Enhancing Offshore Oil Operations with Cost-Effective and Innovative Telecommunication Solutions

Crude oil constitutes a large percentage of the Nigerian economy. The activities associated with crude oil production involve exploration, drilling, and transportation. Of these activities drilling is known to be the most arduous and expensive venture. The drilling sites are often remote, harsh, hostile, oppressive areas and lack necessary communication infrastructure. The terrestrial infrastructure in Nigeria is often insufficient, antiquated, or non-existent. The dearth of efficient telecommunications facilities therefore poses a serious problem to the oil companies. Since drilling, exploration, and production of oil and gas have expanded in Nigeria, oil companies [4] have been seeking innovative, efficient, and cost-effective telecommunication solutions to carryout these activities safely and economically. Over the years, a majority of oil companies in remote oil locations in the Eastern and Western Delta areas of Nigeria are getting on with only an analogue phone line and a thermal paper fax machine. Communications to drilling rigs were primarily accomplished through the perplexing design of radio, telephone, and microwave networks. Seamless as it may have seemed to the end user, the services are made up of a combination of technologies including radiotelephones tied back to back with analog microwave channels in a four-wire E and M configuration. This paper has tried to present innovative telecommunication solutions, more than the traditional voice and fax services, to remote and hostile locations in order to enhance oil operations. (Key words: remote communications systems, Nigerian delta region, wireless, broadband, satellite, radio, telephone)