Oceaneering pilots ROV on Brazilian offshore drilling rig from land

April 21, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

Oceaneering has performed the first piloting operation of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on a drilling rig offshore Brazil from its onshore remote operations center (OROC), for Brazilian oil & gas giant Petrobras.

The company’s Subsea Robotics segment and Brazilian subsidiary Marine Production Systems do Brasil LTDA (MPS) piloted an ROV located on a drilling rig from the OROC in Macaé in support of Petrobras’ offshore activities.

An Oceaneering pilot remotely controlled the ROV from the Macaé base while it performed live field activities onboard the rig.

Following the opening of the Macaé OROC, Oceaneering in February 2024 performed remote ROV operations for Petrobras by controlling an ROV operating from a vessel offshore Brazil.

Multiple subsea robotics contracts with Petrobras bring $180 million to Oceaneering

Project & Tenders

“This first test represents an important step forward in the expansion of remote operations at Petrobras, demonstrating the maturity of the technology and the potential for more integrated operational models between offshore assets and onshore support centers,” said Daniel Regufe, Integrated Safety and Remote Well Operations Manager at Petrobras.

“From my perspective, solutions like this deliver tangible benefits, particularly in reducing personnel exposure to risk, lowering greenhouse gas emissions, and improving operational efficiency. They also expand the capacity to support operations and contribute to greater accessibility and inclusion through remote work models.”

Oceaneering executed its first onshore‑piloted remote ROV operations in 2004 and established its first OROC in Stavanger, Norway, in 2015. Currently, in addition to Macaé, the company operates OROCs in Aberdeen, Scotland, and Morgan City, Louisiana.