Wireless is the next revolution for getting critical information from the field to the office.

Internet innovation is sweeping through the oil and gas industry, with most of the attention focused on online trading and new procurement partnerships. But another important e-business opportunity exists farther upstream. It's wireless, the leading edge of the Internet, and it could change the energy industry's reputation from that of a follower to a leader in innovation.
Wireless defined
Wireless communication enables access to information anytime, anywhere, from any device, without the need for a hard-wired connection. A more technical definition of wireless would be a radio-based system that allows transmission of telephone or data signals through the air without a physical connection such as a metal wire or fiber-optic cable. When choosing a wireless device to support an application, take into account the functionality needed, the type of data to be delivered and how the data need to be displayed.
But wireless is more than a specific device. Many organizations are using advances in wireless data transmission to enhance their operations as well as product or service offerings. Additionally, this emerging technology is improving sales and inventory tracking, cutting the time spent recording and accessing critical data, and streamlining customer service systems.
A critical component of developing a wireless solution is identifying the appropriate network. Many companies have implemented proprietary networks for their wireless applications, while others have developed applications that will use the networks offered by the major cellular companies. As companies move to develop wireless technology, they need to take into account network coverage and the types of devices they will use.
Wireless is the next revolution, predicted to have as profound an impact on global business as the Internet had in the 1990s. The Internet changed - and continues to change - business-to-business and business-to-consumer processes.
When is wireless appropriate?
Wireless applications make the greatest sense when the greatest value is found in having critical information now, and when that crucial need is tied to a specific place. These conditions exist in many places along the energy value chain - from exploration drilling sites to pipeline locations to the truck delivering fuel to a gas station.
An example of where wireless technology is well-suited to geographic-specific data is a global positioning system (GPS). Use of GPS on delivery trucks has several applications. It can assist in rerouting drivers when road or weather conditions suddenly change, or it can locate vehicles in breakdowns or emergencies. GPS is so precise it can tell if a truck is making a delivery more than 100 ft (31 m) from a customer's meter, giving distributors a first line of defense against piracy. Field volumetric information also can be transmitted directly to back-office accounting systems to reduce the time required to process invoices and collect receivables. Some companies already are doing this in connection with distribution of fuel to customers from mobile refueling units.
In remote and even hostile locations like the North Sea, it is prohibitively expensive, if not impossible, to run a hard line. Here, wireless technology has remarkable potential to save money and time. Wireless technology has the ability to detect and communicate potential problems, like a leak, before they occur or cause damage, thus protecting the project, people and environment. In other situations, wireless applications can enable information to flow more directly and thus more quickly.
Take, for example, a situation in which a sophisticated pipeline monitoring system is in place. First, the information is sent to a gas control center or monitoring station for evaluation. A technician at the center, which could be hundreds or thousands of miles away, then alerts a field team to any irregularity. A team member may get a pager message indicating trouble but not be able to identify the problem or take necessary action without a phone call. To get the system repaired, back onstream and functioning correctly, the field team needs information: pipeline pressure, pressure on the well, casing pressure and flow rate. What if the specific and critical information could be sent directly to the field team? The result would be more timely dispatches and more rapid repairs.
Wireless capability could be critical to the success of those who repair pipelines and address other emergency situations. The teams that are dispatched could have the most up-to-date information necessary to repair any pipeline leakage or rupture to prevent well fires. Wireless could minimize the major economic headaches of lost revenue and cleanup costs - or eliminate them entirely - by flagging potential breakdowns before they happen.
Being proactive, not reactive
In a recent television commercial for a refrigerator, a repairman shows up at the door of a homeowner who hadn't called him. It turns out the refrigerator called for repairs; when its parts began to wear out, it sent an electronic message for someone to come and repair it. This technology is already built into appliances, so why not equipment in remote areas? Just imagine the possibility of a getting a message prior to a breakdown. The cost savings on routine maintenance could be large if unnecessary trips were prevented and problems stopped while they were still small.
Wireless also could help retain the goodwill of downstream customers who depend on a gas supplier. Should a sudden decrease in pressure automatically shut off that pipeline, a wireless application can issue the operational flow order directly to customers. A disruption in supply seriously affects the customer's business, and the sooner they are alerted to an issue, the sooner they can mitigate its effect.
The energy industry should take note of the financial services industry's recent focus on wireless applications that liberate market traders from their computer terminals. Energy traders have the same issues and would benefit similarly by being able to use wireless technology to receive and immediately act upon information from anywhere through a wireless device.
Time to start is now
Development of wireless devices is being driven by the telecommunications industry. Further development should be driven by the customer to ensure that the end users get what they want. But to get involved in wireless, don't spend too much time worrying about devices. Think about the greater business perspective. Learn the applications other industries are using. Business functions across a variety of industries share many similarities. Processes are changing; the Internet has brought more flex, more adaptability. E-trading is enabling companies to buy directly from manufacturers, and some distributors are finding themselves either out of business or developing new opportunities, perhaps shifting their emphasis to financing and transportation. The Internet is not eliminating jobs, but it certainly is changing them.
The potential for enormous savings and significant improvement in environmental protection makes wireless attractive. The most productive and successful oil and gas organizations will be those that immediately embrace the Web and wireless technology with business savvy and imagination.

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