Dashboard’s commentary on “How can IoT ensure that Oil pipelines run smoothly?”

IoT specialist Naveen Joshi recently published an article describing the effect of IoT on oil pipelines. What makes the article of particular interest is that Joshi never once mentions digital oilfield as a whole, but instead chooses to break it down into parts. He explains the catalyst effects of systems such as SCADA and TAMI in detail, perhaps to avoid generalising digital oilfield as one. The article is also useful in terms of acquainting oneself with the digital oilfield deeper than just the name.

What is possibly the biggest threat to swift moving of oil from one place to another is ruptures and following leaks. To minimise and control these, various types of sensors need to be implemented in every-day use. The most common solution is to use a combination of so called smart pigs and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). First the smart pigs, which are straws wrapped in wire, are put down the pipes to find any cracks. When those are found, SCADA collects all the information and controls valves etc. based on the data it receives. This is one of the more traditional uses of digital oilfield technologies, as it provides real time information about company resources and requires less direct attention.

Another point Joshi makes is how in 2015, when there were sizeable fires in near proximity of PG&E facilities, the company used TAMI to receive updates. TAMI, short for Tactical Analysis Mapping Integration), alerted the correct people at PG&E when the fire came close, allowing them to act accordingly and in time. It is important to see that TAMI is not a part of digital oilfield as such, as it is used to monitor fire rather than anything to do with O&G. Because of this, it can be overlooked at times, and so it is interesting how Joshi has featured it in his article.

Overall, many know the digital oilfield as merely a name for a larger concept. It is, however, important to do research into it and follow blogs/newsletters to know how it is developing. By doing so technologies such as TAMI do not pass by unnoticed, and organisations can begin to use them for their own advantage.

Naveen Joshi’s article can be found here