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Production Operations

The US, for the frst time, is close proactive, not a reactive approach to

Managing access to being independent on itself data management, he adds. to crucial data for oil and gas, notes J Michael Additionally, 24/7 video feeds

T

Kuykendall, VP for global are often used offshore, both for while maintaining a information technology at Apache. monitoring equipment as well as secure environment “Our technology is what is driving teleconferencing. Such use can in the offshore us there, the pressure being put provide substantial savings but does more now on the communications add another challenge.

communications sector and infrastructure that is required to “The sixth generation rig is a can be taxing for many make all of that happen.” software-driven rig. More often operators. Whether While technology provides than not something software-driven advantages in the form of will bring it to its knees, causing the information is near-instant access to extensive downtime,” notes Coy Wright, IT moving from rig to information, such knowledge can be VP for Pacifc Drilling. “We’ve taken crippling if not properly distributed the stance that IT is imperative, is shore, to the seabed, and protected. The most signifcant critical, to avoid downtime.” or to the drilling communication challenge, As technology advances and equipment, offshore

Kuykendall says, is to manage and resources become more available, merge the data into signifcant, companies are faced with multiple communication has a useable data. He was recently on solutions to complicated offshore host of inherent issues. a rig and saw frsthand the data communication woes.

Jennifer Leahy overload many operators face.

“They were pulling data from Potential solution explores issues and everything – anything that can be Touted by some as having the innovations discussed measured, in perpetual motion, potential to change offshore received a pip tag. Millions and communications, satellite’s Ka-band at OilComm 2012. millions of rows of data were is one potential solution for generated just from that one companies facing bandwidth issues. platform, coming into a server. I Though all Ka systems are more asked: ‘What are you going to do susceptible to rain fade than high with that?’ And they said: ‘That’s throughput Ku systems, experts what we are trying to fgure out,’” suggest the additional frequency he says. “We are just a mess right may provide added value to users.

now trying to manage that big data.” “All bands have their place Everybody is “on that steep and the application environment learning curve right now, trying tends to determine the appropriate to manage data distribution”, band, rather than a feet operator’s

Kuykendall adds. “It all goes back band of choice. It is all about the to that 28 year-old on a pumper mission and the right solution for who wants to be sitting in his room, the mission profle. There will and be able to pull out his iPhone absolutely be mission profles that and have access to that one little need Ka, but it is not an automatic piece of data, that is gleaned from replacement,” says Keith Johnson, the millions of rows, that he needs.” president of energy solutions for Finding a means to turn data Harris CapRock.

into meaningful information “Unlike cellular technology, more quickly for the end user is where 4G replaces 3G and a challenge that plagues offshore everything else before it, Ka will communications professionals. The join other frequency bands as a answer often requires asking the tool in building a communications right questions to determine what solution. There are cost and service data is needed, when it is needed, trade-offs to every band,” he adds. and how the data will be used. Harris CapRock recently entered “It’s important to get on the into a strategic marketing alliance frontlines. Don’t assume you think focused on ultra high-speed, low you know,” Kuykendall says. Many latency E&P communications businesses are now taking more of a capabilities with O3b Energy. “O3b oedigital.com February 2013 | OE 53 oe_oilcomms2.indd 53 31/01/2013 17:02