OFFSHORE COMMUNICATIONS – A FUTURE REQUIREMENT!
By Rolf Bøe
n offshore platform without communication is A impossible today, and in the future many installation managers will say: We need broadband to operate the platform!
Always communication Previously the communication has been there for necessary logistic information like people on/off, supply information etc. Today it’s getting more and more important with communication for control/ aid/production purposes from the shore. The development is turning into more and more remote operations, and in all offshore oil and gas areas there is a focus on how to implement the new technologies. The communication has previously been on narrow capacities, via simple troposcatter or satellite systems. Today the fibre optical systems are necessary to provide the required bandwidth for remote operation of offshore platforms; some short distances are covered by line of sight communication via Radio Links.
platforms, examples are the cable in GOM (without onshore communication due to cable breaks (fishing)) and several cables in the North Sea. In the North Sea a typical offshore broadband capacity for a field is 155 Mbit/s. After 3 to 5 years the field requirements for capacity have grown beyond that and more capacity is ordered from the network. The fibre optical networks provide an almost unlimited capacity to the users, there is only some advanced DWDM equipment (off the shelf ) that needs to be installed. Cost savings There is a lot of potential cost saving areas in operating platforms from the shore, de-manning as result of automation, more remotely operated equipment, improved technology and others. The savings are most significant on new platforms, where all processes and functions can be evaluated and implemented in the design phase of the platform. The reduction of people required on the platform will reduce the number of beds and size of accommodation facilities etc. In addition is the reduced cost of the low initial manning. On existing platforms the manning also provides savings due to remote operations. As examples two fields in the North Sea can be mentioned: Ekofisk (ConocoPhillips) has for several years operated some of the platforms from the field centre and so has the Brent field (Shell). The reductions in operating cost for these platforms are significant. When workers are re-located from offshore to onshore the savings are significant, and in some cases the positions are completely replaced by automated processes. This kind of reduction in operating cost will be very important
There have been installed several long subsea fibre optical cable systems that are tied in to offshore 22