Whitepapers

www.lora-alliance.org A DIGITAL REVOLUTION FOR OIL & GAS FROM SCADA TO INDUSTRIAL IOT A P R I L 2 0 2 1 ABSTRACT LoRaWAN ® is a cost-effective and quickly deployed specification for wireless Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LPWAN) that enables the transition to Industry 4.0 by connecting remote sensors and devices allowing data to be captured and analyzed for industrial markets. Some segments taking advantage of the technology include agriculture, cities, buildings, utilities and manufacturing. In this white paper our focus will be on LoRaWAN applica- tions and deployments within the Oil & Gas (O&G) sector. We'll address the LoRaWAN protocol, which provides multiple advantages to enable applications that empower O&G businesses to improve operations with reduced operational costs; improved worker safety, and environ- mental and social governance in order to remain relevant and profitable in a quickly digitizing world. It does so by allowing energy companies to capture and digitize the vast amount of data from assets that are part of its operations and allowing machine learning to generate numerous energy related use cases. Players in the O&G sector around the world who are driving the long-term implications for O&G cost efficiency through digitization present examples of LoRaWAN deployments that have proven to be successful for day-to-day operations. They are Actility, Aloxy, Chevron, Lansitec, MultiTech, Orbiwise, Pepperl+Fuchs, TEKTE- LIC, Webee, and Yokogawa, and are all members of the LoRa Alliance®. Finally, from a technical standpoint, the specific require- ments that are imposed upon O&G firms due to the often hazardous areas they operate in, are explained through various levels of equipment certification following guide- lines in different regions of the world. INTRODUCTION The 21st century has brought a digital transformation not only in the energy markets, but throughout society. Digital technology has the potential to offer cost savings and efficiencies that O&G firms can use to their advantages, especially during uncertain times. O&G operations are some of the most complex and mission-critical: partially because of the remote areas and hazardous environments involved, partially because of the engineering and technical expertise necessary for return on investment, and partially because of the critical nature of the product and its distribution. The industrial sector is transitioning from the ISA-95 model of supervisory communications and data acquisition (SCA- DA) to the fourth industrial evolution, or Industry 4.0, which brings a new set of technologies to enable the Internet of Things (IoT) and, more specifically, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Industry 4.0 began in manufacturing, but has become essential for all industrial markets. Industry 4.0 involves digitally connecting computers and networks to automate systems. Sectors such as energy are capitalizing on Industry 4.0 technologies to ensure they can cost effectively receive more data to boost efficiency, productivity and safety.

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