LEADING oil companies are installing wireless IP data networks to provide real-time connectivity for their many field devices, as well as to support the new paradigms in collaboration (CWE), safety (HSE) and security being implemented in today’s oilfield operations.
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), a joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell, has deployed a Redline wireless system to blanket their digital oilfield with wireless connectivity. More than 2,000 of the 5,000 wells in the PDO oilfield are now wirelessly connected to a central location from which they are remotely monitored and managed, providing real-time machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and control. Scada systems, remote terminal units (RTUs), video surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi hotspots, VOIP phones as well as well heads, drilling rigs and semi-mobile units are also connected via the Redline wireless network.
After more than a year of product trials, it was clear to PDO that most wireless and cellular technology would not meet their demands, including speed, latency, security and cost of deployment of their industrial applications, nor could they operate reliably in the extreme climate of the Omani oilfields. PDO’s decision to deploy Redline as the transport network solution for their intelligent oilfield was based on Redline’s robust product design, superior performance and open IP networking standards support.
Equipment installed under the sun of the Omani desert must operate reliably in 52 deg C (125 deg F) heat and sandblasting high winds. The terrain is hilly and end-points are kometres from each radio base station, meaning equipment must perform well at long range, even when there isn’t a clear line of sight between units.
In an operation where every millisecond counts, the network must support real-time (low-latency) M2M control communication and field applications that are predominately uplink in direction – meaning that they flow up from the field to central servers. In total, these requirements make it extremely difficult for any system provider.
For PDO, Redline’s “Virtual-Fibre” wireless transport system was the clear winner, and Redline’s wireless network now blankets an area covering over a 45,000 sq km (17,000 sq miles).The system works flawlessly in this harsh environment and delivers the range, coverage and uplink that PDO required.
Equally important was the ability to transparently extend PDO’s IP-Core services into the field, allowing for a unified network from the office to the field, preserving end-to-end quality of service for mission critical applications and a consistent user experience.
According to PDO, this important open standard IP networking requirement could not be met by consumer-centric 4G wireless options. With Redline, PDO got a wireless backbone that adheres to the same advanced IP standards for network segmentation, application Quality of Service (QoS), and security configured in the routers and switches in their IP-Core network.
“The Redline products have delivered on their promise of highly reliable performance in a challenging environment,” says Saeed Al Shidhani, PDO’s head of IT projects. “Redline’s ability to operate without interruption in harsh conditions over extremely wide areas was key to delivering a rapid return on investment. We have seen immediate and significant improvements in performance and data throughput as a result of the wireless digital connectivity delivered by Redline and we plan to more than double the number of wells that are included in this system in the coming months.”
Redline is now in the process of connecting all the remaining wells at PDO.
PDO is also leveraging the Redline system to deliver to the field the same office connectivity that employees enjoy inside the carpeted office environment.
