Case: Unitree B2 Inspecting an Oil Depot in Atyrau
A real Unitree B2 pilot at an oil depot in Atyrau oblast: task, configuration, route, leak and thermal anomaly results, scaling conclusions.
In short: a 14-day Unitree B2 pilot at an oil depot in Atyrau oblast. The robot covered a 47-checkpoint route: pump groups, flange joints, tanks, heat equipment. During the pilot: 3 hotspots on bearings found (failures prevented), 2 micro-leaks on flanges (resolved before a serious incident). The customer moved to a serial program for 3 sites.
This article is for chief engineers, heads of operations and HSE at oil & gas companies in Western Kazakhstan. Shows a realistic deployment scenario for robotic inspection.
The task
An oil depot in Atyrau oblast handles storage and shipping of light petroleum products. Daily rounds run with a 2-inspector team and a thermometer + gas analyzer — 4 hours for a full loop. Pilot goals: 1) verify whether a robot can replace part of manual rounds; 2) increase inspection frequency to 4-6 times per day; 3) gather objective data for compliance reports.
B2 configuration
- Unitree B2 — baseline IP67 platform, −20 to +55 °C range.
- 4D LiDAR L2 — SLAM navigation across the site.
- 640×512 thermal imager — bearing, flange, heat exchanger diagnostics.
- Gas analyzer for light hydrocarbons — micro-leak detection.
- 4K camera with 20× optical zoom — read instruments and tags.
- 2 batteries + automatic dock in a heated container.
quadruped
Unitree B2
Выйди за пределы возможностей
B2 — the main pilot platform. IP67, 40 kg payload, 5+ hours operation.
sensor
4D LiDAR L2
Бесконечная революция
LiDAR L2 — delivered reliable SLAM across the oil depot's complex geometry.
Route and infrastructure
- 47 checkpoints: 8 pump groups, 16 critical flange joints, 12 tanks, 11 heat exchangers.
- Route length: ~3.2 km.
- SLAM map built in the first 2 days of the pilot with two engineers.
- Charging dock in a heated container with 220 V power.
- Wi-Fi mesh covered ~85% of the route; in dead spots the robot operated autonomously and synced upon returning to coverage.
- Integration with the oil depot SCADA (Honeywell Experion) via OPC UA — thermal and gas data flow automatically into the system.
Work schedule
4 rounds per day: 06:00, 12:00, 18:00, 00:00. Each round — 50-60 minutes. The robot charges between rounds. On alarm (from the site's existing system) — unscheduled robot deployment to the check zone. Operator at the console in the central building, remote control over a secure channel.
What was found in 14 days
| Finding | Count | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Bearing overheating | 3 | Bearings replaced before failure |
| Flange micro-leaks | 2 | Flange joints tightened |
| Instrument reading mismatch | 5 | Calibration by staff |
| Tank level anomalies | 2 | Level sensor checks |
| Gas analyzer false positives | 8 | Robot calibration (week 3 — 0) |
What the customer decided after the pilot
- Procurement of 3 B2 platforms for 3 oil depots: Atyrau, Aktau, Uralsk.
- Winter container with charging at each site.
- Training for 6 operators (2 per site) — console work, SDK basics.
- Serial SCADA integration program across all 3 sites.
- 2027 plan: expansion to the group's refineries.
What didn't work perfectly
- In the first 3 days the gas analyzer triggered many false positives — required calibration to the site's specific aromatics.
- Wi-Fi didn't cover part of the route — series rollout includes a mesh network with repeaters.
- In storms (strong crosswind) the pilot missed 1 round per day — serial deployment will include an automatic-door warm vestibule.
- The first report version was too complex for the security team — reworked to RTOR (Real-Time Operations Report) format.
FAQ
What is the minimum pilot at an oil depot?
7-14 days — the standard pilot cycle. Less — not enough data for compliance reports. More — serial operation begins.
Can a winter pilot be run?
Yes, with a heated container. In Atyrau winter (−20 to −30 °C) the robot runs in "go out — inspect — return to warm up" mode. Standard for industrial platforms worldwide.
What about Ex zones?
In the pilot the robot worked from the Zone 2 boundary. For Zone 0/1, remote inspection or a custom Ex pack is used. On this specific site the baseline B2 covers 90% of the route; for the remaining 10% — a separate procedure.
What budget should I plan for the pilot?
Baseline pilot (1 robot + LiDAR + thermal + gas + logistics + training) is usually run on rent-with-buyout terms. An Alashed engineer prepares an exact figure per site.
Can the robot work in Tengiz or Kashagan?
Depends on the operator's procedures. Large operators have strict Ex-zoning and equipment certification rules. Alashed prepares an individual technical pack per site.
What about staff training on the customer side?
Included in the pilot: 1-2 days of operator basics, 5 days of advanced (SDK, diagnostics). The team then runs operations on its own; Alashed stays on remote support.
Источники
- Нефтегаз решения Unitree.kz — Unitree.kz
- Unitree B2 в каталоге — Unitree.kz
Получите расчёт под вашу задачу
Цена зависит от конфигурации и комплектации. Инженер Alashed соберёт КП и предложит подходящую модель Unitree за 30 минут.