Oil Platform
Take wireless connectivity throughout the largest, most complex oil platforms
We make it easy to take mission-critical and commercial communications throughout offshore oil platforms with high performance and complete reliability. Our robust, ruggedized solutions are designed and built to withstand the most extreme marine environments and to maintain communications should disaster strike. With our complete suite of turnkey expert services, solutions are tailored for the platform, deployments are smooth and wireless connectivity is seamlessly available across indoor and outdoor areas.
Learn moreChallenges
Remote locations
While some oil platforms are located close to shore, others may be hundreds of kilometers from land. These isolated locations mean that simply extending existing cell networks out to platforms is not an option. Innovative, new ways to bring industrial-grade 4G and 5G connectivity to oil platforms are needed.
Harsh environments
The marine environments oil platforms operate in demand wireless solutions that reliably perform in almost every type of extreme weather. High winds, water intrusion and corrosive salt spray are challenges on every platform. Depending on platform location, extreme heat or cold, heavy rains, snow and ice must also be considered.
Demanding requirements
Connectivity solutions on oil platforms must support real-time and mission-critical applications as well as the commercial services workers living onboard rely on. With the vast amounts of data being consumed, indoor connectivity solutions must make the most efficient possible use of spectrum and take the load off outdoor solutions.
Complete and consistent coverage
It’s very challenging to take consistently high-quality wireless connectivity throughout indoor and outdoor platform spaces that vary in size and proximity to wireless equipment. The heavy steel and dense materials used in platform structures, piping, storage tanks and other infrastructure, make it even more challenging to ensure consistent wireless coverage everywhere.
Industry Trends
Industry 4.0
Like other areas of the oil and gas industry, oil platforms are digitally transforming to take advantage of Industry 4.0 technologies. To fully leverage these advances, wireless connectivity solutions must:
- Provide a single, converged, 5G-ready wireless network for all Industry 4.0 technologies
- Deliver the reliability, performance and low latency needed for real-time applications such as remote IoT sensor monitoring and data analytics
- Ensure network security end-to-end
Worker safety
Everyone on oil platforms must be within reach of reliable, high-quality wireless communications at all times, no matter where they are on the platform, or what event has occurred. Wireless connectivity solutions that protect workers:
- Extend to every corner of the platform, indoors and out
- Provide the highest possible levels of fire resistance
- Operate in the widest possible range of frequencies
Waterproofing
It’s critical to protect wireless connections from the ever-present salt water spray on oil platforms. To overcome the limitations of sealing tape, many connections are now protected with specialized, built-in covers, or “boots”, that:
- Provide waterproofing to IP 66/67/68 levels across all temperature ranges
- Don’t stretch, deform or tear during boot installation or removal
- Don’t degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light, extreme heat or extreme cold
RFS Solutions
Private Wireless Networks for Oil & Gas
RFS Private Wireless Networks bring dedicated, industrial-grade 4G and 5G coverage and capacity to indoor-outdoor environments of any size and complexity. Our turnkey private networks include all services, network solutions and operations support needed to quickly and easily create a foundation for digital transformation. Network solutions include the industry-leading Nokia Digital Automation Cloud and our world-renowned cables and antennas, as well as applications and industrial end-user devices from Nokia and other vendors.
CPR-Compliant Radiating and Coaxial Cables
RFS CPR-compliant radiating and coaxial cables feature a specially developed jacket that allows them to achieve best-in-class ratings for burning droplets (d0), low smoke emission (s1) and corrosivity (a1), the most important criteria for fire safety in cables that are installed indoors and underground. All RFS CPR-compliant cables are also designated as low-smoke, zero-halogen (LSZH) and meet International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for flame spread, smoke acidity and low smoke emission.
CELLFLEX® SecureFit Booted Jumpers
RFS CELLFLEX SecureFit Booted Jumpers feature patent-pending, injection-molded weatherproof boots that fully protect jumper connections from moisture and contaminants and eliminate the need for sealing tape. These extremely popular jumpers provide our industry-leading UltraPIM performance and support frequencies up to 6 GHz. They’re fast and easy to install, and can be removed and reinstalled more than 25 times with no deformation to the boot shape or degradation of the silicone rubber material.
Passive RF Components
RFS passive RF components operate in all frequency bands from 555 MHz to 6 GHz and provide optimal passive intermodulation (PIM) performance to reduce interference and support the highest throughput levels end-to-end. Our comprehensive portfolio includes all components required for an end-to-end, 5G-ready distributed antennas system, including: combiners, hybrid combiners and couplers, directional couplers, diplexers and triplexers, power splitters, loads and attenuators.
References
30 oil and gas platforms
Brazil | 2020
RFS provided turnkey wireless indoor communications solutions that extend high-quality wireless coverage to every area on offshore platforms to ensure worker safety. High-quality wireless communications are now available throughout each platform, between offshore and onshore locations, and between all platforms and ships. The digital communications systems also eliminate low-frequency interference, ensuring clear communications, even in extremely noisy areas.
Resources
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