Skarv Technologies, Blueye, Saab and Maritime Robotics this year at KNARR, its new test centre for underwater drones and marine robots at the Kårstø gas plant in Tysvær, north of Stavanger, an Equinor spokesperson told Droneavisa.
Equinor and Gassco opened the centre on 28 October and have so far set aside 16 million kroner for it. It has test areas at depths of 25, 140 and 250 metres and three kilometres of seabed cable with electronics for testing sensors over time. According to Equinor, it is one of the world's first such centres linked to a working plant.
Besides Equinor and its suppliers, other companies can rent the centre, with equipment and staff, at close to cost price, spokesperson Ola Morten Aanestad said. He said inspection is probably the easiest first use for marine robots offshore.
