by Sam Mabin, Market Leader – Industrial Solutions, N3N
Historically, Oil & Gas producers relied on narrowband analog communication systems to collect field data on the status of their production operations. These types of systems created several barriers. The bandwidth capacity of these networks limited the amount and frequency of data collection, and the networks were intended for single-purpose use without video or voice capability.
How have Oil & Gas field operations changed over time?
With the emergence of technology advances, Oil and Gas producers have begun deploying broadband digital networks across their field operations to collect vast amounts of reliable data, in real-time, that current automation systems produce.
These systems allow field operators to more effectively manage their production fields while reducing windshield time and decreasing the need for additional personnel. Digitalization has allowed for more coverage with less manpower. They also leverage these networks to support increasing requirements for field video and physical security for improved asset protection and employee safety.
What challenges do field operators face in their day-to-day functions?
Field operators rely on SCADA systems and sometimes a DCS to monitor and control a myriad of functions throughout today’s digital oil field. They employ specialized software for asset management and machine learning to track and optimize operations. Video, safety, and security require separate systems for implementation and management. Operators currently have to switch between multiple applications to get a robust data set necessary to determine actual conditions in the field. Operators rely heavily on this information to decide how best to allocate their resources in the field to achieve critical goals including:
- Production Efficiency
- Operational Assurance
- Asset Protection
- Worker Safety
- Environmental Safety
Field operators are continually trying to find ways to achieve and improve on these goals as they are vital to reducing overall production costs and increasing profitability. One critical area of improvement that can not only reach but surpass operation goals is integration. Enhanced environmental safety is achievable through the combination of leak detection systems with real-time video which can verify the severity of the sensor detected leak.
Why is it essential to merge existing systems to improve operational goals?
Integrating multiple streams of production data and video into one single pane of glass is crucial to obtaining a full understanding of current operating environments in real-time. Regardless of source or protocol, ingestion of data is key to the deployment of a scalable IOT solution. Integration enables operators to assess current deficiencies, physical security of employees, and environmental conditions across their entire production environment empowering them to effectively prioritize and triage field alarms and respond/deploy resources accordingly based on severity.
Oil & Gas operators can leverage N3N’s solution to achieve the next level of efficient field operations. N3N provides a valid data, video, and security agnostic data visualization platform that can provide innovative IOT solutions across the entire oil and gas value chain.
About the Author:
Sam Mabin is the Industrial Solutions Market Leader for N3N responsible for the Oil & Gas and Mining sectors. Sam brings over twenty years of experience in telecom and industrial communications in systems engineering, sales and business development. Before joining N3N, he was with Behavioral Recognition, ABB Wireless, Sentito Networks and Ascom Timeplex where he held various sales roles addressing Oil & Gas, industrial and telecom markets both domestic and international. Sam holds a B.S. in Electronic Engineering for The University of Houston.
About N3N:
Organizations and smart cities across the globe trust N3N to deliver innovative digital transformation and IoT solutions to achieve powerful business and operational outcomes. Our dynamic operations visualization platform seamlessly converges data from sensors, connected devices, video feeds and more in a single view for real-time actionable insights that drive real-world decisions. Founded in 2012, N3N is a Cisco venture-backed company headquartered in Foster City, California with global offices in South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
