Clean Sea is an innovative underwater robotic technology designed to automatically perform environmental monitoring tasks and inspect offshore plants. It is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with the ability to steer itself and move independently at sea without the need for any contact with operators on the surface, accurately identifying any anomalies in its environment. The robot, which won the National Innovation Award 2014, uses a technology that has been successfully tested in a variety of marine environments and consists of an advanced underwater vehicle featuring interchangeable sensors and designed to use a single integrated system. Clean Sea also has the ability to adapt its own mission strategy independently and in real time based on how the sensors respond, thus optimising both the cost and the duration of the exercise. It is used for environmental monitoring and inspecting offshore installations in the Mediterranean and West Africa and has two logistical bases - one in Angola and the other in Sicily - managed by Enimed, with a global operations team overseeing the robot’s routine activities.
Unmanned underwater vehicles are increasingly being used to perform the most complicated and dangerous tasks such as creating maps, monitoring the environment, collecting water samples, patrolling ports and detecting sea mines to make the sea a safer place. They can be operated remotely (ROVs) by a person in a control centre or they can be completely autonomous (AUVs), in the case of real underwater robots such as Clean Sea. Our vehicle can be operated using small support vessels, thus reducing logistics costs and offering a more cost-effective solution than current technologies. We use it in marine environments that require an accurate inspection and monitoring of water quality, although it can also be used in fields other than Upstream operations.
Giuseppe Tannoia - Robotics for environmental purposes
This technology is based on the use of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) similar to a drone, its primary characteristic being its ability to move independently in the sea without any physical connection to the surface, in silence and with limited logistical support. All of the information provided by the sensors and other devices installed on the robot is managed by a control system, without the need for a human operator. Like drones, AUVs also originated in the military field but their usage soon spread to other fields such as science and industry, for example. A system such as the Clean Sea can work in adverse weather conditions and even when there is ice on the surface of the water, in which cases the use of an ROV would be out of the question as it would be impossible to connect it to a support vessel on a stormy sea or above a layer of ice. Our robot is fitted with special rechargeable batteries, meaning that it can run continuously for several dozen hours.
Clean Sea - An underwater robot| Eni Video Channel
Clean Sea was created in our laboratories as a tool for offshore use, its primary mission being to monitor underwater assets and to identify maintenance requirements in advance and give us the opportunity to quickly undertake any work that might be required. The wide range of sensors that can be fitted to the vehicle mean that it can also continuously monitor the condition of the water to identify any anomalies, allowing us to optimise the use of our offshore facilities, reduce operating costs and protect the marine environment in which they are located. The vehicle can also be integrated with our other plants in terms of its power supply, since Clean Sea can recharge its batteries by connecting to Power Buoy - another of the offshore technologies we have developed, consisting of a floating buoy that uses the movement of the waves to generate electricity. The underwater vehicle is able to locate the buoy in the middle of the sea and connect to it by automatically steering itself like a real robot. It can then recharge in preparation for its next dive using the buoy’s onboard wave-powered battery.
As well as being of practical use on an industrial level, Clean Sea is a useful tool for protecting the marine environment since it is able to automatically gather large amounts of data at a low cost, as well as contributing to oceanographic research. The use of Clean Sea in the Mediterranean Basin is managed in Gela by Enimed, with two teams set up to deal with the vehicle’s maintenance and operation in 2016 and providing support for underwater services throughout the Mediterranean Sea. The operations it performs include routine coastal inspections and taking seabed and water samples for environmental monitoring purposes.
THIS WEBSITE (AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN) DOES NOT CONTAIN OR CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE, OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO PURCHASE SECURITIES OR IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF ANY U.S. PERSON AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE SECURITIES ACT (A "U.S. PERSON"), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR OTHERWISE BE UNLAWFUL (THE "OTHER COUNTRIES"). THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR PURSUANT TO THE CORRESPONDING REGULATIONS IN FORCE IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR THE “OTHER COUNTRIES” AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO A U.S. PERSON UNLESS THE SECURITIES ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT IS AVAILABLE. NO PUBLIC OFFERING OF SUCH SECURITIES IS INTENDED TO BE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR IN THE “OTHER COUNTRIES.”
In any Member State of the European Economic Area ("EEA"), the information contained in this website is only directed at and may only be communicated to persons who are "qualified investors" ("Qualified Investors") within the meaning of Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the "Prospectus Regulation").
The information to which this website gives access is directed only at persons (i) who are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (ii) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Order or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is only available to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons, or in the EEA, with Qualified Investors. Any person who is not a relevant person, a Qualified Investor or otherwise permitted under applicable law or regulation to access the information, should not act or rely on the information contained herein.
Confirmation of Understanding and Acceptance of Disclaimer
These materials are for informational purposes only and are not directed to, nor are they intended for, access by persons located or resident in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or any of the Other Countries. I certify that:
I am not resident of, or located in, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa or any of the Other Countries or I am not a U.S. Person; or
If I am a resident of, or located in, the EEA, I am a Qualified Investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation; or
If I am a resident of, or located in, the United Kingdom, I am a Qualified Investor and a relevant person.
I have read and understood the disclaimer set out above. I understand that it may affect my rights. I agree to be bound by its terms and I am permitted under applicable law and regulations to proceed to the following parts of this website.
WARNING: the above certification constitutes a "self-certification" pursuant to Decree of the President of the Italian Republic No. 445 of 28 December 2000. False certifications are punishable by law.
You must read the following information before continuing.
The information contained in this segment of the website is not intended for, and must not be accessed or distributed or disseminated to persons resident or physically present in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan or any other jurisdiction in which it is unlawful to do so. The information also is not intended for, and must not be accessed or distributed or disseminated to persons resident or physically present in Italy who are not “qualified investors” (investitori qualificati), as defined in Article 2, letter e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation”) pursuant to Article 1, fourth paragraph, letter a) of the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in Italy by Article 35, paragraph 1, letter d) of CONSOB regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018.
By clicking the button below labeled “I agree”, you are certifying that (A) if you are in the European Economic Area, you are a “Qualified Investor”; (B) you are not accessing this portion of the website from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada or Japan; (C) if you are a resident or physically present in Italy, you are a qualified investor as defined under the Prospectus Regulation as implemented in Italy by Article 35, paragraph 1, letter d) of CONSOB regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018; and (D) you are not located in a jurisdiction where it is unlawful to access this portion of the website.
You acknowledge that the information and statements contained in the document you are accessing on this website speak only as of the date of such document (or such other date(s) specified therein), and such information and statements may become inaccurate, stale and/or out-of-date thereafter and should not be relied upon for any investment decision.
You acknowledge that the materials on this website that you are accessing are confidential and intended only for you and you agree you will not forward, reproduce, copy, download or publish any of such materials (electronically or otherwise) to any other person if this is not in accordance with the law.
You acknowledge that the access to information and documents contained on this portion of the website may be illegal in certain jurisdictions, and only certain categories of persons may be authorized to access this portion of the website. If you are not authorized to access the information and document contained on this portion of the website or you are not sure that you are permitted to view these materials, you should leave this portion of the website.
You acknowledge that no registration or approval has been obtained and Eni Gas e Luce S.p.A. società benefit and its affiliates assume no responsibility if there is a violation of applicable law and regulation by any person.
By clicking the button below labeled “I agree”, you are confirming that you have read and understood the disclaimer above.
If you cannot so confirm, you must exit this portion of the website
