Oil and gas
LTE network is not economic at this
time for our customers.”
Separately, Hytera provided
TATNEFT with TETRA radios as
well as a Control Center Automated
System (CCAS) to install some new and
different applications on Hytera smart
radios. The Hytera PTC760 smart radio
allows users to make and receive calls
and data from broadband LTE and
Wi-Fi networks and the narrowband
TETRA network.
TATNEFT has developed a workflow
management application which assigns
tasks for each employee. Employees
send back a message acknowledging
receipt of the task and send another
one on completion of the job. This
ARMITS application is downloadable
to any approved smartphone.
ARMITS also supports the data
application for monitoring the
implementation of the work plan.
Usually the application exchanges data
with the control centre via LTE and
Wi-Fi as the primary networks, but
if these are not available, the data can
still be transmitted via the IP-based
TETRA network backbone with use
of the TetraFlex API function library
from DAMM.
TATNEFT uses controllers with an
Airbus TW1M radio modem, which
provides telemetry data transmission
from oil production facilities to transmit
data for industrial control systems,
including telemetry transmission,
remote control equipment and
positioning systems, as well as the
ability to remotely control the process.
Hytera also supplied its TETRA BT500
Radio Data Modems for telemetry
transmission and the remote control of
equipment and positioning systems.
It can be noted that Siemens has
deployed a WiMAX system in the Gulf
of Mexico covering thousands of square
miles, in operation since 2011; 120
WiMAX base stations support SCADA
telemetry, voice and video on and
between platforms, as well as back to
shore, and to vessels near the rigs.
Broadband LTE options
Stephane Daeuble, Nokia enterprise
solutions marketing leader, observes:
and exploration. “Mobility also comes
into play in connecting vessels with
static facilities such as rigs. Large files
can be exchanged between maintenance
or resupply teams. Thinking about
exploration, a small private LTE
network can be set up at a remote
location to support the team as
connecting sensors. Satellite links can
transfer files back to base, but these
are expensive. Edge cloud computing,
leveraging on-site computing
capabilities to manage data processing
and data flows, makes it possible to
analyse 80-90% of the data on-site and
then only a smaller completed report
file needs to be sent back. This reduces
the costs of satellite backhaul and
enables faster decision-making.”
Jadoul continues: “We also offer
flexibility of business models, for
example, private wireless connectivity
as a managed solution. Smaller
organisations, companies or sites
can be provided with a plug-andplay
communications system that
includes spectrum, edge computing,
access points, applications and user
equipment, managed in Nokia’s Digital
Automation Cloud.”
Are there Nokia LTE devices
available to meet the safety
requirements in oil and gas? Daeuble
responds: “We are mainly focused
on the network and supporting
applications, but we have a large
ecosystem of supporting companies
offering devices suitable for rugged use
in ATEX or IECEx environments.”
Jadoul adds: “Nokia also offers
small routers with temperature,
electromagnetic, shock and vibration
hardening to connect multiple sensors
or subsystems in a vehicle or static
system, offering reliable and secure
IP/MPLS communications over 4G
backhaul. ATEX enclosures for the LTE
base stations are available, although
these are not always necessary as the
equipment can be installed outside and
still connect into the risk areas.”
Distribution networks will generally
be able to use public 3G and 4G
networks. Jadoul notes: “Nokia private
LTE networks are used in the static
and remote sites, but companies can
roam onto the public network and use
smart transportation tools to direct
and manage their distribution fleets
effectively. IoT and other sensors
can add information about delays
and hazards and vehicle location
information uploaded over public LTE.
“Asset management tools are also
“The industry’s needs are, as ever,
high reliability and security, as
offered by their landlines, but now
also over wireless to help modernise
operations for increased efficiency and
increased safety.
“Private LTE suits the needs of most
sites and brings significant benefits
when large coverage is required and
the RF environment is challenging – a
regular occurrence in the oil and gas
sectors, and something that Wi-Fi has
challenges with. We have provided such
a system for Beach Energy in Western
Australia. It connects both personnel
and machinery such as valves and
pumps. This enables 24-hour control
from a central location.”
Is WiMAX still seen as a serious
alternative? “WiMAX is an ageing
technology, an attempt from Wi-Fi
to move beyond small office/home
coverage,” argues Daeuble. “But in
2019, WiMAX has dwindling support
and there is very little development in
that space. In comparison, 4G/LTE has
evolved since its inception to become
more than just a mobile broadband
technology and to now support critical
machine communication and IoT. Its
latest iteration, 4.9G, offers low latency
of 10-20ms, 3-5 x 9s reliability and
gigabit data rates.
“It is also a gateway to 5G with a
smooth evolution to 5G industrial
ecosystems when they are ready.
Real-time video over LTE is supported
and can be augmented with analytic
features; for example, surveillance,
spotting leaks or early signs of fire.
Standalone narrowband LTE Internet
of Things (NB-IoT) sensors may
have battery lives of four to 10 years,
very suitable for use in oil and gas to
avoid extra cabling when digitalising
processes. LTE is versatile and so can
offer all that is needed over one network
– voice, PTT, data, IoT, etc.”
Daeuble adds: “Finally, LTE is a
mobile technology, meaning that it
connects people and vehicles on the
move, and provides location. So, for
oil and gas it aids safety as well as costeffective
operations. Add to that the
possibilities offered by drones, which
can be controlled by LTE and are able
to stream HD video at the same time.
These can remain in range of an LTE
network over significant distances, even
for long pipelines.”
Offshore LTE solutions
Marc Jadoul, strategic marketing
director at Nokia, talks about offshore
LTE is a mobile
technology, meaning
that it connects people and
vehicles on the move, and
provides location
18 www.criticalcomms.com January 2020
/www.criticalcomms.com