Recognising innovation at INPEX

We’re proud to celebrate a great achievement by one of our M&IS Energy employees, Brendan Appleby, who was recently awarded the INPEX Vice President’s Award.

This recognition not only highlights Brendan’s own exceptional contributions but also reflects the collective expertise of the wider Monadelphous planning team based in the INPEX office.

Brendan’s role involves planning inspections across the Central Processing Facility (CPF), many of which include confined spaces that carry significant risks to be navigated. Brendan worked collaboratively with the inspection contractor and drone manufacturer to introduce a powered tethered drone solution – a first for the Australian offshore energy industry for spaces of this geometry.

This innovative approach has brought a range of safety, efficiency and cost benefits. By using the tethered drone technology, confined space inspection coverage increased from an average of 25 per cent to 75 per cent, dramatically reducing risks for personnel and improving the quality of inspections.

The enhanced data collected is enabling the team to extend inspection intervals, further improving efficiency. Additionally, the new approach is saving thousands of dollars per inspection, while the powered tether ensures the drone power supply can be disconnected in event of a failure or emergency within a process area.

Brendan said he is proud of what they have achieved as a team.

“I truly appreciate the support from everyone at Monadelphous and recognise that each campaign is truly a team effort,” he said.

“I’m always happy to contribute and look forward to continuing to build on our success and strong reputation together.”

Brendan’s initiative has paved the way for broader applications of the tethered drone technology, with additional opportunities being assessed for other parts of the business.

Congratulations Brendan on this outstanding achievement!