Overview
In remote, demanding environments like oil and gas fields, field operations managers are seriously busy. Whether it’s managing teams, setting budgets, establishing goals or monitoring performance, there is no room for lapses in communications. Between the many hats they wear, things can get complicated – but their connectivity infrastructure doesn’t need to be.
On top of everyday tasks, energy producers are on the forefront of environmental challenges. They are taking a leadership role in applying the latest technologies to achieve a low-carbon future while meeting energy demands to power activities around the world. Transforming operations for existing facilities delivers safe, efficient operations that reduce carbon footprint and deliver dramatically improved business efficiency. Operational precision requires automation and high-performance connectivity that is centralized, reliable and efficient.
The Challenge
A top-tier Fortune 150 Oil & Gas producer with global operations signed a multi-million-dollar, multi-year contract with Future Technologies Venture for a centralized communications infrastructure that improves efficiency and reduces carbon footprint while also delivering a sustainable operational advantage. Network downtime was affecting efficiency of their workforce. When communications in the field is interrupted, technicians must physically go onsite to check instruments and operations. In a remote and vast environment such as an oil field, this can cost countless lost man-hours.
In today’s digital oil field, it is more critical than ever to have a costeffective wireless communication network. Energy producers are not able to achieve step function efficiency improvements using multiple solutions from multiple vendors. The two-year program reduces cycle time and delivers a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than alternative solutions. Centralized communications infrastructure enables operators to find and produce new oil and gas reserves, enhance recovery in existing fields and optimize productivity of downstream assets to deliver energy.
“Incremental improvements to multiple systems are time consuming and can only get you so far. Centralized integrated communication systems deliver real value to energy providers,” said Peter Cappiello, CEO of Future Technologies Venture. “By focusing on solving centralized management of the end-to-end network, rather than integrating multiple pieces from independent providers, we reduced the total project timeline by 25%.
Reference Architecture
“Utilizing the all outdoor PTP 820C-HP, the customer was able to lower TCO in their microwave network by almost 60%,” says Dave Rumore, Chief Revenue Officer, Future Technologies Venture. “This was accomplished by the ability to use smaller antennas which reduced cost of the antennas, shipping costs and the cost to install.”
The licensed microwave equipment also significantly reduced wind loading which precluded some major tower modifications and in one case, replacement of a tower. Because of the PTP 820C-HP’s zero-footprint design, there were no shelter upgrades required.
“The Cambium Networks wireless fabric is much more than hardware,” said Kent Brown, Senior Director of Industrial & Strategic Account Sales, Cambium Networks. “Our integrated solutions include proactive and deterministic network management and advanced applications to selfoptimize performance of the network. Unified management enables industrial network operators to focus on the needs of their core business while the technology delivers the connectivity reliably and at the lowest total cost.”
Proven Solution
As much of this network was new technology for the customer (PMP 450m CBRS and PTP 820C-HP), it was important for the customer to fully understand the subtleties of the solution before deployment. The Future Technologies team hosted the customer engineering team for a three-day workshop where their exact network environment was replicated for in-person full interoperability testing in the Future Technologies Innovation Center in Atlanta.
Streamlined Installation
Upon completion of the workshop, the customer was granted remote access to the lab to continue to operate the test network to confirm performance. The result was an approved “Golden Configuration” that allowed for Bill of Materials (BOM) creation well in advance of deployment and enabled the products to be shipped to the field in a standardized configuration that minimized time on site, reduced disruption to operations, streamlined installation and met all customer objectives.
Future Technologies Venture
The unique challenges of the Oil & Gas industry require robust solutions that provide mission-critical connectivity in harsh environments. Future Technologies is a lead system integrator across the full end-to-end value chain that delivers complex, multi-technology critical telecommunications solutions. Our work in this arena includes the construction of onshore and offshore networks that are accredited by Safeland, ISNetworld, Safety LMS and OSHA. Planning, project management, engineering, site development, supply chain, deployment and support are efficiently conducted via our proven six-step process. With more than 150,000 wireless sites deployed in hundreds of enterprise and industrial locations, businesses trust the measurable value our solutions deliver.