A Role in Oil & Gas
Since hydrocarbons often are found in jungles, deserts, mountain ranges, and oceans, oilfield services provider Schlumberger has developed a global communications network which incorporates satellite. The company was an early leader in the development of Ku-band satellite hardware and was a leading industry voice when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission was considering whether or not to offer blanket licenses to Ku-band satellite networks in the 1980s. Based on its heritage as a pioneer in the satellite industry, it came as no surprise when Schlumberger’s Global Connectivity Services entered into an exclusive agreement in January 2009 with League City-based WiMax service provider ERF Wireless. The agreement covers North America and includes service support in the United States and Canada. “We identified a critical need in the market, and are pleased to be able to offer WiMax services to our clients with remote connectivity requirements,” says Deryl Rice, Schlumberger’s North American global connectivity business manager. “Satellite still makes up the core of our services, particularly offshore, but WiMax provides excellent bandwidth, especially for land operations.”
Schlumberger will light up a geographical area with WiMax coverage where there is a concentration of drillers and operators, and Schlumberger has its finger squarely on the pulse of oil and gas producers, Rice says. “Schlumberger tracks leases, rig counts and other data on a weekly basis. From this data we can see where we need to expand our coverage in the future. Potential radio towers and possible frequencies are investigated as well as any potential interference issues. Market intelligence is critical. For instance, the Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin covers seven states. We can’t blanket all seven states with WiMax coverage. Over time we will typically see the majority of the rigs working in a basin concentrated in certain areas. WiMax is ideal to provide services in that type of setting and that is where we focus our efforts with WiMax,” he says
Rice, a veteran of the satellite industry, notes that WiMax services offered several advantages over a satellite solution. “WiMax is a bit more stable than Ku-band satellite because you don’t have to deal with rain fade. Although rain fades are short, they still interrupt business processes. WiMax allows us to deliver a significantly higher amount of bandwidth to remote locations. We typically deliver 1.5 megabits per second of bandwidth to a drilling rig instead of a 128 kilobits per second satellite circuit. Drilling companies and operating companies welcome the additional bandwidth,” he says.
Network latency also is critical when running a real-time drilling operation, and while the latency on a satellite link typically is in the 600-to-700-millisecond range, the WiMax link can provide latency of just 60 milliseconds, says Rice. “Drilling data from the rig is transmitted to an offsite geoscientist who is monitoring the drilling process. By reducing the latency to just 60 milliseconds, this drastically improves the delivery of the data. The latency introduced by a satellite link doesn’t sound like much, but it is enough to possibly delay the transfer of data and, under certain circumstances, data could be lost. WiMax will be an important tool for us moving forward, as it is a complimentary communications technology,” he says.
The Future for WiMax
A year ago, it appeared that WiMax networks would proliferate around the world very quickly, but that has not turned out to be the case. While there have been successful WiMax rollouts, notably on the African continent, the future for WiMax is anything but clear. Facing direct competition from entrenched competitors offering broadband services via cable, wireless and satellite, WiMax faces an uphill battle. The lack of a global frequency standard forces WiMax vendors to cobble together a disjointed group of frequencies, thereby preventing manufacturers from achieving economies of scale
It is highly unlikely WiMax will gain enough traction to overtake competitive technologies; however, it is still has its place in the telecommunication world, even if it serves in a mop up role. The WiMax Forum and satellite sector have had friendly discussions regarding the interference that WiMax networks are causing. To date, nothing concrete has been resolved, but it is important that the dialog continues. The potential is there for WiMax and satellite technologies to collaborate, harnessing the power of last-mile and long-haul wireless communications, creating a homogeneous network offering the benefits of both technologies. Although the relationship between the satellite and WiMax sectors has been contentious at times, WiMax players could become a major market for satellite hardware and space segment.
Greg Berlocher has been active in the satellite industry for twenty five years and is the President of Transcendent Global Networks LLC.
Greg Berlocher has been active in the satellite industry for twenty five years and is the President of Transcendent Global Networks LLC.
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