SK Innovation Ulsan CLX Safety Guarded by Robot Dog and Robot Snake

Resolving Safety Blind Spots and Advancing Fair Management
"Actively Seeking Digital Transformation of Ulsan CLX"

An intelligent quadruped robot 'Spot' learning the characteristics of each process at SK Ulsan Complex (CLX) in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Photo by SK Innovation

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] SK Innovation is introducing robot dogs and robot snakes at SK Ulsan Complex (CLX), the core hub of the group’s energy business. This is expected to help create safer working conditions and operate facilities more stably.

According to SK Innovation on the 20th, SK Ulsan CLX has introduced two types of robots this time. The quadruped robot nicknamed ‘robot dog’ called Spot, and the ‘Guardian S,’ which moves like a crawling snake.

These two robots patrol the processes at SK Ulsan CLX to check temperature, detect gas leaks, and monitor the safety status of facilities. They are also used for measuring noise and vibrations that are difficult to detect with human senses alone.

The scale of SK Ulsan CLX is 8.26 million square meters (about 2.5 million pyeong), roughly three times the size of Yeouido, Seoul. Due to the vast site and the complex process structure where pipelines totaling 600,000 km are intricately intertwined like human blood vessels, there are blind spots that are difficult for humans to inspect directly. The robots were introduced to solve these challenges.

Spot and Guardian S can be equipped with various devices and sensors to provide users with desired functions. Spot has visual and auditory perception capabilities as well as cognitive abilities, and can perform physical tasks such as grasping or moving objects. It can operate for about 90 minutes on a single charge and can recognize its battery level to automatically recharge, enabling continuous operation.

Guardian S can crawl not only in straight lines but also in S-shaped patterns, and its magnetic properties allow it to easily climb metal walls and stairs. Both robots are equipped with cameras, making it convenient to inspect areas difficult for humans to access, such as gaps between pipes and equipment. SK Ulsan CLX recently deployed Spot for process-specific learning and plans to put Guardian S into actual operation after stabilizing its functions within this year.

With advanced functionalities, these robots are expected to be used in specialized fields such as early fire suppression and 3D scanning of facilities in the future. Additionally, by establishing a continuous digital safety management system like the introduction of these two robots, it is anticipated to help prevent accidents and minimize damage.

Seokwan Hee, Head of Innovation Technology Office at SK Energy, said, “With the deployment of these two intelligent robots, we will become a more advanced and safer workplace. In line with SK Innovation’s digital transformation (DT), we will actively seek various DT opportunities at SK Ulsan CLX going forward.”

The intelligent quadruped robot 'Spot' learning the characteristics of each process at SK Ulsan Complex (CLX) in Nam-gu, Ulsan. Photo by SK Innovation

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.