TCR Arabia Secures Landmark Robotic Inspection Project with WTCO
TCR Arabia secures a 3-year WTCO contract for robotic water tank inspections across Saudi Arabia, starting Q1 2025.
Services · Robotic and AI-Assisted Inspection
Robotic Tank Inspection per API 653
A three-year robotic tank inspection contract with WTCO commenced in the first quarter of 2025, delivered through TCR Arabia. Floor scanning runs to API 653 with eight ultrasonic transducers and no degassing.
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Overview
The TCR Group has invested in a partner who has developed ATEX/PESO-certified internal rover for in-service tank inspection.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Tank height range | Up to 25 m |
| Tank diameter range | Up to 100 m |
| UT probes | 8-transducer array (compatible with API 653 floor scanning workflow) |
| Cost reduction | Approximately 50 percent (vs. scaffolding-based methods) |
| Speed | Approximately 10x scaffolding-based methods |
The rover complements the partner-delivered OTIS (in-service robotic tank inspection per API 653, 8-transducer ultrasonic, no degassing). WTCO 3-year robotic tank inspection contract commenced Q1 2025 (TCR Arabia delivery, project leads Naser Salahuddin and Shaheensha Shahulhameed).
OTIS, In-Service Robotic Tank Inspection
API 653 compliant. 8-transducer ultrasonic scanning of tank floors without emptying. Planys-developed; deployed under TCR Arabia and TCR Engineering engagements as a partner-delivered capability.
Tank robots on video
TCR publishes its own work on YouTube. One film is below, recorded on the bench and in the field. Each one loads only when you press play: nothing is requested from Google before that.
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Frequently asked questions
Can storage tanks be inspected while still in service?
Yes. The OTIS robotic system performs API 653 compliant inspection of tank floors without emptying the tank and with no degassing. The ATEX and PESO certified rover carries an 8-transducer ultrasonic array, scanning floor plates in service, so the tank stays in operation throughout the inspection.
What tank sizes can the robotic rover inspect?
The rover inspects above-ground storage tanks up to 25 m in height and up to 100 m in diameter. Its 8-transducer ultrasonic probe array is compatible with the API 653 floor scanning workflow, covering the floor plate area that conventional inspection reaches only after emptying and cleaning.
How does robotic tank inspection compare with scaffolding-based methods?
Robotic inspection reduces cost by approximately 50 percent against scaffolding-based methods and completes the work roughly ten times faster. Under the WTCO robotic tank inspection contract, a three-year programme that commenced in the first quarter of 2025, the rover has been deployed through TCR Arabia.