Total has launched in December 2013, the ARGOS Challenge (Autonomous Robot for Gas and Oil Sites), an international robotics competition designed to foster the development of a new generation of autonomous robots adapted to the oil and gas sites. These robots will be capable of performing inspection tasks, detecting anomalies and intervening in emergency situations.
In June 2014, five teams from Austria, Spain, France, Japan and Switzerland were selected to take part in the ARGOS challenge. They have less than three years to design and build the first autonomous surface robot complying with ATEX/ IECEx standards*. The robot will be able to operate in specific environments encountered in the oil and gas industry.
By launching this challenge in partnership with the French National Research Agency (ANR), Total has adopted an open innovation strategy. The aim was to involve associations in robotics, partly to make them more aware of the operating constraints encountered in oil and gas production activities, and partly to encourage them to suggest innovative robotics solutions, providing answers to the problems we encounter, and increasing safety for our personnel.
5 teams Argonauts, Foxiris, Vikings, Air-K and Lio and come from Austria, Spain, France, Japan and Switzerland
Total Challenge operated by ANR (Total) and EuroSTAR