ORLEN acquires Exail Drix H-8 USV

ORLEN Petrobaltic, subsidiary of Polish oil major ORLEN, has announced reception of the unmanned surface vehicle (USV) Exail Drix H-8, intended to support seabed research in difficult-to-access areas. The USV will support ORLEN in monitoring the status of offshore platforms and wind turbines, as well as responding to potential threats in real time, strengthening the security of the company’s infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

🎤 “The scale of the ORLEN Group’s investment in the Baltic Sea is unprecedented. We are building the first offshore wind farm, simultaneously conducting production operations, and providing advanced offshore services. A natural consequence of these actions is investing in top-quality equipment that will improve the efficiency of daily operations. The DriX H-8 is an innovative solution that opens a new stage in the use of autonomous technologies in the Baltic Sea, aligning with the global trend of digitalization and automation in the offshore sector, ” said Wiesław Prugar, Member of the ORLEN Management Board.

🎤 “This is the second DriX vehicle delivered by the Polish company Thesta to the domestic market, but the first intended for non-military applications. We are pleased that with ORLEN Petrobaltic we are opening a new chapter in implementing innovative solutions for the offshore sector, ” commented Michał Bytomski, President of the Management Board of Thesta .

The USV was designed to withstand the demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea. Thanks to its advanced autonomous capabilities and the ability to operate in challenging offshore conditions, the DriX H-8 offers a safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional manned vessels, enabling cost and time optimization. ORLEN Petrobaltic has already obtained approval from the maritime administration – the Maritime Office in Gdynia – to conduct tests in the designated area.

The vehicle is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, including an integrated multibeam echosounder (MBES) and a seabed profiler (SBP). The DriX H-8 was manufactured in France by Exail and delivered to ORLEN Petrobaltic by Thesta, a Szczecin-based company specializing in modern maritime solutions.

ORLEN Petrobaltic SA is the only company in Poland conducting exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea. Innovative solutions, such as the introduction of the DriX H-8 unmanned vehicle, are aligned with the company’s long-term goals related to process digitization, reducing its carbon footprint, and developing offshore wind energy.

📃📷 Source: ORLEN