ESTeem industrial wireless radios are used in a wide range of demanding oil and gas applications. Communicating between offshore platforms and monitoring miles of pipeline for leaks are just two examples.
But designing a reliable wireless network for oil and gas operations poses many challenges. The greatest challenge when using wireless in this industry is the distance between radios. Offshore platforms, for instance, can be 10 miles apart, while pipelines run for 50 miles or longer. ESTeem radios are specifically engineered to solve distance-related challenges:
- They provide the maximum output power available in the unlicensed 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands.
- ESTeem radios can be mounted outdoors with a NEMA4 case near or directly to the antenna to reduce any cable signal losses.
- Any remote ESTeem radio can act as a repeater and remote site simultaneously to provide additional range to the network.
- Our radios work together to create an IndustrialMESH network for overlapping, redundant wireless links.
Another challenge for wireless in oil and gas applications is intrinsic safety, or the design of electrical equipment for use in hazardous areas. The ESTeem radios themselves are not rated for hazardous areas, and in most installations, the radios are mounted outside of these areas. But we do offer options (hazardous enclosures, hazardous area rated antennas, etc.), if the radio and antenna need to be mounted in a hazardous area.
Severe environmental conditions are another challenge found in oil and gas applications. Stormy oceans, the humid Amazon and Alaska’s frigid North Slope all present their own unique difficulties. Our industrial radios are purpose-built to withstand these and other tough environmental conditions.
Tank farms are a specific oil and gas application where ESTeem’s advantages are evident. Tank farms comprise clusters of 10 or so tanks in close physical proximity. A small amount of data (usually the level and flow of the tank contents) is monitored at each tank – in most cases the amount of data is so small that it doesn’t warrant a full supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) network. In these situations, ESTeem can link each of these data clusters using edge computing and the MQTT protocol. One ESTeem radio can tie all the data points together for a more efficient, cost-effective solution.
ESTeem has the expertise to build a wireless network to overcome your most difficult challenges. Contact us today to learn more.