Phillips 66 says drones help enhance safety and improve operational excellence in the field. Darren Wright is one of more than 60 employees across Phillips 66 who have been trained and qualified as drone pilots since the launch of the company’s integrated drone technology programme.
An assistant emergency response supervisor at Phillips, Darren Wright, said: “I never would have believed this was possible 20 years ago.”
The pilots conduct aerial inspections and map out refineries using the drones, eliminating the need for scaffolds and other temporary structures. They also provide emergency response support, facilitating live coverage of potentially dangerous situations from a safe distance.
The idea for building an in-house drone programme originated at the Wood River Refinery in Illinois, when Kris Becker, a health and safety specialist who now also leads the drone programme at the refinery, was watching contractors fly drone missions to perform inspection tasks.
Kris said: “I just thought — well, I could do that. We’ve come such a long way. And to think, there’s still so much more we can and will do.”
The concept has since become reality, as drones now are a part of the company’s regular refining operations. The drone programme is just one of several innovations that have been made possible thanks to a transformational programme launched in 2017 to unlock value through technology, innovation and value-chain optimisation across Phillips 66.
For more information visit www.phillips66.com
