Delivering accessible and reliable online entertainment and communications to offshore oil and gas environments for thousands of workers can be a challenge requiring strategic technical planning.
“It’s certainly more complex than turning on the TV or making a video call at home,” Swift Networks CEO Brian Mangano said. “There are so many more factors to consider, including limited availability to the internet.”
Swift’s technology, with a proprietary solution to overcome limited bandwidth, has been installed in six offshore facilities, providing premium entertainment and communications to workers in out-of-reach environments, including some of WA’s biggest oil and gas giants.
“Swift has installed its entertainment and engagement solution for the oil and gas industry on offshore vessels for Chevron and Shell – and is currently in the process of installing Swift Access on two vessels for another major oil and gas company,” Mr Mangano said.
“We are now onto our tenth major project across six offshore vessels. We have built up considerable experience in oil and gas over 11 years.”
Mr Mangano said it’s important for offshore workers to be connected to communications networks. “Aside from living away from home for extended periods, having limited living space and options of things to do when you finish your shift, working offshore is a high-risk environment.
“Staff need ways to unwind, to relax and stay connected with family. But they also need to stay aware and connected to their surroundings,” he said.
“Swift provides entertainment to unwind, ensures there is bandwidth to call family and friends, supports access to information about services on the vessel, and provides an additional channel of communicating alerts, interrupting services if there is a high alert situation.”
Offshore platforms can’t rely solely on satellite dishes because the dish needs to move when the vessel moves. The system also needs to flex when high bandwidth is required when the vessel is docked.
“One of the key challenges is being able to deliver high-quality content with internet availability and maintain the entertainment services, to keep people connected to families and friends where there are fluctuating demands on bandwidth, while getting services failures fixed remotely,” Mr Mangano said.
“Swift has developed a proprietary low bandwidth solution that manages bandwidth and caches content at times when high bandwidth isn’t available. We have also developed fail-over backup systems, maintaining a seamless experience for the end user,” Mr Mangano said.
The level of planning required for installation is detailed, with tight windows when technicians can be sent to site. “There are four-month planning cycles, meaning any issues will seriously set back project timelines,” he said.
“If you forget something you can’t just pop down to Bunnings, you will have to wait another four months for another installation opportunity to get that extra cable.”
There is also limited space for the installation team, and the structures are made of steel, which isn’t ideal for Wi-Fi systems. “When it comes to installing an entertainment and engagement solution on an offshore vessel there are many challenges,” Mr Mangano said.
Swift has built new testing environments in its West Perth communications facility to replicate an offshore environment before it shipped for installation. The systems are designed with details that are fully built out and tested locally, down to the last cable tie, with nothing left to chance.
“We have a wealth of experience, built up in-house expertise, and have innovated and developed new technology to overcome the challenges, as well as minimise risk across installation and ongoing operations,” Mr Mangano said.
By Brian Mangano - CEO & MD-Swift-Networks
