Failure to innovate offshore could shake oil, gas industry – Ojumu

By Dickson Omobola

Nigerian engineer, Mr Mike Ojumu, has urged a transformation in offshore mining, energy, telecommunications and environmental monitoring, warning that if it is not done, it could have grave consequences for the global oil and gas industry.

Ojumu argued that subsea robotic crawlers have a lighter footprint on marine ecosystems, calling for their adoption to ensure environmental safety.

In engineering, subsea robotic crawlers combine twin tracks for stability with quadrotor-inspired thrusters for maneuverability, enabling it to traverse rugged seabeds and withstand strong underwater currents.

Addressing newsmen during a virtual session from his base in South Africa to explain how his innovation works, he said: “Equipped with advanced sensors and autonomous navigation systems, the crawler does more than moving across the ocean floor, it interprets and adapts to its environment in real time.

Originally conceived for dredging and seabed recovery, the crawler’s applications extend far beyond mining. In offshore energy, it can support cable trenching, pipeline inspection, and scour remediation around oil and gas platforms.

“The telecoms sector could deploy it for rapid undersea cable repairs, while ports and waterways may use it for targeted dredging and debris clearance. Environmental agencies could also rely on it for seabed mapping, coral restoration, and other ecological projects.”

According to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology graduate with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering, now completing his PhD, the quad crawler blends the worlds of land robotics, drones and subsea engineering into one intelligent platform.

Ojumu, however, said while it was necessary to develop subsea systems that combine efficiency, precision and environmental responsibility, he believes that breakthroughs in power, autonomy and robotics “would soon allow underwater technologies like his to operate for longer durations, make smarter decisions and leave a lighter footprint on marine ecosystems.”

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