The importance of incessant, reliable and secure communications in the oil and gas sector is immeasurable. From a safety perspective alone, communication devices are used to alert employees about safety hazards, weather changes, shift alterations and new work instructions. Aside from onsite staff-to-staff communications, these devices are also used for interaction between offshore and onshore facilities, with emergency departments, security and policing organisations, suppliers and more.
One of the most common communication devices used by the industry today is the two-way radio (or walkie talkie). Usually, the two-way radio utilised by the industry today features large buttons and icons for ease of use while wearing personal protective equipment, best in class audio which enables communication in loud environments, coatings which protect the device from external contaminants and a ‘man-down’ alert which works with a built-in GPS system.
Wireless networks are also critical in offshore and onshore operations, however, this has not always been the case. In the past, satellites provided operators with high-latency, low-bandwidth communications which were just enough for transmitting telemetry data.
However, satellites fell short for system automation controls that required more activity. They were also not suited for fixed and mobile multi-services, such as voice and video, that required increased amounts of bandwidth. However, along with new technology, a lot of that has changed. Today, flexible, resilient and high-speed wireless networks allow oil and gas workers to keep in contact with the outside world, while increasing operating visibility and boosting productivity for producers.
The digital transformation
The future of digital communications in oil and gas also looks extremely promising. According to the World Economic Forum, digital transformation in the oil and gas industry could unlock approximately $1.6 trillion of value for the industry, its customers and wider society. There are several areas which could completely shift the way oil and gas workers communicate. 5-G mobile technology promises faster network speeds, lower latency and more simultaneous connections than ever before.
5-G is expected to provide greater mobile speeds and coverage no matter the location. Some telecommunications companies have announced they will specifically introduce a 5-G solution to support the oil and gas industry.
Thanks to smartwatches and fitness bands, everyday people are recognising that wearable technology can provide powerful insights into a person’s health and performance. Some oil and gas operators are already providing oil refinery and offshore rig staff with technological fitness bands to assist with monitoring and regulating employee activity level, calorie intake and sleep patterns.
Pushing that concept even further, ‘smart’ personal protective equipment (such as glasses or helmets) could assist staff operating from a remote control centre to communicate with workers, for example by giving instructions and schematics. This technology could be extremely beneficial in dangerous or highly remote locations.
Last but not least, Internet of things (IoT) is forecast to significantly transform the oil and gas industry in the near future. Instead of human-to-human or human-to-machine communication, IoT enables machine-to-machine communication with the use of a network of connected ‘smart’ devices that communicate seamlessly over the internet.
The opportunities for IoT in oil and gas are numerous, in fact, across the globe IoT is expected to have an economic impact of up to USD $930 billion per year in the mining, oil and gas and construction sectors by 2025, according to McKinsey & Company. IoT is expected to save operators time, deliver gains through predictive maintenance, increase safety, as well as providing substantial energy and cost benefits.
Sources: The future of connectivity: Enabling the Internet of Things, McKinsey & Company; Oil and Gas: on the cusp of a digitally fuelled new era, World Economic Forum