Cisco, a global networking leader, has announced the completion of the first phase of building a unified communications infrastructure for the Belayim Petroleum Company – Petrobel.

The new infrastructure will help bridge the digital divide between the headquarters and the rigs facilitating transparent communication and exchange of information, even video, between the drilling crews and the headquarters' team.

In the first phase of Petrobel's i-Rig project the objective was to create a converged IP network on the Endurer Rig some 60 kms offshore.

Cisco Aironet Access Points formed the heart of a converged wireless local area network. In addition, Cisco installed Wireless IP Phones to ensure that all staff were within easy contact across most of the rig, while Cisco Unified IP Phones 7960G, equipped with Cisco Unified Video Advantage, enabled voice and video communications.

Massimo Insulla, Petrobel's drilling and work over deputy general manager, said: 'Our vision is to create a digital oilfield, where all of our assets and people – both onshore and offshore – can be linked using the network as a platform to create a secure, converged IP infrastructure.'

'By bridging the digital divide, we aim to enable the paradigm of taking the problem to the expert, rather than the expert having to travel to fix the problem,' he pointed out.

Cisco Aironet mesh access points can operate without a direct connection to a wired network.

They have been designed to deliver mission-critical wireless access with a rugged platform that is designed for high performance, ease of deployment, reliability, security, scalability, mobility, and unified policy management across indoor and outdoor networks.

'Industry figures estimate that typically 15 to 25 per cent of drilling time is lost due to some kind of trouble encountered during the drilling process,' said Hani Abdel Aziz, Cisco Egypt country manager.

Petrobel conservatively estimates that improved and faster decision making could avoid ten hours or more of delays each month on one rig alone – that is a potential saving of some $125,000.

'With six rigs operating offshore, the potential saving to Petrobel could reach $9 million each year,' said Insulla.

'When presented with the opportunity to run a pilot of the new application, Petrobel not only jumped at the chance, but also decided to test it in the most demanding environment available to it – the Adriatic X exploration rig operating 75 kms offshore,' said Abdel Aziz.

The pilot established a local area network throughout the Adriatic X rig operating at 48 Mbps, using just three Aironet Access Points within Zone 1 and 2 Certified enclosures.

It took Petrobel just two days to set up the wireless mesh network on Adriatic X – one day for a site survey, and one day for the installation of the equipment and commissioning.

The result has transformed the sharing of real-time information and decision making on the rig. Employees and technicians can take calls and share video images in real time – even on the drilling area – with colleagues at headquarters and beyond.

'This technology does not replace the employee or diminish his importance,' Insulla pointed out.

'What it does is enable the wider team to share some of the burden with him. It gives us the opportunity to more effectively assist the production team to reach the right decision quickly. I expect to see it in place on all rigs within the next five years,' he said.

Abdel Aziz noted that improved communications will not only reduce costs, but also greatly assist in safeguarding mature assets, because the wrong decisions can cause a well to close forever. In addition, there will be significant health, safety, and environment bottom-line improvements.

Petrobel is currently finalizing plans to create an offshore wireless coverage area using Broadband Wireless<