NEWSR E M O T E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S E X P L O R A T I O N

S P R I N G 2 0 1 5

Data in Data outOptimising data transferfrom remote locationsDoes volume mean value?

Home from HomeWhy crew comms mayneed 10Mbits

Remote Insight ReportAfrica’s connectivity updates

Top Tips for EUdata security

legislation

VSAT can cause 50% downtime (solution inside) • RigNet enters Kazakhstan •Acquisition creates largest space based M2M company • GE invests

US$millions in industry • EMC onboard construction vessel • O3b and Hermes Datacoms light up oil andgas comms in Angola • PLUS: The Quarterly, diary dates, product updates and much more inside!

THE LOWDOWN

Produced by CTLD Publishing Ltd

Sustaining profitabilitywith low oil prices

2015

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25230

23FEATURE Optimising data transferfrom remote locations.Vaughan O’Gradyinvestigates Part 1

25FEATUREFor the digital oil field, thetime for real-time is now

26FEATUREDoes data volume meandata value?Vaughan O’Gradyinvestigates Part 2

28COMPLIANCENeil Cross of Advanced365 gives us his Top Tipsfor EU data securitylegislation compliance

31FEATUREHome from Home

HTS and the impacton crew and welfarecomms systems

NEWS

Our sector has taken a turn in the last few months. Oil prices remain in a slump andthe latest figures of working oil rigs indicate a downward curve. Therefore, explorationand production companies will likely be facing some tough calls in 2015, in terms ofmaximising productivity and profitability, amid expected cuts in resource expenditure.

It’s not long ago that the world dealt with similar hits. See the feature on page 20,where Julian Pickering of Geologix harks back to a similar situation in 2008. But wehave come a long way since then in terms of technology.

In this edition we take a look at how to smarten up the E&P data flow. There areseveral elements to consider for getting this kind of information working harder (andmore cost effectively) along the pipeline. For example, while real-time data transfercan provide valuable insights and production updates, could that bandwidth be utilisedmore efficiently? Check out the Data In : Data Out features on pages 20 to 27. Forthose planning, currently implementing, or upgrading a digital oilfield, perhaps you willfind some ideas about greasing your networks in this issue.

Georgina Elrington

Editor@OffCommNews.com OffCommNews.com

9FEATUREData Replication

Downgrading frommission critical tooccasionally needed

16PRODUCT NEWS The latest developmentsfor remote communications

18INTERVIEWNo bandwidth costs

for remote comms

Find out more fromNovelsat’s CEO, Itzik Wulkan

19OPINIONPreparing O&G for HTS

Denis Sutherland at iDirectgives us his view on theHTS market today

OffComm News is a trading name ofCTLD Publishing Ltd. Company No.7774639 ISSN 2051-9362. Read thedigital version online by clicking thecurrent edition image athttp://OffCommNews.com.OffComm News is available in printquarterly by subscription only.Digital subscriptions are free viawww.goo.gl/kr3bz

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Welcome

Inside this issue

Contents

3SPRING 2015

Spring2015

20EXPERTISESustaining profitability

with low oil prices

Dr Julian Pickering, CEO atGeologix, shares his insight forthe emerging digital oilfield

EMC steps onboard Ceona Offshore’slatest O&G subsea construction vessel

Emerging Markets Communications (EMC)has been selected by Ceona to provideonboard communications for its newest fielddevelopment asset, the Ceona Amazon.

The deal includes the delivery of satelliteconnectivity services for the vessel’s mainoperations, including voice, and offshorecomms for crew welfare ~ using SpeedNetfor faster internet browsing. The use of dualantennas will help to avoid blockage causedby the main pipe-laying tower on the vessel.

In collaboration, O3b Networks and HermesDatacomms will deliver advancedcommunications services to a major energycustomer in Angola. The deal enables ultralow latency services to oil and gas basesand camps in the region ~ before extendingnetwork reach offshore.

Low latency connections are a criticalenabler for energy clients, allowingnumerous delay and performance sensitiveapplications such as ERP (Citrix, Oracle,SAP) and real-time monitoring and control.

John Finney, chief commercial officer forO3b Networks, explained: “O3b andHermes Datacomms can deliver powerfulnew capabilities to the energy industryenabling sophisticated cloud basedapplications and streaming HD video to

remote and offshore areas that until now,could only have minimal connectivity or hadto replicate IT infrastructure onsite.”

The service will seamlessly connect thecustomers’ sites in Africa with corporate andoperational centres in Europe, via O3b’sintegrated gateway and backhaul network.

SpeedCast marks deals for energy sector and tanker fleet

Global satellite comms service provider,SpeedCast International Limited, has beenawarded a multi-year comms contract fromArab Maritime Petroleum TransportCompany (AMPTC), a provider of maritimetransport services of hydrocarbonsubstances in the Middle East.

SpeedCast will provide satellite networkconnectivity for AMPTC’s entire fleet of 10vessels, initially for three years. AMPTC’sLPG carriers, crude oil tankers, and productcarriers will be fitted with end-to-end VSAT

services to enable corporate networking,internet access, voice communications, andcrew welfare services. SpeedCast designedthe system leveraging its global Ku-bandnetwork to meet the specific requirementsof AMPTC.

SpeedCast also recently opened a newoffice in Houston, Texas; set up a divisiondedicated to the energy sector; and wasappointed by Inmarsat, as a distributionpartner for its flagship maritime service,FleetBroadband, and Fleet One.

Gilat Satcom increases capacity between Africa & US

Increasing capacity from its PoP in Maryland,USA, Gilat Satcom has implemented high-end satellite transmission software:NovelSat NS3000 satellite modems. Thesemodems run software called Novelsat NS3,

which can increase spectral efficiency by upto 30% compared with the DVB-S2 satelliteindustry standard. Using the software, GilatSatcom has also been able to achievemodulation levels of 64APSK.

Wavestream, a Gilat Satellite

Networks subsidiary that providessolid-state power amplifiers formission-critical defence and broadcastsatellite communications systems, hasappointed past President and co-founder, James Rosenberg as CTO.

Intelsat S.A. David McGlade, currentlyChairman and CEO, will transition toexecutive chairman, effective 1 April2015. Stephen Spengler will becomechief executive officer.

NovelSat, a leader in satellitetransmission technology, crowns DavidRubner as Chairman of its Board ofdirectors with immediate effect, as thecompany prepares for a period ofaccelerated market growth.

Inmarsat welcomes Jeffrey Sare asvice president of airline marketdevelopment. Jeffrey, formerly vicepresident of strategy and technologyfor Thales USA, joins Inmarsat during aperiod of rapid growth andunprecedented investment in itsaviation business

Global network services companyLevel 3 Communications, Inc. hascemented its commitment to theEMEA region ~ as well as its customers~ with its most experienced and provenregional leader. Andrew Crouch willtake the helm at the company as EMEAregional president, driving the focus oncustomer experience and expansion, aswell as global accounts managementacross all Level 3 regions for globalenterprise and wholesale.

The Quarterly - Marketplace RoundupStay up to date with the market on these pages in every issue. In between, get the news to your inbox as it happens:

http://goo.gl/kr3bz

4 NEWSSPRING 2015

Picture courtesy of Ceona Services (UK) Ltd

O3b & Hermes Datacomms light up oil and gas comms, Angola

Who’s Who

The Quarterly - Marketplace RoundupCompany announcements can be emailed to the news desk for consideration. Send your story to

editor@OffCommNews.com

BRICS study reveals new capacity revenue potential worth $325m

In a new, emerging market country-levelstudy, ‘BRICS Satellite Capacity Supply &Demand,’ NSR (Northern Sky Research)delves into Brazil, Russia, China, India, andSouth Africa, to find out about the satellitetelecommunications elements of theseexpanding economies. According toChristopher Baugh, President of NSR, theBRICS economies will collectively generate$325 million in new satellite capacity leaserevenue during the next decade.

Overall, the five BRICS economiescombined will see traditional FSS demandgrow by just under 600 TPE* to 2023, ledalmost exclusively by Ku-band. Beyond this,

nearly 100 Gbps of HTS demand will bepresent in these five countries by 2023.

“Perhaps the most striking finding in thisstudy is the impact HTS will have on theseemerging markets, and the huge differencesbetween markets. For instance, Brazil isaggressively developing a governmentalHTS program deploying around 50 Gbps ofsupply, while China has made no mentionwhatsoever of HTS,” noted Blaine Curcio,NSR senior analyst and report co-author. Headded that the supply picture for HTS differsmarkedly between markets, which will havea significant impact on the development ofKu-band for some key emerging applications.

Vessel owners looking to provide a variety ofinfotainment onboard systems might benefitfrom an Ethernet network to handle video,voice, and data transmission requirements.From M.A.C. Solutions (UK) Limited, a newrange of high performance, industrialswitches enable better management of suchsystems from anywhere on a ship.

Certified for use in marine applications, theswitches are DNV (Det Norske Veritas) typeapproval-certified to withstand the harshconditions often found offshore such as:

extreme operating temperatures, highhumidity and corrosion, high shock andvibration, and where protection from EMI orRFI is required.

ATEX-certified switches are also available forinstallation in potentially explosiveatmospheres, such as on offshore oil andgas platforms, as well as at onshorechemicals and petrochemicals plants. Theycan connect and remotely manage CCTV,audio PA, telephones, lighting systems,ventilation, and SCADA systems.

Trend driving factors for in-the-field RF spectrum management

Signal Hound has been looking at demanddrivers for high-performance portableinstruments.

A pioneer in USB-powered spectrumanalyzers, the company has since released apaper entitled, Cost-efficient and ExtensibleRF Spectrum Monitoring & Management.

It discusses trend driving factors for in-the-field RF spectrum management; the limitationsof larger, standalone spectrum analyzers vs.portable USB-based spectrum analyzers; anopen systems approach to RF spectrumanalysis; as well as real world use casesfrom the South Pole. You can access the whitepaper from this news story on our website.

BG Group has appointed Helge Lundas chief executive, and executivedirector, with effect from 2 March2015. He is currently the CEO atStatoil. BG Group plc has a broadportfolio of business interests focusedon exploration and production andliquefied natural gas.

GE has named Harel Kodesh as VP,chief technology officer of GE software.He was previously executive vicepresident of EMC Corp’s cloudbusiness; and CEO of Mozy, an EMCsubsidiary. Prior to that he was chiefproduct officer for Amdocs.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec,welcomed John Carnall as senior vicepresident of global lifecycle support. Hejoins from Danfoss where he held theposition of VP for parts and service;before that, he was at Atlas Copco’s

oil and gas segment.

Ensco plc has confirmed that SteveBrady take on the role of senior vicepresident (SVP) – Eastern Hemisphereand relocate to London. Brady waspreviously SVP – Western Hemispherebased in Houston, which is now beingheaded by Gilles Luca.

Telenor Group confirmed that RajeevSethi will join Grameenphone as CEOwhile Vivek Sood will join Uninor asCEO. Sethi comes from the role aschief marketing officer (CMO) in Uninor.Sood, who has served asGrameenphone CEO since January2013, re-joins Uninor as CEO. MortenKarlsen Sørby steps down as CEO ofUninor due to illness in his immediatefamily and will assume a new role inTelenor Group. Uninor has alsoappointed a new CMO, Upanga Dutta.

NEWS 5SPRING 2015

Who’s Who

Ethernet infotainment onboard with new industrial managed switches

(*36 mhz transponder equivalents)

$637.5 million in industry investment

Deals

GE, Petrobras, and BG Group todevelop advanced technologiesfor O&G processing on the seabed

General Electric (GE) has invested $500million in a new Brazil Technology Centerthat will focus on developing advancedsubsea oil and gas technology. The centre,GE’s first in Latin America, will be a hub forengagement and collaboration with itscustomers in the region, tapping into a$1.2 trillion offshore market opportunity.

“Our new research centre in Brazil willallow GE to innovate locally for ourcustomers in Latin America, and thenexport those innovations to the world,”said GE Chairman and CEO, Jeff Immelt.

Currently, offshore oil and gas processinghappens on platforms on the surface ofthe sea. These are often located milesfrom the wellheads located on the seafloor.

By placing power and processingequipment next to the wellhead (on the seabed), it makes the job of extracting the oiland pumping it to the surface easier, safer,

and ensures a successful and economicalflow of oil or gas from a reservoir to thepoint of sale. It is also environmentallysound and more cost-efficient for theextraction company.

Collaboration

GE is working with petroleum companieson the development of technologies andequipment to move production from theplatform to the seabed. For example, BG

Group is helping to explore ways to makedrilling systems smarter, increasing theamount of data they provide, and helpingthe operators utilize the data in real-time. Itis also discussing more effective andefficient ways to separate oil, water, andgas on the seabed, with Petrobras.

Mark Little, senior vice president and chieftechnology officer, GE Global Researchsaid: “Expanding opportunities for oil & gasproduction in ultra-deep waters requiresthe kind of industry and technology know-how for extreme environments that is apart of GE’s DNA. The Brazil Technology

Center is a place where we can workclosely with local customers anduniversities in the region and harness thefull power of our global research network todrive innovation in ways no one else can.”

One such approach is to increase the amountof machines carrying out work in thesesub-sea environments. Not only would thisreplace the need for manpower, it is also asafer option given the extreme environmentwhen plumbing from the seabed.

Comms News

6 NEWSSPRING 2015

Creation of largest space based M2M comms company

Markets

Given that scenario, another recentindustry development has resulted in thelargest global space-based M2M commscompany. ORBCOMM Inc., a globalprovider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M)solutions, has entered into a definitiveagreement to acquire SkyWave Mobile

Communications, for $130 million.SkyWave is the largest M2M serviceprovider on Inmarsat’s global L-bandsatellite network.

Via the acquisition, ORBCOMM will haveone of the largest combined engineeringteams in the M2M industry, gainingsignificant economies of scale in operationsand manufacturing. Inmarsat’s CEO, RupertPearce, commented: “Our two companiesare well positioned to exploit the growingopportunity for satellite to enable theInternet of Things. ORBCOMM’s trackrecord of innovation, combined withInmarsat’s global network reach, will bringcompelling offerings to the market, furtheradvancing Inmarsat’s M2M growth strategy.”

Pui-Ling Chan, SkyWave’s CEO, said: “Weare excited about the combination of our

two organizations, which will create aleading force in the industry to providemore products, applications and tool setsaimed at the Internet of Things. Together,we have the capabilities to servecustomers of all sizes, locations or sectorswith one of the most comprehensive andcompetitive portfolios, as we lead theM2M industry to a new level.”

SkyWave’s distribution channels in SouthAmerica, Asia and the Middle East, alongwith Inmarsat’s support, provideORBCOMM with even broader globaldistribution. ORBCOMM will gain access tonew geographies in Eastern Europe andAsia, and diverse vertical markets such assecurity and marine.

The addition of SkyWave’s higherbandwidth, low-latency satellite productsand services that leverage the IsatDataPro(IDP) technology also expands the breadthof ORBCOMM’s portfolio.

Under the commercial agreement,ORBCOMM (through SkyWave) andInmarsat will jointly own the IDP

technology, which Inmarsat intends tomake available through its reseller channel.Inmarsat will acquire and operateSkyWave’s satellite network assets locatedprimarily at three Inmarsat earth stations inLaurentides, Canada; Burum, Netherlands;and Auckland, New Zealand for $7.5 million.

Wider reach

Further, Inmarsat recently refurbished itshub in Sydney, Australia. The centre offersresearch and development engineeringfacilities, as well as demonstration labs.

MTN Communications is also focussing onbusiness development. In response to 20%year on year growth, regarding the oil andgas vessels that it serves, MTN has installeda new technical team in Houston, Texas.Currently, commercial energy organisationsrepresent 32% of its customer base.

“Building our Houston team is one moreinvestment in the oil and gas sector as weserve an unprecedented number of themost data intensive customers in theindustry,” said Errol Olivier, MTN CEO.

Comms News

NEWS 7SPRING 2015

Vendor Client Type (fixed, cellular, Destination Details Deal datesatellite, hybrid)

Redline Communications Undisclosed / Confidential Satellite & Cellular Worldwide Contracted to deploy high-speed wireless network for digital oilfield operations Oct-14

SpeedCast International Ltd EMAS AMC Satellite Worldwide Multi-year high-performance broadband connectivity deal for mission critical data & voice on 12 vessels Oct-14

Xplore Technologies Undisclosed / Confidential Satellite Undisclosed US$6 million order for fully-rugged Bobcat Windows tablet to be used by field service technicians Oct-14

Global Marine Tampnet Cellular North Sea 3rd contract to extend the offshore fibre optic network with a new cable linking offshore platforms Oct-14

Redline Communications Undisclosed / Confidential Cellular Argentina US$1 million contract for 1st phase wireless network to connect people & machines across entire oilfield Oct-14

TW Telecom Level 3 Satellite & Cellular Worldwide Acquisition results in comprehensive product portfolios supported by a global network Nov-14

Marlink Palantir Satellite Oslo Collaboration to improve access to sophisticated IT services in the maritime industry Nov-14

InfiNet Real Solutions Private Ltd Cellular Pakistan Contract to drive wireless connectivity through VAR Nov-14

Intellian Telenor Satellite Satellite Europe Deal for v-series antennas on the satellite THOR 7 expected in 2015 Nov-14Broadcasting (TSBc)

Skywave Mobile ORBCOMM Inc. Satellite Canada Agreement to purchase with $130 million price tag Nov-14Communications

SpeedCast International Ltd Arab Maritime Petroleum Satellite Middle East Multi-year comms contract for entire fleet of vessels Nov-14Transport Co (AMPTC)

O3b Networks Hermes Datacomms Satellite & Cellular Angola Partnership to deliver advanced communications to a major energy customer Nov-14

O3b Networks RCS-Communication Satellite & Cellular South Sudan Collaboration delivers state of the art communications, inc. RCS-WIMAX, to the world's newest country Nov-14

SpeedCast International Ltd Inmarsat Satellite & Cellular Asia Pacific Distribution partnership for FleetBroadband & FleetOne for leisure yachts and near-shore fishing boats Dec-14

AST Cobham SATCOM Satellite Undisclosed Alliance brings enhanced service support Dec-14

Globecomm Gannexion Satellite & Cellular Mali Contract to provide eWelfare services for on-site personnel Dec-14

EMC Ceona Offshore Satellite & Cellular Undisclosed Appointed to provide on board communications for flagship vessel, the Ceona Amazon Dec-14

Flash comms contracts Q4

he problem of inconsistent connectivity and limitedbandwidth is compounded by the trend towardsincreasingly distributed enterprises. The growing numberof mobile workers and remote sites has meant thecentralised architectures employed by most businessestoday are out of sync with the distributed enterprise.

LatencyLatency is a major source of frustration for remote applicationusers. Network outages and connectivity issues aside, the fact thatan application must communicate via a network during its operationintroduces noticeable delays in processing and usability – even overhigh-speed networks. The effect becomes more pronounced as thedistance between the user and the data centre increases.

This is why a fundamental change in the way business applicationsare architected is required by users such as utilities, oil & gasoperators, and the armed forces – for whom access to current datais business or mission critical.

Delivering a distributed modelThere are several ways in which to provide improved access toapplications and data. The first step is to recognise the internet’sinability to provide reliable access, and change its role in theapplication architecture from ‘mission-critical’ to ‘occasionally needed’.Based on this approach, there are four core technology options:

• N-Tier Client Server: Closest to the traditional, in-house, centralised application environment, this scenario involves a central database server and deployment of robust client applications at each remote site or user location. Network connectivity is essential, with performance tied to available bandwidth and reliability hinging on network availability.

• Thin Client ‘Application Access Portals’: A remote control operation where network dependant terminals access one or more central servers. Each user has their own virtual machines running on these central servers, on which the applications are loaded and executed. Regardless of bandwidth requirements, network connectivity is necessary to use the application. Latency may be an issue as keystroke and GUI data must be sent between the thin client and the server.

• Web Client: Encompasses several different client implementations, the most common being web browser based, ‘thick client’-based applications using web services technologies, or server-deployed but locally executed. As with the previous two approaches, network and server reliability is the determining factor for application availability.

• Distributed Applications & Data: Involves deploying independent, replicated database instances together with a robust client application, either in a remote office or on a user’s laptop. The database needs to be synchronised at regular intervals, with frequency dependent on application and business requirements. This solution can tolerate frequent network outages and bandwidth restrictions and still allow remote users to continue working.

Read-write accessDatabase replication technologies allow a rich-client interface tooperate uninterrupted via a local database, even during periods ofcomplete network unavailability. They can then allow updates tostream back and forth over the network during periods ofacceptable network QoS. This distributed or decentralised modelgives all workers equal access to perfectly performing and fullyfunctional enterprise applications.

Enabling disconnected use of fully functional applications and datais an essential requirement for any distributed approach. This doesnot mean providing users with read-only versions of their data. Itmeans fully functional, read-write access to data as if they were stillconnected to the network without degrading applicationperformance.

Asynchronous update-everywhere replication allows organisationsto manage their disconnected remote sites and mobile workforcecentrally from the office, regardless of latency or bandwidth.Moreover, it doesn’t rely on email or FTP, and it doesn’t require allsites to be available at the same time for replication to take place.

Crucially, users don’t have to be connected to a network to accesstheir data. Instead, they can obtain up to date information at anytime with the same levels of QoS, performance and managementcosts as those in the central office – using either simple datareplication or complete synchronisation.

Geographic remoteness and poor connectivity mean many organisations encounter issues whenattempting to keep remote sites or workers up-to-date with essential data. Data replication ensuresoptimum quality of service all the way to the edge of the enterprise where connectivity is intermittent orlimited, says Steve Driver of DXSTRO.

Keeping applications and relational databases current at distributed sites

Downgrading from ‘mission-critical’to ‘occasionally needed’

Data Replication

T

NEWS 9SPRING 2015

Steve Driver, managing partnerat DXSTRO Software LLP

Main Conference: 24th – 25th March 2015Pre-Conference Workshop Day: 23rd March 2015Location: London, UK

Join oil and gas mobility leaders as they discuss:

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Cyber security: Determine what needs to be on your organisation’s radar when rolling out your blueprint for mobility strategy and security

Mobile devices: From ruggedised devices to wearable technology, get an in-depth overview of what’s on the market and how these innovative products will revolutionise your operations

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this helps me get that done. - CNR

Chris RivinusHead of IT Project DeliveryTullow Oil

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Ayman Al-Issa Chief Technologist & Senior Advisor - Industrial Cyber Security, Booz Allen Former Advisor for Digital Oilfi elds and Cyber Security, ADMA-OPCO

Mehmet Akif Acar Mobile Application Developer & Mobile Device Management Administrator ChiefTurkish Petroleum Corporation (T.P.A.O)

Martin JarroldChief, International Programme Development Global VSAT Forum (GVF)

Damien WallSmart Grid Software Commercial LeadGE

Deborah Hurley Chair, Board of DirectorsElectronic Privacy Information Center

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REMOTEINSIGHTREPORTAfrica

NEWS

Remote Insight Report

y 2025, East Africa is expected to experience anincremental production growth of nearly 1 millionbarrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), led byMozambique and Tanzania.

With the highest number of gas discoveries between 2010-2013 inEast Africa, accounting for more than 25% of added reservesworldwide ~ and as the largest contributor* the region comes tothe fore of international openness to investment, boosting itsattractiveness and competitiveness, according to new analysisfrom IHS Inc.

Despite the high potential for further growth, East Africa hassuffered major setbacks with lack of local infrastructure in place,institutional capacities, regulatory framework, and an adverse geo-political situation overall.

“East Africa is the new hot spot,” said Stanislas Drochon, (pictured)director Africa oil & gas at IHS Energy. “The region is going througha major transformation and it has huge potential to play a crucialrole in driving the region’s future growth, while still operating inrisky business environment where the regulatory framework andinfrastructure are not in place.”

Drochon said that the regulatory framework and lack of institutionalcapacities in a context of very high expectations for socio-economictransformation will not only bring challenges for a growing role oflarge IOCs (integrated oil companies), but also for governmentswithin the region.

Pioneering gas discoveries requiresinfrastructure developmentOver the past five years, Mozambique and Tanzania have seen theregion’s most significant gas discoveries, with more than 80% ofthem located in Mozambique. “East Africa remains underexploration and there is more to be discovered, including in othercountries such as Ethiopia or Comoros, but there is more to bedone,” Drochon said.

“The large infrastructure developments and financing are crucial toensure that all the investments can materialize. The developmentof gas reserves and associated power generation are necessary tosupport the transformation of the region, by providing cheaper andreliable energy, key conditions currently missing for theindustrialization of the region.”

Hydrocarbon production on the riseWithin the next decade, East Africa, driven by LNG projects inMozambique and Tanzania, is expected to form the largesthydrocarbon production, accounting for nearly 1 million boe/d. Bythe end of the decade, landlocked Uganda is also expected tocontribute to this growth.

“Gas and LNG production will become a dominant revenuegenerator in East Africa. The accelerated growth in the gas sectorwill outsize the previously important coal sector, but we are unlikelyto see an immediate increase in employment opportunities andlocal supply chain expansions,” said Natznet Tesfay, head of Africaat IHS Country Risk.

“The massive investment followed by the infrastructure boom willtransform the northern Mozambican provinces, allowing the localgovernments to get involved. We expect that this will facilitate andattract the entry of foreign investors, exploring not only theopportunities in the energy sector, but also other areas, such aschemical, power, manufacturing, and mining. The transformation ofEast Africa, however, will set its own pace”.

* More than 50% of total regional mergers and acquisitions value in 2013.

As African growth is expected to remain strong for the next 10 years, the new East African gas discoveries and growth in incremental hydrocarbonproduction will attract new international investors and increase regional openness for further developments and further M&A activity.

Yet, the pace of East African transformation and further growth depends on critical infrastructure investments to ensure security of supply andmodernization of resources, geopolitical stability and sufficient regulatory framework.

An emerging hot spot, East Africa represents a primary opportunity sector for M&A activity.In the past four years, the top three largest deals in the region were in Mozambique with

Asian based national oil companies.

East Africa is undergoing a major transformation to becomea new world-class player on the energy market.

Out of Africa

B

12 NEWSSPRING 2015

Remote Insight Report

NEWS 13SPRING 2015

wo recent announcements form part of the emergingpicture regarding connectivity in Africa. Firstly,microwave-networking provider, Aviat Networks inked amulti-year supplier agreement with Safaricom, theleading mobile operator in Kenya. The deal will see Aviatsupport Safaricom in the modernisation and capacity

expansion of its microwave backhaul network. It will also help tooptimise performance ~ using IP networking technology ~ whenthe carrier begins taking delivery of Aviat's next-generation CTRmicrowave routers later on.

Multi-year contract includes microwave radios, routers, andservices. For now, the deal includes the planned migration ofcurrent operator traffic to protected microwave rings, augmentedby MPLS routing capability; and support services for 60% ofSafaricom's wireless network upgrade and expansion

Around the same time, iWayAfrica ~ the region’s leading ISP ~committed to an agreement to offer global bandwidth as a serviceto its corporate customers in Zimbabwe. It’s a cloud-based serviceenabled by DiViNetworks, a provider of software-centric networksolutions, which serves more than 150 ISPs in 50 countries.

With an MPLS-style managed solution, corporate networks gain theadvantage of guaranteed international bandwidth, visibility of theirinternational traffic (broken down by applications and sources), aswell as the ability to define intricate priorities and policies. This isbecoming a key consideration as the rush of BYOD, automatedsystems, and the plethora of connected devices head offshore, aswell as to inland remote areas, for monitoring and control of digitaloilfields, amongst other traffic and analysis (see the previousedition of OffComm News).

Hotbed of enabling connectivityJoining iWayAfrica at this year’s SatCom Africa event, collocatedwith World Rural Telecoms and Connected Africa, is Isat

Networks ~ a solution provider for satellite ground segments. Itdesigns systems and provisioning for RF, IP networks, as well asbaseband plus management solutions.

Amongst many others, you will also find: EMC, Globecomm

Systems, Gilat Satellite Networks, Hughes Network Systems,Imtech, Inmarsat, Spidersat Communications, and Palmtree

Communications, which is a telecommunications operator andservice provider with a special interest in solving African

communications problems. By using available satellitetechnologies, Palmtree’s customers range from users requiringsecure and private connectivity in Lagos to the Serengeti, as wellas from offices to oil rigs.

Smaller, faster, cheaperNano, or micro, satellite chatter also seems to be on the rise. Majorplayers include some familiar names ~ as well as other emergingentities ~ all with an eye on the microsatellite industry’s rapiddevelopment and experimental missions.

A source close to these developments informed us that the nano-satellite industry has experienced progress comparable to theevolution of the computer industry (think desktop tower shrinkingto the smartphone). Should all go well for this mini-market, launchschedules could be appearing on a calendar near you in the not toodistant future.

Growth of Africa’s satellite, rural, and carriercommunications industry

Progressing towards aconnected continent

BYOD: Bring Your Own Device

ISP: Internet Service Provider

MPLS: Multiprotocol Label Switching

T

Review

14 NEWSSPRING 2015

Making data singArria, a sponsor to the event, brought an interesting take on howinformation delivery can be streamlined using AI (artificialintelligence) software to convert data into natural language.

“The oil industry is data rich but often information poor. But withArria NLG, we can liberate that data to express itself as actionableinsight into real-time operations,” said the company’s senior vicepresident, John Bell.

As examples, the company’s NLG software (natural languagegeneration) has been trialled at the Met office ~ the UK's nationalweather service ~ to produce thousands of postcode-specificforecasts in seconds. Arria also has an application for the healthcaremarket where data can be turned into different reports dependingon who needs to receive this information, i.e.: a doctor, the practicenurse, or even the patient.

Of key interest to the delegates was how the technology is of usein the oil and gas sector. An energy client in the Gulf of Mexico hasused the software to reduce the time taken from an alert generatedfrom machinery, to the creation of a detailed report in naturallanguage sent to the platform; from more than three hours down tojust to 60 seconds.

Identifying and resolving problemsThony Brito Cardier, of Rockwell Automation, took the floor toupdate delegates on how digitisation and M2M has benefittedoffshore, subsea and land based operations in terms of optimisingthe time between identifying problems and resolving them toreduce operational costs. The company has a portfolio coveringboth Greenfield and Brownfield operations which incorporatestransportation, processing, and refining oil and gas ~ utilisingSCADA/M2M extensively throughout.

Implementation of the digital oilfieldA workshop at the end of the day allowed delegates to share theirviews and learning’s from the event, as well as offering their owninsight and recommendations on how best to incorporatedigitisation functionality into existing oilfields.

Interestingly, the consensus from these sessions was thatdigitisation would benefit oilfields once they had grown to 20+active platforms. Further, producers should plan for such a systemgradually ~ as they expand ~ so that infrastructure is there andready to switch on when needed.

In December 2014, OffComm News attended the Digital Oilfields summit at the Hilton, LondonOlympia. Hosted by IPQC, the event comprised presentations that addressed the challenges andopportunities faced by companies regarding the increased digitisation of oilfields.

Review of Digital Oilfield SummitLondon, December 2014

Digital oilfield progression

(c)2014 Hilton Hotels & Resorts

NEWS

Connectivity has a direct impact on just about every bottom line. For businesses, operating in highlychallenging locations, a whole new spectrum of issues ~ and innovations ~ arise. OffComm News isthe global magazine dedicated to exploring developments in communications destined for some ofthe remotest places on earth.

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BlueTide Communications Corporation(BlueTide) has just launched BlueVision® - aproprietary app that monitors and helps tomanage vessels directly from an iPhone,

iPad or iPod touch device. Fromvideo streaming and decksnapshots to instant contact withindividual vessels, the BlueVisionapp offers a central touch point forfleet communication.

Users can access 24/7 live videoor request recorded video historyof the deck, take screenshots ofany potential concerns and emailthe images back to base.

Customers can also use BlueVisionto contact their bridge and enginerooms, or call BlueTide’s globalnetwork operating centre foradditional support.

BlueTide’s managing director, EmilRegard, said: “Our goal was to provideas much interactivity with the vessel aspossible and to enable the user to shareinformation across corporate functionsas well as with their customers.BlueVision is targeted to our customerswho are primarily in the office but whoneed to easily manage and view theirfleet remotely.”

GulfMark provides marine transportationservices through a fleet of offshoresupport vessels serving every majoroffshore energy market in the world. ItsSVP and CIO, Lee Johnson, said: “We’reexcited about the operational efficienciesBlueTide brings to our fleet with thesetypes of innovative mobility solutions. Thissupports our Safe Operations initiative ofsharing safety best practice videos acrossour fleet.”

Emil Regard, managingdirector, BlueTide

Lee Johnson, SVP & CIO,GulfMark

BlueTide launches fleet management app

Thuraya has brought outan entry-level satphonethat provides evenoccasional users withinstant satelliteconnectivity. The device,called XT-LITE, is built tomake calls and sendSMS messages insatellite mode fromanywhere undercompany’s network.

It can also be used as a backup for thosethat find themselves in areas hit by naturaldisasters ~ which can render terrestrialcommunications unavailable. It can connectfrom most of the remote areas that aredevoid of, or are under-served by,terrestrial networks.

Rashid Baba, director of products,explained: “Thuraya XT-LITE addresses thedemands of users who need a simplesatellite phone for work or travel in areas

unserved by terrestrial networks. Peopleneed to stay connected no matter wherethey go and we will provide them with themost reliable and cost-effective way ofdoing this.”

The device will work across the Thurayanetwork which covers more than 160countries ~ or two-thirds of the globe. Itcan be used with a Thuraya SIM card orwith a SIM card from any of the company’s360 worldwide GSM roaming partners.

EMC Global Cell, from Emerging MarketsCommunications (EMC), is a smartphoneapplication enabling global coverage foremployees in remote locations. Theservice is part of the company’s existingcrew welfare offering and works over anend-user’s own phone.

Jesus Barber, SVP of maritime and energyat the company, said: "Our customers aredemanding alternative communicationsfor crew members that are economicaland do not compromise the performanceof the operations network. The EMC

Global Cell application and service allowscrew members to make private calls ontheir own phone, using a dedicatednetwork, with optimised payment options."

The app uses a nearby WiFi connection tomake and receive phone calls, performingbest on EMC's global satellite network. Adirect client model option means that rigand vessel owners, operators andservices providers can obtain connectivityservices directly from EMC using itsglobal Ku-band network, for a fixed,monthly rate. Crew can download the

application from the iTunes and Androidmarketplace – and connect to EMC's WiFionboard via a secure log-in and password.Minutes and usage are tracked againsteach crew member's daily allowance forcrew welfare, using credits.

There is also a commercial model whichallows end-users to pay EMC directly forthe service using PayPal. Crew membersdownload the application and thenpurchase credits using a personal form ofpayment. Both prepaid and postpaidoptions are available.

Smartphone application enables coverage in remote locations worldwide

Product News

16 NEWSSPRING 2015

New satphone for casual users

NEWS 17SPRING 2015

23-25 February 2015

The 2nd Oil & Gas Communication Technology Summit

Houston, Texas I http://bit.ly/1uFutE0

The 2nd Oil & Gas Communication Technology Summit will highlight industry insights on the most recentlydeveloped and implemented technologies to support contemporary oilfield operations including fiber optics,magnetic resonance, VSAT, WiMAX, and satellite communication. Get to network with experts from Shell,Baker Hughes, Imperia Oil, Halliburton, and more as we explore the most highly advanced systems neverbefore seen in this space and evaluate the most viable option for you and your company.

16 – 19 March 2015

SATELLITE 2015

Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C I www.SATShow.com

It is estimated that the oil and gas industry will spend approximately US$8bn making its workforce andoperations more mobile. With time being one of the greatest costs for international companies, mobilitypromises a faster and more efficient workforce, therefore saving organisations money in the long term. Joinleading mobility experts and explore the impact of mobility on business functions and operations. Learn howyour organisation can effectively communicate and roll out a robust enterprise mobility programme whilemaking your business critical functions more fluid and profitable.

19 – 21 May 2015

Critical Communications World incorporating TETRA World CongressBarcelona, Spain I http://criticalcommunicationsworld.com

Join us in Barcelona and benefit from being at the heart of the global Critical Communications community. Noother event brings together such a varied international audience of users, operators, developers andmanufacturers, under one roof at one time. The Congress will offer answers to all of your questions ondeveloping and delivering effective mission critical communications. Learn from 200+ presentations, interviews,discussions and seminars on both public safety and commercial critical communications usage; Network with4000+ participants; Access the latest equipment and solutions in the exhibition of 130+ companies.

26 - 27 May 2015

Connected AfricaSandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg I www.terrapinn.com

Africa’s telecommunications sector is booming! Enterprises, ISPs telcos and partners are under hugepressure to capitalise on the vast opportunities in the African market, before their competitors do. Thismeans that they need to diversify their product offerings, streamline operational processes, improve networkinfrastructure and source the most reliable and innovative solutions. They need to be connected. ConnectedAfrica is the leading marketplace and ideas exchange for African enterprises, ISPs telcos, government,leading consultants and solution providers.

25 – 27 May 2015

Oil & Gas Mobility Summit HoustonHouston, Texas, USA

Join leading mobility experts to discover how to use mobile applications to enhance business and operationalprocesses in the oil and gas industry. Major oil and gas operators and contractors, including: Baker Hughes,Whiting Oil, Consol Energy, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Halliburton, and Cenovus, will address these challenges atthe event. Register your place by quoting ‘OGMOffcomm’ to claim your 15% discount.

Diary Dates

Maximise your presence at any of the events we partner with. Get in touch withCharles via marketing@offcommnews.com for more information.

Interview

18 NEWSSPRING 2015

OCN: Did we hear you right...?

Free broadband?IW: Yes. You heard right. NovelSat FreeBand is a great, money-saving solution for any organisation that uses a large antenna todistribute content via satellite – for example, broadcast ortelepresence video – to a multipoint network and also uses smallantennas to contribute content back to the hub.

The satellite bandwidth that is used for distribution can be reusedfor contribution. By reusing the same bandwidth, the contributioncontent can be delivered without paying again for satellite resources.

OCN: How does that work please?

IW: The amount of bandwidth that can be allocated for contributionis determined by the antenna and link-budget difference betweenthe hub and the distribution network. With NovelSat FreeBand,upstream transmission from remote antennas does not interferewith or limit the capacity of the downstream transmission.

NovelSat FreeBand can really work anywhere in the world where anorganisation uses relatively smaller antennas for contribution withinthe footprint of their satellite distribution network. NovelSat expectsto announce implementations with new customers who are alreadyusing the solution. For now, I can tell you that every customer whohas tested or installed NovelSat FreeBand is very satisfied withtheir results. The greatest interest is coming from the broadcastindustry and specifically from broadcasters who also operate SNG(Satellite News Gathering) vehicles and portable remote units.

The model of a central hub with a large antenna communicating bi-directionally with remote sites using smaller antennas is alsocommon in exploration and drilling, military and aviation industries.

This solution takes advantage of the sensitivity of the NovelSatNS3000 modem which can receive signals at extremely low Signalto Noise Ratio (SNR), below the noise floor or the remote station. Incooperation with NovelSat DUET CeC (Carrier Echo Cancellation)technology, NovelSat FreeBand takes advantage of bi-directionaltraffic at bit rates up to 425Mbps in each direction.

OCN: Regarding jamming, interference, and signal piracy

mitigation; you say you are ahead of the game here. Can you

explain a little more for us please?

IW: Extremely low SNR also makes it impossible for other satellitereceivers to lock-on to signals transmitted by NovelSat equipment.Additionally, NovelSat NS3 technology, when implemented,ensures the superior signal resilience that is required for mission-critical satellite communications. Radio interference and intentionalsignal jamming, prevalent especially in developing countries,degrade signal quality. These factors can be reduced by mostsatellite transmission technologies. However, NovelSat equipmentand NovelSat NS3 waveform, are more resilient to interference –up to 15dB greater than industry standard DVB-S2.

OCN: What makes remote management different?

IW: As long as a hardware solution is function up to thespecifications of the customer, there is little advantage to remotemanagement, maintenance, updates and upgrades. However,although a site is remote, its needs can change over time: morebandwidth, better signal interference mitigation, efficiencystandards, etc.

When a hardware solution requires hardware updates, the logisticsand cost of an on-site visit can be disruptive and expensive. On theother hand, when maintenance and upgrades can be performedOver-the-Air (OTA), new features and fixes can be implementedquickly and inexpensively from anywhere in the world using thesatellite network.

All NovelSat hardware platforms are designed around a software-upgradable architecture. The hardware is designed for forwardcompatibility, with all satellite industry transmission standards, plusNovelSat NS3 waveform technology. Our equipment can also beupdated and upgraded with advanced features without adding orchanging cards. This is a great convenience for any organisationthat relies on satellite communication. But for remote sites, it isa necessity.

OCN: What did you have to do to make this solution suitable

for remote locations?

IW: Actually, we didn’t have to do anything to make this solutionsuitable for remote locations. All these features are built into thecore equipment and software.

OffComm News investigates FreeBandwith Itzik Wulkan, CEO at NovelSat

No bandwidth costs forremote communication

Itzik Wulkan,CEO, NovelSat

Flash new builds contracts Q4 2014Client Vendor Deal date Details Location

Fujairah National Grandweld Sep-14 Contracted to design & build 2x 42-meter CSVs fitted with advanced communication DubaiShipping Agency equipment for 31 offshore personnel

Jack-Up Barge Asian Offshore Services Oct-14 Contracted to build 100 living quarters for temporary accommodation on fleet. Project incl. Undisclosed70 4/8-man sleeper cabins + 30 general purpose cabins with options for a further 560 beds.

Maersk Supply Service Kleven Maritime Oct-14 Contract to supply six new AHTSVs with options for 4 more, with 52 single cabins Norway

Naviera Integral Damen Shipyards Oct-14 Deal to deliver newly developed FCS vessels to carry 100 people to work offshore Mexico

Dong Energy SweOffshore Nov-14 Commitment to supply 100-person vessel accommodation to Borkum Riffgrund offshore wind farm The Netherlands

Golden Energy Offshore Blue Ship Invest Nov-14 Contracts for 2 x PX121 designed PSVs under construction at Ulstein Verft, due for delivery Norwayearly 2015

Undisclosed / Confidential Havyard Ship Technology AS Nov-14 Contracted to design and build 2 icebreakers scheduled for delivery late 2016 in deal in Undisclosedexcess of NOK 1billion

Jotron Teekay Offshore Partners LP Nov-14 Contracted to supply PAGA, PABX, LAN networks, and entertainment for shuttle tanker conversion North Sea

Kleven Mr Graeme Hart Nov-14 Contract for 116 metre ESV with accommodation for 66 people Norway

Lamprell Plc National Drilling Company Nov-14 Construction & delivery deal for 2x jackup drilling rigs valued cUS$ 365million Abu Dhabi

Undisclosed/Confidential ASL Marine Holdings Ltd Dec-14 Deal to supply two OSVs, one to be completed Q1 2015 & Q3 2015 Undisclosed

Sharjah Ports Authority Damen Shipyards Dec-14 Keel laying deal for 2 x new vessels UAE

KEYPSV Platform Supply Vessels

ESV Expedition Support Vessel OSV Offshore Support Vessels

FCS Fast Crew SupplierCSV Crew Supply Vessel

The industry is moving closer to thereality of HTS, with 2014 bringing theplanned launch of several programsfocused on the enterprise market. Butmost of all, the market is addressingcritical questions that will set theframework for the next step forward.

Preparing the oil and gas market forHTS in the year ahead involves twoevaluations: network design andbusiness model.

Network Design Frequency will have a direct impactacross the ecosystem. The decisionbetween Ka-band satellite and Ku-band satellite seems to garner muchdebate amongst the satellitecommunity. But the reality is that one

is not better than the other. Satelliteoperators continue to stand by thenotion that it is not only a matter offrequency, but it also is dependent onthe planned bandwidth allocated tothe multi-spot beams, bandwidthefficiency tradeoffs, frequency reusescheme and the architecture thatdetermine the high throughput.

Business modelMulti-spot beam architectures of HTShave a direct impact on the groundinfrastructure and thus are changingthe business models of satelliteoperators. They can no longer justfocus just on space, but also need toconsider how to build out costeffective ground infrastructure acrossa multi-spot beam architecture.

Satellite operators will changetheir business models to sell Mbpsrather than MHz, due mostly to thefact that satellite operators will nolonger be able to depend on serviceproviders to build their owninfrastructure. With this new focusservice providers will be able to costeffectively access HTS via a managedservice model.

Given the heavy bandwidth demandsfrom users, the oil and gas marketwill certainly be leaning more onVSAT communications in the yearahead. With all the additionalbandwidth to be delivered via HTS,it could be a perfect match foroperators and service providersthat are addressing some importantdecisions upfront.

This past year has brought steady progress on the High Throughput Satellite (HTS) front. For theoil and gas market, writes Denis Sutherland at iDirect, VSAT continues to play a large role inhelping to send large data files and support greater use of video for multiple applications.

Preparing Oil and Gas for HTSDenis Sutherland,iDirect, VSAT

NEWS 19SPRING 2015

It is predicted by

NSR that by 2023

10% of connected

O&G sites will be

for exploration and

production, and

12% of those sites

will utilize HTS

capacity.

Opinion

20 NEWSSPRING 2015

he oil industry is no stranger to volatile oil prices butwe are currently looking at levels of $60/bbl orpotentially lower and this will definitely threaten theprofitability of many operations. The chart belowshows the variation of WTI (West TexasIntermediate) crude over the last few years and it

demonstrates that we have not seen $60 oil since late 2008.

So how did the upstream industryrespond back in 2008? The quick answer is that it hunkered down: projects werecancelled, production and exploration were cut severely, petroleumrevenue taxes declined significantly and many staff in operator,service and supporting companies left the industry throughredundancy or early retirements. In short, the industry feltextremely sorry for itself. The big question is whether we are goingto see the same response in 2015?

Back then in 2008 the world economy was very different. In theearly part of the year, the global demand for oil had been growingrapidly as countries such as China and India were evolving as majorconsumers and starting to add significantly to the traditionaldemand from well-developed countries. In the middle of 2008 theworld oil market was thrown into financial chaos as many globaleconomies fell into recession. There was suddenly a glut of oil asconsumer demand plummeted.

OPEC, which at the time controlled about 40% of global oil output,responded by implementing its deepest ever cut in supply but eventhis did not protect the price. There was just too much oil availablecompared to global consumption requirements.

The Digital Oilfield

Sustaining profitabilitywith low oil prices

T

Dec 2008 Dec 2009 Dec 2010 Dec 2011 Dec 2012 Dec 2013 Dec 2014

West Texas Intermediate Crude PricesS115

S110

S105

S100

S95

S90

S85

S80

S75

S70

S65

S60

S55

S50

S45

Opinion

NEWS 21SPRING 2015

Turning pointBy the end of 2012, statistics from the EIA (USEnergy Information Administration) confirmedthat the picture of global oil consumption hadchanged significantly. By this time, China hadgrown to be the second largest consumer ofworld oil with Japan in third place and India infourth. This was a turning point as the new worldoil markets could no longer accept major cuts inglobal production to bolster prices. So, in 2015, itlooks as though the oil industry will have tosustain production but at a lower revenue price,which means that it will have to work smarter.

One of the biggest technology advances that hasbenefitted the oil industry since 2008 has beenthe development of integrated operations or the“digital oilfield” as it is also known. This isenabling operator companies to utilise their staffresources more efficiently through enhancedcollaboration, improved workflows and remotemonitoring of critical operations in drilling andproduction. So far, the adoption of integratedoperations across the industry has beeninconsistent, with some companies makingsignificant strides in this area but with othersshowing little or even no adoption at all. In thenew climate of $60 oil, integrated operationscould become the important factor that enablesthe industry to sustain economic operations.

Increasing productivitythrough transitionmanagementThe greatest challenge that most operators facein implementing a successful digital oilfieldstrategy is effective people engagement. This isan important focus area for Geologix Systems

Integration, whose staff have many years ofexperience in delivering digital oilfield training andassessing transition management needs fromwithin oil and gas operator companies.

Many client staff will never have considered theconsequences of digital oilfield ~ increasedcollaboration, remote working, informationsharing, “out of hours” decision making, etc. It isimportant that staff personalise the digital oilfieldand look at it from their own perspective, which islikely to be very different from the company’sperspective. Typically, this will be a more

significant transition for more experienced staffthan for younger staff. The following will bemajor concerns:-

• What does my job look like in a digital oilfield environment?

• Will I feel satisfied or will it feel as though I am losing control?

• How will I relate to younger staff who are likely to adapt much more quickly?

• Will I be giving away personal power by sharing information so widely?

• Is all this really necessary as I have been doing my job perfectly well for the last 20+ years?

• Am I willing to be a strong advocate of the digital oilfield or will I take every opportunity to demonstrate that it was the wrong decision?

A digital oilfield implementation is one of themost complex projects that an oil and gascompany can undertake because it has such aprofound effect on its business. It’s about buildingcollaboration between all the discipline sectors inan operator company. However, if that companyhas not worked in this way before ~ and insteadhas functioned as a number of discipline silos, theeffect on staff will be significant.

Training should be a planned activity and must beregarded as a key component of all digital oilfieldimplementation projects. The most effectivetraining will be delivered by those who have beenthrough the transition themselves. Our approachto transition management is focussed workshopsand training courses.

So can we functionprofitably at $60/bbl?This is not going to be a comfortable time for oiland gas operators but it does provide anopportunity to smarten up our operations and tofocus on increased drilling and productionefficiency, as well as long-term recovery.

This in turn will help us to build a sustainableindustry exploiting both conventional andunconventional reserves for the benefit of all ourcustomers and future generations. It is time tostart viewing the digital oilfield and the smartoperations it brings as “business as usual.”

In 2015 the oil industry will have to work smarter

Author, Dr Julian Pickering, CEO,Geologix Systems Integration Ltd

A digital oilfield

implementation is

one of the most

complex projects that

an oil and gas

company can

undertake because it

has such a profound

effect on its business.

22 NEWSSPRING 2015

Top Operators

The Independent Top Twenty Ranked teleport operators based on revenuefrom all sources. The list focuses on theindependent operators at the core of thebusiness, excluding companies whose primarybusiness is ownership and operation of a satellitefleet or terrestrial network.

In order from largest to smallest:1. Harris CapRock (USA)2. GlobeCast (France)3. Arqiva Broadcast & Media (UK)4. Encompass Digital Media (USA)5. Telespazio S.p.A. (Italy)6. TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

(Govt Division) (USA)7. Globecomm (USA)8. Emerging Markets Communications (USA)9. RR Media (Israel)10. Spacenet (USA)11. du (Emirates Integrated Telecom) (UAE)12. Essel Shyam Communication (India)13. Signalhorn Trusted Networks (Germany)14. Axesat (Colombia)15. SatLink Communications (Israel)16. Jordan Media City (Jordan)17. NewSat (Australia)18. Infrasat (Angola)19. Onlime (Germany)20. Elara Comunicaciones SA (Mexico)

The Global Top Twenty The Global Top Twenty ranks companies basedon revenues from all customizedcommunications sources and includes operatorsof teleports and satellite fleets.

*Independent: does not operate satellite capacity

In order from largest to smallest:1. Intelsat S.A. (Luxembourg)2. SES (Luxembourg)3. Eutelsat (France)4. Telesat (Canada)5. Harris CapRock (USA)*6. EchoStar Satellite Services (USA)7. SingTel Satellite (Singapore)8. GlobeCast (France)*9. Arqiva Broadcast & Media (UK)*10. Encompass Digital Media (USA)*11. Optus (Australia)12. Hispasat (Spain)13. Telespazio S.p.A. (Italy)*14. Thaicom Public Company Ltd (Thailand)15. AsiaSat (China)16. TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.

(Government Division) (USA)*17. Globecomm (Services revenue) (USA)*18. Emerging Markets Communications(USA) *19. Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (Norway)20. RR Media (Israel)*

The Fast Twenty The Fast Twenty ranks all teleport-operatingcompanies based on year-over-year revenuegrowth in their most recent fiscal years. EmergingMarkets Communications was the fastest of thefast with 76% growth.

Ranked by revenue growth:1. Elara Comunicaciones SA (Mexico)*2. Axesat (Colombia)*3. Gazprom Space Systems (Russia)4. Cobbett Hill Earth Station (UK)*5. Infrasat (Angola)*6. Global Data Systems (USA)*7. Milano Teleport S.p.A. (Italy)*8. Jordan Media City (Jordan)*9. Emerging Markets Communications (USA)*10. STN (Slovenia)*11. Echostar (USA)12. Encompass Digital Media (USA)*13. Santander Teleport S.L. (Spain)*14. SingTel (Singapore)15. RR Media (Israel)*16. Essel Shyam Communication (India)*17. Telesat (Canada)18. Onlime (Germany)*19. Eutelsat (France)20. du (Emirates Integrated Telecom) (UAE)*

* Independent: does not operate satellite capacity

The report reveals that average spending across the operators equalled 41% of revenues and 90% of respondents reported spending lessthan 60% of revenues on satellite capacity. There was no obvious pattern of spending based on company size or market niche: the leadingservice providers to the media & entertainment market showed a wide range of spending as a percentage of sales, from more than 50% toless than 15%.

“The past two years have been challenging ones for the satellite business and the teleport sector that uses satellite to deliver complexnetwork services,” said executive director Robert Bell. He noted that, of respondents to the 2014 survey, 63% reported year-over-yearrevenue growth, while 37% saw flat revenue or revenue declines. This compares with the average of the prior three years, in which 82% ofrespondents reported revenue growth and 18% reported flat or declining revenue.

The biggest declines were reported by companies with significant exposure to US government and military spending, which has sharplypulled back its spending as it winds down deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Companies in other sectors are showing single and double-digit growth year over year.

The World Teleport Association (WTA) has published its annual rankings for the Top TeleportOperators of 2014. Since 1985, the association has focused on improving the business of satellitecommunications from the ground up. The Top Operators survey asked independent operatorsabout their spending on satellite capacity as a percentage of revenues.

“The past two years have been challenging ones for thesatellite business and the teleport sector that uses satelliteto deliver complex network services.” Robert Bell, executive director.

World Teleport Association PublishesTop Operator Rankings for 2014

o, are we making the most of our networks in

remote areas, notably those served by oil and gas?

According to Martin Jarrold, chief, internationalprogramme development of the Global VSAT Forum(GVF), we are ~ or should be.

He argues: “In exploration, fixed and mobile VSAT solutions arevital for the transmission of ever larger volumes of data – forgeologists, geophysicists, drilling engineers, seismic data analysts,etc., who not only locate new oil and gas reserves but assist indeveloping more effective and efficient techniques for yieldingthem from beneath the ocean floor — produced by cutting-edgeapplications used on exploration platforms. This extends tomaritime VSAT solutions required by research and support vessels.”

Other parts of the oilfield development process (construction,production and transportation) may be less bandwidth-intensive;but sensor-based operations like M2M, preventive maintenance,ship management operations for tanker fleets and crew welfare willall make demands, however modest.

The good news, if satellite is your main communications outlet, isthat there are more satellites being launched, not least highthroughput satellites. HTS could mean greater deployment of

satellite-based solutions, particularly for the oil and gas sector, if thelimitations of the (currently) largely Ka-band service can beaddressed. There’s also the question of latency, though MEO orbitsmay help some constellations to overcome this.

Also, said John Tkaczewski, President at FileCatalyst, whichprovides software-based solutions designed to accelerate andoptimise file transfers across global networks, “the connectivity isgetting better and better. For example, four years ago rigs hadmaybe 128kb satellite connections to the main office. These daysthis is at 256kb — even 512kb is very common. So as theconnectivity is improving the ability to move this big data via a linkbecomes a lot more possible.”

ApproachSuch connections should be enough for crew communications andsome highly targeted data. More mission-critical voice and videocalls can benefit from techniques that ‘clean up connections’,addressing pixilation for example.

The rest of the big data gathered on site, however, may need othertechniques. Ty Garner, business development executive, oil & gas, atMTN, a provider of communications and content services for remote

Are we making the most of ournetworks in remote areas?

Optimising datatransfer fromremote locations

The volume of data available to remote industries is increasing. And so is the pressure on thenetworks used to send that data to other locations. However, methods for optimising such traffic arealso growing. But will that ease the strain on networks used by remote or offshore industries?Vaughan O’Grady looks at the options in the first of two features addressing getting data in and out ofthese remote locations.

S

NEWS 23SPRING 2015

Feature: Data In Data Out Part 1

Feature: Data In Data Out Part 1

24 NEWSSPRING 2015

locations around the world, suggested: “Bandwidthmust be optimised, cached and managed with thelatest technologies on land to deliver that sameland-based experience on ships at sea.”

With this in mind, MTN’s communicationsecosystem converges satellite with terrestrialnetwork access for lower latency and faster datatransmission. “We combine our hybrid networkaccess with a smart computing infrastructure andwith software development. Our optimisationtechnologies increase application and data transferperformance up to 100 times,” said Garner.

This communications ecosystem delivers not justoptimised bandwidth and throughput, he said, but“seamless switching between satellite andbroadband wireless networks for continuousconnectivity, data security through a private fullyredundant network, rich content delivery at sea, asif it were on land.”

TCP & Path ConditioningWhen it comes to data transfer optimisationtechniques, overcoming the limitations of TCP isoften mentioned. Tkaczewski, FileCatalyst,highlighted an offering which, instead of using theTCP protocol for moving data “which is slow onhigh latency and packet loss networks”, uses itsown protocol based on UDP.

He said: “We built our own protocol to transfer thedata. Our protocol ensures that all the data sent viaUDP will arrive without errors. Our protocol onlyacknowledges the exceptions ~ that is, ifsomething goes wrong. If everything goes right,we continuously send the data over the wire. Theacceleration part comes from the fact our protocolis immune to the latency on the network.”

“Our protocol has been proven to work in someextreme network environments where packet losscan be as high as 25%. Even in those toughnetwork conditions, the throughput degradationwas linear to the packet loss."

Another approach to TCP comes from WANoptimisation specialist, Silver Peak. TonyThompson, VP of marketing at the company,suggested: “There are a number of techniqueswithin what we call TCP acceleration or networkacceleration… that more or less make that existingconnection perform faster.”

Another technique is path conditioning, whichincludes things like forward error connection andpacket order correction. This is more relevant forreal-time applications, like voice and video, wherequality rather than speed is a concern.

Also, said Thompson, “if you’re using things likesatellite or you’re using broadband internet toconnect to remote locations, you’re going to bedealing with a high degree of packet loss. We canrepair those problems [degradation in quality] inreal time without having to do retransmissions,which would otherwise create additionalcongestion on that network.”

Compression is a part of most optimisationsolutions but Silver Peak also addressesdeduplication. “We use a technique called networkmemory, which identifies within the network thecommunications that are not redundant — and weonly send what’s not repetitive information.”

Echoing MTN’s earlier point about networkconvergence, Thomson refers to ‘multi-pathing’ aremote location using a satellite connection andthen also using, say, LTE or 3G. “We offer what’scalled dynamic path control. This allows theorganisation to combine the power of those twonetworks and make them perform like onebigger network.”

Helpful adviceOn a less technical level, a useful brochure fromMTN entitled, Optimising Communications Dosand Don’ts: Oil and Gas Edition, offers some down-to-earth advice on: choosing a VSAT service,establishing cost per megabyte, and understandingshared contention among other topics. It alsoprovides a checklist for your onboard needs.

These examples of optimisation techniques arejust a few of many. They vary a great deal ~ andnot just by provider. Garner said: “MTN’simplementation techniques for data optimisationare proprietary and can vary depending on thecustomer and their requirements.”

This choice implies a strong market for approachesthat will free up capacity and limit spend on anyremote enterprise anywhere - except that theyprobably won’t do so for long. Whether you’re acruise line operator, a rig, a fishing company or afloating production vessel, the more data you cansend the more you probably will send.

As Thompson, of Silver Peak, said: “Compute andstorage costs are dropping at rates much fasterthan bandwidth is dropping in price. So there’s stillgoing to be a requirement for optimising networks.”

Roy Woodhead, value creation manager, oil andgas industry at HP, puts it even more starkly: “Therate at which data is growing is exponential. Weare talking trillions of gigabytes a year across allindustries ~ and the oil and gas industry will be abig part of that.”

Ty Garner, MTN

“Bandwidth must beoptimised, cached andmanaged with the latesttechnologies on land todeliver that same land-based experience onships at sea.”

“The rate at which

data is growing is

exponential. We are

talking trillions of

gigabytes a year

across all industries ~

and the oil and gas

industry will be a big

part of that.”

Roy Woodhead, HP

Martin Jarrold, GVF

Vaughan O’Grady, author

reviously, data could only be analyzed historically.Information flowed first into databases and then gotcharted in spreadsheets or some other traditionalbusiness intelligence application. Today however,information flowing from the wired oil field can be

visualized in real-time, before it gets to the data warehouse. This scenario can incorporate other real-time data feeds, as well ashistoric data for context from any number of disparate sources, tobuild a full picture of the production process as it is happening.

At a practical level, why does the abilityto visualize data in real-time matter? For those running operations on the ground, it is the differencebetween driving a car by looking through the windshield or trying todo so by staring intently into the rear-view mirror. That rear view(spreadsheet and static bar-graph analysis based on historical data)was a big help when it was first introduced; quantifying and clearlyillustrating trends, but with serious lag time built into the process.It’s why you don’t see air traffic controllers managing take-offs andlandings with a spreadsheet, as high speed jets on intersectingflight paths are a real-time management problem. Today’s oilproduction, transport and processing operations are, in many ways,just as real-time sensitive.

Let’s talk about a simple example to illustrate where a real-timeview really matters. One of our customers, a Fortune 500 oil andgas exploration and production company, is usingreal-time data visualization to monitor steamgeneration and steam injection for its frackingoperation in California.

Previously, using a traditional visualization tool,24 hour latency was the norm. Data first had toflow overnight from an OSIsoft Pi server to an

Oracle warehouse before being pulled into the dashboard forvisualizing. Now, with real-time capability, they can connect directlyto the OSIsoft Pi server and visualize the data in-flight.

The switch to real-time lets them continuously monitor the healthof generators, optimize steam use, improve generator efficiency,and identify operational issues as they develop. Output qualities,rates and pressures can be monitored in real-time for each steamgenerator individually and in aggregate. With these significantlyenhanced steam injection surveillance and management processes,as well as the ability to identify optimization opportunities andtroubleshoot problem areas in real time, the company expects toreduce steam cost three to five percent in a single year, savingmillions in operation costs.

In terms of where else might real-time can matter in a materialway, we can identify group metering. Being able to calculating real-time production deviation by comparing current projected valuethroughout the day to an average of “Inferred ProductionYesterday” would help operations make changes in the field beforethey become a bigger issue. Or, perhaps, field balancing, wheremeasuring total fluid injection against oil and water production ofwells in real-time is now possible.

Similar potential value can be found in real-time insight across theorganization ~ from exploration to drilling and production, trading toexecutive insight.

Data is everywhere in today’s oilfield. From downhole to pipelines to production facilities, it flows involumes that can rival that of the product being extracted. Moreover, along with it comes a revolutionin the way that this information can be used. By Ben Plummer, Vice President, Datawatch.

For the digital oil field, thetime for real-time is now

P

Data in Data out

Ben Plummer,VP, Datawatch

NEWS 25SPRING 2015

€€€€€££

26 NEWSSPRING 2015

Data in Data out Part 2

n May 2014, at the Oil & Gas Communications Brazil event,infrastructure and logistical services specialist Brastrading

predicted that maximizing the successful operation of theoil and gas rigs of the future will depend on a bandwidthusage level of 100 times that of today.

Even now, as Martin Jarrold, chief, international programmedevelopment of the Global VSAT Forum (GVF), said: “Many typesof oil and gas installations and vessels ~ fixed, remote, and mobile~ are requiring ever-increasing amounts of satellite bandwidth tomeet the industry’s communications needs.” That goes forexploration platforms and ships, drilling rigs, floating productionunits, offshore support and supply vessels, tankers, pipelines andmore. And, he continued: “At the very core of increasing bandwidthdemand is the ‘here and now’ of the digital oilfield.”

This means cloud server applications that are increasingly going toenable the transfer of oil and gas field IT infrastructure, and ITpersonnel expertise away from various offshore, or other remote

locations, to centrally located areas, in support of what Jarrold calls,“fully integrated operations which comprise ‘always-on’, real-time,well-head and drilling measurements and data networking orsharing; along with video-based equipment and instrumentmonitoring, video-based remote surveillance for safety and security,and video conferencing.”

There’s yet more data headed towards usMuch more data is becoming available. Roy Woodhead, valuecreation manager, oil and gas industry at HP, said: “The dataexplosion is coming from sensors telling us things we’ve neverbeen able to measure and know previously; the digitisation ofdocuments such as well-logs, and new information caused bycombining older data such as linking various logs to reservoirmodels to augment our interpretations and understanding.” All ofwhich means more integrated information, yielding better insights,and improved decision-making.

DOES

MEANDATA VOLUME $$

€€€

$$$$$$££££££££££

DATA VALUE?

The sheer volume of data, voice and video traffic sent and received by industries in remote locationsis increasing. Oil and gas in particular can look forward to vast growth in bandwidth usage levels. But,does all this communication need to be happen in real time? Vaughan O’Grady investigates.

I

€€€££££

NEWS 27SPRING 2015

Data in Data out Part 2

Replication and RegulationBut all of that data isn’t just going to be operational. For example,Tony Thompson, vice president of marketing with WANoptimisation specialist, Silver Peak points to replication and backupof data for disaster recovery and protection; while Ty Garner,business development executive, oil & gas, of MTN, a provider ofcommunications and content services for remote locations aroundthe world, highlights regulation.

Garner said: “Many of our customers in the oil and gas sector arebeing required to do more at sea for longer periods of time withincreased requirements from their customers for documentation ofprogress, from regulators and for transmission of data related tosafety standards.” Crew access to personal communications, whilenot mission-critical, is also important.

But how much data, and when?Given the sheer volume of data that you’re likely to be dealing with,if you’re in a remote location with limited access tocommunications, you may ask yourself how much informationshould go out to a central location ~ and when.

John Tkaczewski, President at FileCatalyst, a company thatprovides software-based designed to accelerate and optimise filetransfers across global networks, points out that: “If you’re going tobe running any kind of simulation, or any kind of analyses on thisdata, then you usually need a big data centre; and I think that'swhere the problem comes in. Big data centres do not exist inremote locations.”

Production or equipment monitoring will often involve very smallamounts of bandwidth. Much on-rig decision-making ~ whether todrill to the left or the right, say ~ might be managed on a portablecomputer. However, says Tkaczewski of the exploration side(reservoir analysis, marine applications, seismic and so on): “thoseare much bigger options,” with much more data, some or all ofwhich may need to go to one of Jarrold’s “centrally located areas.”

Real-time or later?But does it need to go back in real-time? Security and surveillancevideo material can probably wait, but there’s a lot more data that

can be retrieved and analysed these days, and not all of it can beassessed quickly on site.

Thompson, SilverPeak, offered: “We’re seeing cases where keystakeholders in the business want to analyse sensory data in real-time from remote sites hundreds or even thousands of kilometresaway. They want to get real-time data into their systems, they wantto analyse that data, but with the data getting heavier and growingin size, the network is becoming the bottleneck.”

A more prosaic driver for real time systems, he added (echoingJarrold’s point), is avoiding the need to have a lot of staff out on therig sifting through the data. Given the continuing recruitmentproblems of the oil and gas industry in particular, it might be hard toget them there in any case.

On the other hand why not put data on a drive and then in the mail,or on a ship? As Tkaczewski pointed out: “If your ultimate goal is toutilise the network link to send this data then your best benefits areto send it as quickly as you get it because you’re saving yourselftime later on.”

However, he added: “We work with exploration companies ~mostly marine exploration or drilling exploration ~ and theirapproach to data transfer is: collect the data, and do dataprocessing onboard on a vessel or rig to minimise the amount ofdata you've got to ship. But then eventually you’ve still got to shipthat.”

Managing large volumes of, say, exploration data ~ real time or not~ is going to need optimisation techniques, which are discussedelsewhere in this magazine. Suffice to say these probably don'tcome cheap ~ but they are almost certainly a lot cheaper thansinking unnecessary drill holes because a lack of timely data.

In any case, if you can send data in real time, why wouldn't you ~especially if you’ve spent a lot on exploration? As Woodhead, HP,puts it: “At the heart of oil and gas are big financial investmentsmade under very high levels of uncertainty. The more knowledgewe have the less uncertainty we face. This is what is driving thegrowth of data through visualization technologies, new ways tomeasure, new ways to know what is going on with respect toworking safely and environmentally responsibly, with levels ofsecurity and in ways that produce value.”

$$$$$$$$$$$

€€€€€€€€€€€

$$$$$$££££

John Tkaczewski, FileCatalyst

“We built our own protocolto transfer the data.”

Tony Thompson, Silver Peak

“There’s still going to be a

requirement for optimising

networks.”

28 NEWSSPRING 2015

Assess existing data storagearrangementsOrganisations must first establish whatdata they hold, where it is held and thegeographical location of the datacentres they use. Hosting data outsideof the EU could, in some cases,contravene the new legislation, sobusinesses must act now tounderstand how they are affected andseek new hosting facilities whererequired. Data migration to a facilitywhich will ensure compliance is alengthy process; a project which isunderway ~ but not complete ~ maynot be enough to satisfy the regulator.

Review existing securitypolicies CIOs need to look carefully at how datais accessed and processed andexamine their existing security policiesto ensure they support a compliantsolution. For example manyorganisations hold data securityaccreditations that only apply to specificregional divisions or departments asopposed to the business as a whole yetwherever data is accessed it will fallwithin the requirement for the samelevel of control.

Formalise reportingBusinesses should implement a breach-notification process so that anyinfringements are reported as soon asthey are identified. This needs to beconveyed ~ within 24 hours ~ to therelevant data protection authority in thecountry in which an organisation is based.

Promote best practiceEvery employee from the top downneeds to be aware of the severeimplications of data security breaches.Establishing staff training programmesis imperative if data usage policies areto be enforced.

Top Tips fororganisationsworking towardscompliance

n important amendment aimsto standardise data securityregulations across all 28 EUmember states. Once the lawhas passed, data breaches

must be reported to regional officers ~ within24 hours ~ and organisations will be subjectto audits to ensure that they are indeed,compliant. Those organisations with more than250 employees are likely to be required toappoint a dedicated Data Protection Officer.

Neil Cross is the managing director atAdvanced 365, a company that provides ITmanaged services including security anddata management. It has been working tobuild a compliant environment to support

the new regulations ever since theframework for it emerged.

Cross offers that the new rules also usher inan opportunity to take stock of existing dataand look at how this can further drivebusiness intelligence. But, he also warns:“For many businesses, outsourcing datahosting will be the most practical and cost-effective means of achieving compliance,however, CIOs and their teams must ensurethat potential suppliers are themselves fullycompliant with the new regulations.Organisations which suffer data breachescaused by negligent cloud service providerswill share liability with them. Due diligencehas never been so important.”

Major changes to EU data security legislation are coming. Yet,despite the threat of heavily increased fines, many are at risk ofbeing unprepared for when the legislation hits. Businesses deemedto be in violation of the General Data Protection Legislation (GDPR)could face fines of up to €100m (£780,000 or US$1,218,895) or fivepercent of their annual worldwide turnover. Here’s a quick look atwhat can be done now, by both companies and their cloud serviceproviders, in readiness for compliance with the new laws.

Top tips for ensuring compliance in 2015

New EU datasecurity legislation

A

Data Legislation Neil Cross, Advanced 365

Businesses deemed to be inviolation of the GDPR couldface fines of up to €100m

SatGuard, a tool for identifying the source of adjacent satelliteinterference (ASI) and cross-polar interference (XPOL) caused byVSAT terminals, has just been launched by VeriSat. It works bydetermining the ID of the specific terminals causing interference, sothat a network operator can shut down the unwanted transmission.

“According to our statistics, VSAT systems cause approximately40% of all interference, and are responsible for 50% of downtimedue to interference,” commented Martin Coleman, executivedirector, the Satellite Interference Reduction Group. “Thisdevelopment from VeriSat is extremely significant for VSATinterference, an area which is particularly difficult to solve.”The provider of VSAT test equipment and solutions, VeriSat, workedclosely with SES on development of SatGuard, which usessoftware radio technology and off-the-shelf hardware to captureand analyze the signals from the operational and interfered links.

The system finds the terminal ID from the signalling information inthe operational satellite links and correlates this information withthe bursts detected in the interfered signal. This information canthen be sent to the VSAT network operator where the necessaryactions to stop the interference can be performed.

“Interference issues caused by VSAT MF-TDMA systems are oftentime-consuming and complicated to resolve,” commented ChrisGrogan, senior vice president of customer services delivery at SES.“It was apparent that we needed a method of making that processmore efficient and we started a dialogue with VeriSat earlier this yearto find a solution. We are extremely pleased with the outcome.”

Tests show that interference levels as low as -10 dB SNR can bemeasured, corresponding to a level where the interference is no

longer an operational problem. The technology will be enhanced inthe coming months and will allow nominal interference levels to bemonitored for terminal line-up and commissioning applications.

Auto switch C to Ku-band in seconds with next gen VSAT antennaA flexible VSAT antenna service for offshore vessels and platformshas been released by Cobham SATCOM. The Sea Tel 9711 IMA(Integrated Maritime Antenna) system is a next generation antennathat can switch automatically from C to Ka-band in seconds. “It is a reliable, flexible solution that forms the platform forintelligent operations within the realms of today’s digital oilfield,”said Jens Ewerling, the company’s director of maritime VSAT.

Offering cost-savings for end-users in the oil and gas sector, it alsosupports satellite service providers in delivering reliableconnectivity. “Providing high performance and reliability on both Cand Ku-band, the system ensures connectivity is always availableregardless of environmental conditions or location. When highprecipitation or moving a vessel or rig to a new location meanschanging bands, you no longer have to wait for your connectivityservices to be manually re-activated, or pay for a technician tocome and do it for you. It’s business as usual from the moment youarrive,” said Darren Manning, senior product manager, maritimeproducts, Cobham SATCOM.

The antenna is suitable for high-end networks used on advancedoffshore vessels and platforms, where significant requirements forbandwidth and reliable communications are required. Switchingbetween VSAT bands is fully automatic due to sophisticatedsoftware and a precision mechanical system on the antenna itself.The result is that there is virtually no offline time for a vessel orplatform’s connectivity.

NEWS SPRING 2015

Antenna updates

29

VSAT systems cause approximately 40% of all interference,and are responsible for 50% of downtime due to interference.

New tool addresses interferencedowntime caused by VSAT

www.Oi lGasCommunicat ionTechnology.com | 1-800-882-8684

The Art of Communication:

communication technology capabilities. Why? Look no further than these

Billion

Communication technology

enable the

Communication technology

by enabling long range, automated

and lowering the number of

in remote

communication

continue to

demand and

The need for

great concern to

more data being

than ever before

grow by a factor of 19 from 2012

February 23-25, 2015

February 23-25, 2015

February 23-25, 2015

February 23-25, 2015 Houston, Texas

Billion

Billion

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digital engineer

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Redline Communications GroupInc. (Redline) has received a$2.6million contract for the firstphase of a wireless networkexpected to bring cost-savingautomation to hundreds of oil wellsin an oilfield in the Middle East.

This new (undisclosed) customer, oneof the largest oil producers in theregion, will be implementing anadvanced production monitoring andcontrol system to make oil productionmore productive and efficient. It willutilise Redline’s wireless networkoffering to provide the real-timeconnectivity that makes these bottomline benefits possible.

The new network will incorporateadvanced process and controlautomation systems connect sensorsat every well, making ongoing statusupdates on production available topeople and systems at remote locations.

It will also enable functionality toremotely and, in real-time, change anincreasing number of productionparameters to optimise productionrates almost instantly. With the abilityto change parameters at the well sites,remotely over Redline’s wirelessnetwork, operators can continuallyoptimise production quickly and withoutadding additional costs, such assending people out to check well sitesfor problems.

“We’re pleased to see Redlineproviding the networkinfrastructure for yet anotherdigital oilfield,” says RobWilliams, Redline CEO. “Ourcustomers continue to benefitfrom the resulting productivity,efficiency and safety gains thattranslate directly into financialsavings. Delivering measurablebottom line benefits is evenmore critical in these times oflower oil prices.”

RedlineCommunicationsbags US$2.6mwireless oilfieldnetwork deal

31

Why crew communications might need 10 Mbit/s

HTS and the impact on crew &welfare communications systems

NEWS SPRING 2015

Home from home

Home from home

32 NEWSSPRING 2015

Before the introduction of satellite communications, in the early90’s, crew members on ships relied on a ship's radio personnel toeither send a telex or patch through a radio-to-telephone messageonce at sea. Remote teams on land also had to rely on the sparseradio connections available on-site.

With the introduction of Inmarsat-A to the maritime market, vesselowners and other companies with personnel at remote locationswere able to offer crew calling schemes to make jobs moreattractive, and to raise morale (and productivity) during long periodsat sea or abroad. These schemes, often organised around ‘CallingCards’, gave remote staff the ability to make low cost voice calls orsend messages to family or friends frmo wherever they were.

Using satellite for crew and welfare communications becamecommon practice in the government market (e.g. peacekeepingmissions), the corporate market (e.g. remote construction or miningsites) and the energy market (offshore and onshore sites). A newera began where working at sea or at a remote location around theworld did not mean you could not stay in touch with home.

A lot of creativity was used in those times to keep crews in touchwith their families using narrow band communication links. Thefamous Christmas campaign, in the early nineties by Station 12,allowed crews to use discounted Inmarsat-C messages to orderand send flowers home to loved ones, for example.

Crew calling in times ofbroadband satellite servicesWith the introduction of Ku-band based broadband internet, viasatellite to every location on earth, bandwidth costs at remotelocations dropped dramatically. In many markets, we see that L-band connections are complemented by Ku-band systems for crewcomms, bringing more bandwidth at lower costs.

Crew welfare communication is often a driving force behind thepurchase of VSATs in remote locations such as maritime, mining, orat energy extraction sites. Often, a separate VSAT is set up on thevessel or remote location especially for welfare connectivity,providing a full range of services to the remote crew. Theadvantage, of this approach, is that there is no interference with thebusiness-critical communication requirements at a remote site.

With the introduction of High Throughput Satellites (HTS), at fixedlocations like the offshore market in the North Sea, existing Ku-band systems are now complemented with Ka-band services thatbring more bandwidth for a lower costs. Crew welfare commsbecome a driver for the use of new (Ka-band) satellite servicesonce again.

The right timeThis comes at the right time. An occasional call home is no longerenough to stay in touch as we live in a world where the internetconnects everyone-to-everyone in real-time. People (ask your kids)now consider that such connectivity is a basic requirement, both atand while away from home. Further, the explosion of pocketdevices, with the ability to get online anywhere, anytime (accessdepending) has dramatically changed communications patterns .Many, including the target group of highly educated workers thatcompanies need at their remote sites, feel that connectivity hasbecome their ‘right’ as they use a wide range of mobile apps tostay in touch with their friends and family.

How does a state-of-the-art crew &welfare communications system work?The impact of broadband IP availability on crew communications iscomparable to the changes in consumer internet, i.e. the transitionfrom dial-up to broadband internet. A much broader servicepackage for crew connectivity has emerged.

From Calling Cards to Access CodesBy Hub Urlings and Simon Pryor

HTS and the impact on crew &welfare communications systems

Home from home

NEWS 33SPRING 2015

Card based crew calling systems have evolved into sophisticatedwelfare systems that offer not only phone calls and messaging,but also browsing, email, and access to all kinds of social mediaapps. Video is also increasing. But this is only possible bycombining broadband satellite connections with a clever onboardinfrastructure and network management (for QoS); so let's have alook at that infrastructure:

Managing the networkBetween the VSAT and LAN at the remote site, there is abandwidth and network management system to handleconsumption ~ often over multiple satellite and terrestrialconnections. The system has optimization functions and takes careof the management of the internal network when allocatingbandwidth to specific crew or applications.

Different applications have different bandwidth needs. VoIP callsare cost effective but need a prioritized stable connection with lowjitter. To avoid overloading, with multiple Skype calls for example, itis better to offer them more bandwidth-efficient VoIP phones orVoIP client software solutions. For internet browsing, TCP andHTTP acceleration can also improve their experience.

Additional mechanisms can be used to optimize the broadbandconnection, like blocking of advertising, the use of local caching ofweb objects, and restricting inappropriate content. For email, thereare messaging and compression tools that allow users to sendemails, e-faxes, and SMS messages reliably and cost-effectively.

The crew and welfare communications system often works in amulti-network environment, typically having bonding and loadbalancing, together with optimized proxy functionality that canhandle multiple satellite connections (e.g. VSAT in combination withIridium or Inmarsat) as well as terrestrial or 3G/4G connectionswhen available. Such a system, certainly for larger sites with largenumbers of crew or staff, offers maximum stability of theconnection and an increased traffic throughput.

For access to the network at remote locations or onboard vessels,local WiFi hotspot internet zones have become the norm. Thewhole remote site is now often covered with a WiFi network,allowing crew to use their smartphones to go online and checkFacebook, Whatsapp, or email. At larger sites, we see multiplenetwork configurations ~ each with their own audience andbandwidth allowance.

Different

applications

have different

bandwidth

needs.

Home from home

34 NEWSSPRING 2015

A recent welfare system on board a workingvessel for the construction of North Sea windturbines, developed in co-operation withM2sat/MediaMobil GmbH in Germany,contained three separate networks:

• One for the 50-strong ship crew to operate the vessel (business critical)

• One for the end customer, having an office on the vessel (business critical)

• And one for different contractor crews housed in office containers (crew welfare comms)

Changing requirements Using broadband IP satellite services, whereavailable bandwidth continues to increase, andby smart optimization, crew and welfarecommunication systems have taken callinghome to a whole new level. The new systemsoffer a state of the art of experience of"staying in touch with home" based on a widerange of multi-media communication services.

Core to that are the existing basic services butinternet access is now equally important,providing browsing, email and IP-basedmessaging services. One of the mostimportant ways to stay in touch with familyand friends is currently Facebook, so decentinternet connectivity to upload 'selfies' andother mobile phone photos is very important.Where SMS was popular in the past, IP-basedchat/message systems like WhatsApp allowusers to stay in touch at low cost.

Video on the flyAn important contribution, for the "staying intouch with home" experience, also comes

from the video applications that are comingonline for the crew communications at remotesites. One of the first applications in this areawas video mail messages that were recordedduring the day and sent during the night whenbandwidth was available. Now, when properlyplanned, live video chat service can beavailable during periods where the networkis underutilized.

To stay in touch with the world, TV is still themost important medium for news or live sportand events. Satellite TV is traditionally part ofthe crew communication services at remotelocations, as in the offshore industry wherestandard DTH TV receivers can be used toreceive TV channels.

For entertainment and on-demand viewing(VoD), there have been many changes sincebygone days when video tapes were flown byhelicopter to the crews on the oil rigs in theNorth Sea, as an example. The crews thereenjoyed the very latest movies because theplatforms are situated outside of territorialwaters, and therefore didn’t have to wait forthe different per-country release dates.

However, the changing non-linear TV viewingpatterns (catch-up TV, VoD) has created newdemand from remote crews and staff as well.They now expect video content to be availableeverywhere and anytime via video on demandservices to their smartphones, tablets, andlaptops. We will see a growing number ofSmart TV solutions based on IP connections,for nightly updates of on-demand videocontent to a caching system, that can beaccessed via wireless networks at theremote sites.

About the authors

Hub Urlings is an international satelliteproduct-marketing consultant with aspecialisation in satellite applications

like satellite video and M2M services.He is co-founder of M2sat, a satellite

system integrator and service provider.

Simon Pryor is an authority in the areaof video communications via satellitewith his own consultancy company,r'treive. Both Simon Pryor and Hub

Urlings are members of the EuropeanProfessional Satellite Association.

There have been many

changes since bygone

days when video tapes

were flown by helicopter

to the crews on the oil

rigs in the North Sea

Home from home

NEWS 35SPRING 2015

A study of 2,000 smartphone users has revealed that the younger demographic struggle themost when without an internet connection, with 50% of 18-24 year olds admitting that theywould feel “completely lost” if they are out and about and could not get online.

According to a new survey by Telenav, developers of Scout - a free sat nav app with offlinefunctionality - 37% respondents in the 18-24 age bracket say they use an internet connectionon their handheld more than any other feature, including making calls.

Socialising is what 18-24 year olds are doing the most: 46% regularly keep in contact withfriends through apps like WhatsApp and nearly 30% are frustrated if they can't access socialmedia accounts such as Facebook or Twitter.

The younger generation is also embracing more practical uses for their handhelds, with 45%using maps on their smartphone to navigate and a third admitting they'd be totally reliant onthe internet to find their way around in a new place. With just 15% of respondents admittingto being comfortable getting to a destination by reading road signs and 85% admitting theycan't read maps, it's no surprise there's an increasing reliance on online mapping solutions.

But problems arise when there is no access to data. Unsurprisingly a significant number ofpeople get frustrated when 3G/4G isn't working, and this is a continuous problem as 23% ofthe UK landmass has no access to 3G at all. And in offshore locations it’s going to be ahindrance. But at least they will be able to find their way to the heliport.

Workforce development is reportedly the single biggest challengeimpacting growth in the North American petrochemical market.Unprecedented market growth is predicted; over $100billion in newpetrochemical projects capitalising on the domestic feedstocksavailable from shale plays are planned in the US – with over twothirds of this investment focused on the Gulf Coast.

However, severe skill shortages have huge potential to impactpredicted growth if left unchecked; project delays and costescalation will cost companies millions of dollars each day if theydo not have a defined strategy to attract the manpower required.

By 2017, it is predicted that there will be a shortage of 2 million workersfor planned projects alone, This is the most pressing and importantissue facing the US petrochemical and construction industries - it ismore important than ever to form a successful staff strategy.

Not only this, but with the majority of the existing petrochemicaland construction workforce either at or nearing retirement age,there is a critical need for to attract and retain the new generationand pass down the industry knowledge to make sure projects arecompleted on time within budget as well as ensure they operateproductively once complete.

The Petrochemical Workforce Development Conference &Exhibition is specifically tailored to address the HR workforcechallenges. Workforce team leaders from the major petrochemicaloperators and construction firms will join economic alliances,legislative workforce planning commissions and educators inHouston to discuss business-critical strategy for developing therequired workforce – including working with schools and collegesas well as immediate staffing solutions through communityengagement and tapping existing talent pools.

Petrochemicals Workforce Development

Conference & Exhibition

April 28-29, 2015 | Double Tree Greenway Plaza, Houston, USA

Research from the UK may hold some clues as to the lack ofinterest in working in remote places.

Half of UK’s youth 'completely lost'without an internet connection

Skills shortages impacting NorthAmerican petrochemical market

Ericsson’s new Maritime ICT Cloud couldhelp shipping owners with stipulations setby the Maritime Labour Convention.

Currently, operators are required to providebroadband connectivity for crewcommunication, entertainment, training,and telemedicine. Ericsson’s approachincludes a multi-service communicationplatform with optimised connectivity andbandwidth for different types of traffic,combining industry applications, enablingservices that facilitate voyage optimisation,cargo monitoring, and crew welfare.

At present ships rely on manually updatedtraffic, cargo, port, weather and safetyinformation that is sent point-to-point ~rather than made available to all partiessimultaneously via a network. This is atime-consuming process and the lack ofaccess to real-time data can increase themargin for error.

The Maritime ICT Cloud will connectvessels at sea with shore-basedoperations, maintenance service providers,customer support centres,

fleet/transportation partners, portoperations and authorities. It also enablesservices used to manage fleets, monitorengines and fuel consumption, overseeroutes and navigation, and ensure thewellbeing of the crew.

Orvar Hurtig, head of industry & society atEricsson, says: “Vessels at sea do havesystems in place that allow them tomonitor critical functions and fuel usage,set and maintain an optimal course andensure the welfare of their crew, but theyare not particularly well integrated withfleet management systems onshore andthey do not maximize the potential of real-time data. As the driving force behind theNetworked Society and the world leader intelecommunications, Ericsson is the rightpartner to help connect these disparatesystems and enable them to shareinformation with low latency.”

Ericsson will provide everything fromsatellite connections to application supportin one complete package, and manageoperation of the Maritime ICT Cloud onbehalf of its customers.

New maritime ICT cloud enables shipping sector

News

36 NEWS

New portal enables access to satellite site activity

IsoTropic Networks, a facilities-basedprovider of satellite internet services andiDirect Host Network Operator (HNO),has launched a new maritime portal thatprovides up-to-the-minute informationabout satellite connectivity such as:access to review sites, update settings,site notifications, and a forecast servicefor potential upgrades or downgrades.

“We intend to make the VSAT airtimeexperience convenient, educational andmost importantly, reliable. This portal isjust one more example of our maritime

groups focus and dedication to exceedingour clients’ needs,” said Hank Zbierski,chief catalyst at IsoTropic Networks.

Available at no charge for IsoTropicmaritime customers, the portal is the firstof a range of new products and featuresscheduled for 2015, says a statementfrom the company.

To experience the latest portal foryourself, visithttp://bit.ly/IsoTropic_Portal_Reg torequest an account.

RigNet acquires oilfield comms company,Munaicom, in Kazakhstan

Global provider ofmanaged remote

communications and telecoms systemsintegration services to the oil and gasindustry, RigNet, Inc., has acquired 49% inshares in Timas Munaicom TOO(Munaicom), an oilfield communicationscompany based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The deal positions RigNet to provideremote communications services in theregion ~ as well as setting the scene forfurther expansion in Central Asia.Munaicom will remain a licensedtelecommunications provider inKazakhstan, and will continue to operateunder the same name for the time being.

Multraship and Damenconfirm deal for 3x ASD tugs

Leading towage and salvage specialistMultraship, and Damen Shipyards Grouphave confirmed an agreement for threenew Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugs.

Leendert Muller, managing director ofMultraship, said: “Multraship continues toexpand its client base in the offshore energysector as well as in its harbour towageoperations. All three ASD tugs are highlysuitable for these markets whilst their FIFI 1fire-fighting equipment makes them especiallyvaluable for emergency response. We aredelighted to have collaborated with Damenon our fleet expansion programme. We areboth family-owned companies with a Dutchheritage and an international outlook, so wemake a good fit.”

After delivery in Vietnam, scheduled for theend of first-quarter 2015, two state-of-the-art ASD Tugs 3212 will operate forMultraship as sister vessels to the 83-tonnebollard pull Multratug 19, also built byDamen. An ASD Tug 2810 Hybrid is alsoscheduled to be delivered in Romania infirst-quarter 2015.

Orvar Hurtig,head of industry& society atEricsson

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