The Oil and Gas industry is one of the most technologically advanced industries in the world. It relies on telecommunications to help facilitate this process. The oil and gas industry relies heavily on telecommunication networks for efficient communication, collaboration, and control across its operations and facilities. Telecommunication links the central office and remote locations, or field offices. The telecommunication needs of the oil and gas industry are diverse. There are different operating conditions, geographical locations, and data sources within and outside the operational network. Telecommunication solutions must be appropriately sized for these varying requirements to not impose unnecessary cost burdens on any part of the network.

This article provides an overview of telecommunication in the Oil and Gas Industry for Operation and Safety.

Need for Telecommunication in the Oil and Gas Industry

Everyone in the oil and gas industry knows that safety is a significant priority for offshore operations involving hazardous equipment. Therefore, good oil and gas communication equipment is essential for enhancing operational safety and efficiency from oil rigs to offshore platforms.

An effective communication system between offshore and onshore activities delivers more than just data transport. Regarding employee safety, communication channels can help offshore oil rig operators remain vigilant to potential dangers. For instance, if workers detect a leak or broken equipment, they can promptly alert their colleagues and onshore management, keeping everyone informed.

Types of Oil and Gas Communication Equipment

1) Cellular Data:

If you have utilized cellular data if you have ever used a smartphone. Using electromagnetic waves, cellular communications send and receive both sound and data. A phone antenna constantly releases these waves, which are received by the nearest cell tower on land. If you move too far away from a cell tower, your signal will deteriorate and eventually disappear. Users in rural places with limited cellular data coverage can rarely obtain service.

Cell phone signal boosters are popular communication equipment for oil and gas firms that rely on cellular data. A mobile phone booster, also known as a signal booster or extender, receives a weak signal, amplifies it, and then rebroadcasts the "boosted" signal to a neighboring cellular network. Without this technology, cell phone users in remote areas may eventually exhaust their batteries attempting to connect to the internet, posing a safety risk.

2) Satellite Communications:

Satellite internet is well-known for its dependability and nearly global coverage. Since satellite communications transmit and receive data via Earth-orbiting satellites, users do not need to be within range of a cell tower to access the internet. Once a device has delivered its data to an orbiting satellite, a signal is sent to the nearest land-based station to complete the transfer.

Satellite internet is not limited to specific locations because it does not require mobile towers. However, improved reliability and coverage can come at the expense of increased latency, as devices and satellites interact across greater distances.

Also Read: How Digitalization Can Streamline Oil And Gas Operations

How to Improve Telecommunication in the Oil and Gas Industry

1) Unified Communications:

Providing employees with unified team communication extends its reach beyond radio and cellular networks, allowing all devices and networks to participate in the same discourse. Then, supplement this unified communications solution with the Internet of Things-generated information, allowing machine data to join your essential workgroup conversations in real-time. Unified communications promote worker safety, productivity, and efficiency in energy businesses.

2) Internet of Things (IoT):

The oil and gas industry employs the Internet of Things to enhance production, optimize equipment, assure worker safety, and monitor remote locations. Real-time data collection is made possible by sensors installed within wells, blowout preventers (BOP), and choke valves. Oil and gas companies use this data to quickly identify damaged equipment, enabling field engineers to anticipate and react. IoT technologies allow oil and gas enterprises to save on maintenance expenses and obtain granular insight into their equipment and processes.

3) 5G Implementation:

The oil and gas industry would have more significant opportunities to deploy Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G networks due to the growing acceptance of 4G wireless communication technology and the evolution of 5G standards to accommodate industrial use cases. Uncertainty still persists regarding 5G adoption strategies in the oil and gas business. However, 5G will become a significant competitive advantage for oil and gas companies in the near future. It motivates ambitious digital initiatives in the exploration and production segment of the oil value chain.

Conclusion

The oil and gas industry relies heavily on telecommunications networks to coordinate operations and transmit critical information. Oil & gas enterprises extensively use various telecommunication solutions, including cellular data, satellite data, and other advanced technologies. To successfully implement effective communication solutions in oil and gas organizations, it is essential to understand how each function is connected to others through the network. A necessary part of managing a network is determining where the disconnect is and trying to fix it as quickly as possible.