The Challenge
YPF's Vaca Muerta operations face fundamental limitations with traditional inspection methods that cannot scale to meet operational, safety, and regulatory demands.
Core Problem Statement
YPF cannot achieve continuous asset monitoring across 2.9 million acres using manual inspection methods, exposing the organization to safety incidents, environmental violations, and operational inefficiencies.
1. Coverage and Frequency Gap
Current Inspection Limitations
Traditional ground-based and piloted aerial inspections cannot provide the coverage frequency that modern operations require:
| Asset Type | Current Frequency | Required Frequency | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellhead inspection | Weekly | Daily | 7x |
| Pipeline patrol | Monthly | Weekly | 4x |
| Facility thermal scan | Quarterly | Daily | 90x |
| Methane monitoring | Annual survey | Continuous | N/A |
| Perimeter security | Periodic patrol | 24/7 | N/A |
Scale Challenge
With 800+ horizontal wells spread across remote desert terrain:
- Driving distances between wellheads make daily manual inspection impractical
- Weather conditions (high winds, dust) frequently ground piloted aircraft
- Night operations require specialized equipment and personnel
2. Safety and Compliance Exposure
Incident History
- 2018 Bandurria Sur blowout: 45-85 hectares contaminated, 36-hour uncontrolled spill, license suspended
- 2023 labor strike: 25,000 workers citing "business contempt for safety" after arm amputation incident
Regulatory Requirements
| Regulation | Requirement | Current Capability |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution 143/1998 | 24-hour flaring/venting notification | Manual monitoring |
| Neuquén Province | 500% gas price penalty for violations | Infrequent checks |
| YPF 2026 Target | 10% methane reduction | No baseline monitoring |
| YPF 2030 Target | 30% methane reduction | No tracking system |
Super-Emitter Risk
Research shows super-emitters (≥100 kg/h) represent only 7% of emission events but cause 80% of total methane emissions. Without continuous monitoring, these events go undetected for hours or days.
3. Personnel Exposure
Field Safety Concerns
Manual inspections expose personnel to:
- Remote locations with limited emergency response access
- Hazardous atmospheres near potential leak sites
- Extreme temperatures in desert environment
- H2S exposure risk at certain well sites
Operational Impact
- Field technician time spent on routine patrols rather than maintenance
- Vehicle costs and fuel consumption for ground-based inspection
- Limited skilled personnel available for remote site coverage
4. Traceability and Evidence Requirements
Current Documentation Gaps
| Requirement | Current State | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Visual evidence of inspections | Photos manually uploaded | Inconsistent coverage |
| Timestamp and GPS correlation | Manual logs | Audit vulnerability |
| Historical trend analysis | Scattered in multiple systems | No predictive capability |
| Regulatory reporting | Manual compilation | Time-consuming, error-prone |
17 Mandatory AI Use Cases
The RFP specifies 17 AI-powered detection and monitoring capabilities that must be operational:
- Fluid detection on ground surfaces
- Flow detection in lines and wells
- Liquid and gas leak detection
- Methane (CH4) detection and quantification
- Medium voltage line inspection
- Construction progress measurement
- Unauthorized objects at operational sites
- Liquid levels in chemical skids
- Person and vehicle intrusion detection
- Volumetric calculation (sand, materials)
- Hot spots in electrical/mechanical equipment
- Road and access anomalies
- Electromechanical protection verification
- Perimeter fence integrity
- Mechanical integrity evaluation
- Valve and tank operational status
- Underground interference detection (GPR)
These use cases require integrated multi-sensor data analysis that manual inspection cannot provide.
Why Autonomous Aerial Monitoring
The solution requires:
| Need | Autonomous Drone Capability |
|---|---|
| Coverage at scale | 24/7 operations from multiple autonomous bases |
| Consistent frequency | Programmable flight schedules regardless of staffing |
| Night operations | Thermal and spotlight capabilities |
| Hazard avoidance | Unmanned platforms reduce personnel exposure |
| Sensor integration | Multi-modal data collection in single mission |
| Immediate evidence | Automatic timestamped, geolocated recording |
| AI-powered analysis | Real-time detection exceeding human observation |