Highlights

• RipEX, RipEX-HS, 400 MHz
• Wellhead monitoring
• Hazardous location
• Base Driven Protocol
• Modbus TCP
• Solar powered
• Siemens RTUs

Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) is a state owned Oi l& Gas Company in Pakistan. One of their production assets is the Adhi gas field, south of Islamabad. In order to minimize the production decline rate, a Field Compression facility is now used. To support efficient operation of this facility, permanent and improved real time monitoring of the well heads is required.

A SCADA system was installed around ten years ago to automate processes, reducing manpower requirements and providing greater levels of accuracy in reporting parameters at wellheads. However, this network did not meet the full requirements of the more recent Field Compression facility. PPL realized the need to migrate to a modern, future proofed radio data network. Avanceon was contracted as System Integrator to design, install and commission the new network.

After lengthy analysis and discussion with PPL, it was agreed the following parameters and design features were key: Multiple ports, Base Driven protocol, highest possible data speed, low power for use with solar panels, approval for use in hazardous locations and fully redundant hot standby units. The only radio that met all the criteria and more was the RACOM RipEX radio modem.

It was stipulated in the tender that the migration should be completed without network downtime or data collision, with both networks using the same frequency for communication. Fortunately RACOM Migration solution meets all these requirements. Radios and RTU’s would then be gradually migrated without any outages.

During installation, other areas of concern were raised. The RipEX solution answered all with ease:

• Using a RipEX-HS, fully redundant master station with auto switch over allays fears of downtime within the network
• Setting radio modems in sleep/save mode allows 24/7 communications between the RTUs and the center using solar power
• RipEX Modbus TCP server functionality and Modbus TCP to Modbus RTU conversion has proven very useful for efficient communication

Since commissioning, PPL and Avanceon have monitored the migrated network closely. They have found it much more reliable and considerably faster than the old network. In addition, the RipEX radio modems are much easier to configure than those they replaced. Planning and budgeting has already been approved for expansion to other sites during 2021.

Avanceon were grateful for the levels of input that the RACOM Support team were able to provide and are looking forward to working with them in the future on this and other projects.

Highlights

• RipEX, 400 MHz
• Tanker loading
• Marine environment
• DNP3 protocol
• Point to multipoint
• Siemens RTU
• Maximum reliability

Jadestone energy Australia PTE Ltd is an upstream oil and gas production company operating in the Asia Pacific Region. One of their assets is the oil producing Stag Field, offshore Western Australia.

Jadestone recently changed their operational procedures, employing a mobile tanker in the Stag Field. This saves considerably on operational costs and is environmentally safer than previous practice. However, in order to fully comply with Australian Government legislation and continue to operate, they are now required to simultaneously monitor three analogue signals; the anchor cable tension, pipe pressure and solar voltages. All three signals must be monitored on both the tanker and the platform.

APautomation from Perth, Australia were contracted to design, implement and commission the new network. Because of the extremely high costs of running a production platform, the network must have uninterrupted operation. It was quickly realized that robustness and reliability were key parameters making the RACOM RipEX radio modem an obvious choice. Not only does it offer the levels of reliability required with industrial hardened design and heavy-duty industrial components, it also has a range of other features highlighted for this solution: long range transmissions [50 Km], standard TCP/IP protocol, low power consumption and wide ranges of DC supply.

The new network uses 4 RipEX radios and Siemens RTU’s communicating using DNP3 protocol in a point to multipoint configuration between the FSO [floating, storage and offloading] and calm buoy.

When it came to implementation it was decided the easiest way of achieving this would be to simply remove the old network and install a new one. RipEX is extremely easy to configure allowing APautomation to complete the work without the need of any support from RACOM.

Due to the success of the new network, Jadestone energy are already in talks with APautomation to consider other oilfields they operate and where similar networks could help improve the operation and protect the environment.

Highlights

• M!DGE
• Leak detection System
• Open VPN
• Customized Software
• Modbus TCP protocol
• Marine environment

PT Starcom Solusindo has been a telecommunication operator in Indonesia since 2000, continually developing its capabilities and expertise, designing solutions for technology and network problems. It has a large customer base including National industries for whom it provides licensed and unlicensed networks.

One such network Starcom recently provided is the Pemasangan Leak Detector System on the submarine pipelines for SPM at PERTAMINA (Persero) for three of their refineries.  SPM (Single Point Mooring) is a floating buoy/jetty anchored offshore to allow handling of liquid cargo such as petroleum products for tanker ships.

These subsea pipelines carry crude oil to the refineries so it is important to ensure there are no leakages at any place in the pipeline.

It was decided that Cellular routers would be ideal to communicate data if they had an industrial hardened design and heavy duty industrial components, robust security features and firmware that could be adapted using programmable scripts.

After fully exploring products currently on the market it became clear the RACOM M!DGE cellular router was best suited to meet all end user requirements.

Each pipeline has two M!DGE units, one positioned offshore and the other onshore. For all data transmissions an open VPN is used with an encrypted tunnel between two M!DGE units.

One crucial solution that M!DGE delivered was the ability to operate with customized software, generated using RACOM’s Software Development Kit (SDK), a simple and fast way to implement customer-specific functions and applications.

In this application SDK script listens on a given TCP port and accepts connections.  It reads the current WWAN1 and WWAN2 states and MOBILE1 signal. It replies to requests with the required information in ModbusTCP format, a pre requisite from the customer. Provided values (WWAN, SIM) are sent back on particular registers/bytes, also as per customer’s requirements.

The implementation of the network was seamless thanks to local expertise provided by Starcom working with the end user and remote back up provided by the RACOM Technical Support team in Czech Republic.

The Arabian Gulf has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Many of the vessels are Oil tankers that use offshore moorings while their cargo of oil is loaded for transportation around the world.

The Kuwaiti authorities understand the environment is a major element of the comprehensive development of a country. The Environment Public Authority (EPA) of Kuwait was established to monitor the environment and implement international legislation and policy. In 2016 a decision was taken to establish an environmental monitoring information system using a network of buoys, strategically positioned throughout the coastal waters of Kuwait, to monitor water quality and alert the authority to oil spillages.

The logistics of establishing and maintaining a marine monitoring offshore network meant the authority could only consider radio modems with an industrial hardened design that use heavy duty industrial components and can provide  a 24/7 reliable service in a harsh maritime climate. The only radio modem that EPA Kuwait sourced that could meet all their criteria was the RACOM RipEX radio modem.

The network was designed to operate using Flexible protocol at a frequency in 300 MHz band. Due to the distances involved, it was necessary to use several repeaters to enable data transmissions between the center and farthest buoys.

The network came into service in 2017 and has been successfully helping EPA monitor the environment in Kuwaiti coastal waters ever since.

Highlights

• M!DGE
• Oil & Gas
• Wellhead monitoring
• Desert environment, +50 oC
• Mission critical application
• Installed with outdoor antenna
• Integrated with Rockwell RTUs

Growing global demand for natural gas has pushed oil and gas companies to increase the development of hazardous, sour gas fields containing Hydrogen Sulphide [H₂S] and Carbon Dioxide [CO₂]; the higher the concentrations of sour gas the more intensive, expensive and dangerous the development process becomes.

In the Middle East, developing sour gas fields has become a priority because of soaring regional gas consumption. In addition, companies in the region are also facing the issue of increasing levels of sourness in operating fields; H₂S and other contaminants that were negligible on startup have become a problem as production continues.

Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations Ltd. (ADCO) now trading as ADNOC Onshore is using RACOM M!DGE routers to support a toxic gas leak detection system at sour H₂S wells.

As you can imagine, this is a mission critical application requiring very high levels of reliable communication. Having to operate regularly in temperatures over 50⁰C only adds to the challenge. The M!DGE units, chosen specifically for reliability and ability to operate in these temperatures are integrated with Rockwell RTUs as a single assembled unit and installed using an outdoor antenna. Any gas leak alarm (10ppm) must be also notified through SMS by the RTU to a number of mobile telephones through M!DGE routers.

The ability to offer security features in the form of VPN, IPsec and tunneling proved an added bonus to our highly satisfied client who is placing ongoing orders with RACOM.

It is very pleasing to know that the M!DGE router is so adaptable and continually providing solutions in different hazardous situations around the world.

Highlights

• RipEX, 400 MHz & M!DGE
• Emergency Early Warning System
• M!DGE used for backup
• MQTT protocol for sirens
• Mesh Network
• Backup routes
• 14 sites in 9 cities

Exxon Mobil is a major operator at the Port-Jerome-Gravenchon-Refinery. The facility is SEVESO classified and as such, stringent health and safety measures must be observed to protect the surrounding environment and infrastructure.

To fully meet their commitment to health and safety, Exxon Mobil chose to have a completely new, extensive, early warning system developed to include a central management system. A theoretical study of the links was produced and from this, it was realized that VHF was necessary to build a robust radio network. RipEX was chosen ahead of its competitors in the market because of its ability to transport MQTT protocol with efficiency and build a mesh network including Backup routes thus enabling the alarm system to remain functional even if the site is partially damaged. 3G is used as an additional backup.

The alarm system covers 9 cities; 25000 inhabitants spread over 28 km². RipEX with Router mode and Backup route features is used over 14 sites. M!DGE is used as backup for RipEX across the network. The advanced diagnostics of RipEX including link testing proved very useful during installation and configuration.

AE&T was the main contractor for this new design of Siren system. Such was the success of this application and interest it has generated that, AE&T and RACOM have implemented similar solutions at other sites in France and Spain.

How the system works:

Highlights

• RipEX, 400 MHz
• Oil Production management
• Temperatures below -40 °C
• Extensive rough hilly wooded area
• TCP in the centre + Terminal server
• Polling and Report-by-exception
• 5 Masters in 5 locations, 120 remotes

LUKOIL is a major international vertically-integrated oil & gas company, the largest privately owned oil & gas company in the world by proved oil reserves and one of the biggest Russian oil business groups with $139 billion revenue and net income in excess of $11 billion.

LUKOIL have used the radio modems RipEX400 to create a geographically-distributed radio data network on a large oil field in the Republic of Komi in rough hilly wooded area.

Thanks to RipEX fetaures, the new functions have been implemented to the customer’s SCADA network such as the serial access (polling) and random access to a radio channel including the functions of distributed IP-routing, multiple retransmission and remote monitoring via the corporate Ethernet network.