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Nazrin Abdul

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As global energy systems become more complex and demand for secure supply routes continues to grow, pipeline operators are under increasing pressure to strengthen safety and reliability. The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), a key link in the Southern Gas Corridor, is among the major projects investing heavily in advanced maintenance technologies to meet these rising expectations.

In this interview for Azernews, TANAP Maintenance Manager Yavuz Bozdoğan offers an inside look at how the company is modernising pipeline integrity management, as well as robotic crawlers and corrosion safety. Bozdoğan discussed the company’s innovative application of robotic crawlers for internal tank corrosion inspection. Besides, he highlighted why the technology matters, how it has transformed safety practices, and what challenges the oil and gas sector still faces.

Q: Today you joined the panel to speak about robotic crawlers. What was your experience with this technology at TANAP?

Yavuz Bozdoğan:

I talked about the robotic crawlers we used for internal corrosion inspection of tanks. We carried out this inspection in 2022 to increase coverage as much as possible. Normally, we conduct corrosion inspection on the outer surface of tanks, but we wanted to make the internal inspection better.

We used robotic crawlers for this. At first, if you look only at the cost of a robotic crawlers, it seems more expensive than manual inspection. But when you consider safety, downtime, and the overall cost, the total cost of using a robotic crawlers is actually about half of what scaffolding would cost.

So when you think of total cost and safety, using technology—robotic crawlers—is more feasible than manual UT measurement. It also supports the safety side: no need to work at height, in confined spaces, or with a large team. You only need a crawler operator and a joystick. You finish the inspection, get the results, evaluate them, and if needed, you can repeat it easily since you don’t need scaffolding.

Q: What are the main challenges in the oil and gas sector today?

Yavuz Bozdoğan:

I think one of the biggest challenges is safety. Precautions must be taken, and they can be active or passive. Passive measures include documentation or training. But real active barriers—the ones that truly prevent incidents—are the ability to detect, measure, analyze, and take action against leaks.

Leaks have many impacts: environmental, reputational, and financial. Private companies experience these impacts differently, and state-owned ones also feel them differently. And of course, there is the human impact—injury or loss of life among employees. That’s why I believe safety is the biggest challenge.

Q: How does TANAP approach safety in daily operations?

Yavuz Bozdoğan:

At TANAP, safety is the top priority. We use a permit-to-work system and a control of work approach. For some tasks, we prepare for a full week even if the actual work only takes two hours. That week of preparation ensures we complete the job safely, without anyone getting hurt.

Through this system, we take additional precautions and finish the job safely and smoothly—without injuries, without even a scratch.