GVF Oil & Gas Communications Conference
New Programme Content Innovations Include Live Satellite-Link/VSAT Auto-Deploy Demonstration, New Mini-Panel Dialogues, and Extended Geographic Coverage to Arctic Latitudes. The GVF/UK-EMP Conference Partnership has released additional details following the recent, preliminary, announcement of new programme content and features for the 3rd Annual Oil & Gas Communications Europe Conference: ‘Digital Applications & Communications Dynamics from the North Sea to the Arctic Ocean’.
This next event in the Series – the 9th Oil & Gas Communications Conference – which is to be held in Aberdeen on 12th & 13th May 2010, will include a live satellite-link demonstration, the introduction of a series of mini-panel dialogues on key – and contentious – issues in the oil & gas communications sphere, and an extended geographical scope to include subjects related to the communications imperatives of oil & gas exploration and production in the Arctic Basin.
As in previous years, Schlumberger will be the lead sponsor for the 2010 Aberdeen conference, with Eutelsat, Hermes Datacomms, and IPX International Systems also featuring as key sponsors. Additional companies will be joining the sponsor line-up in due course. Commenting on the event, Paul Khayat, Marketing Manager, Schlumberger Global Connectivity Services, said “the GVF Oil & Gas Communications event serves as a platform for dialogue between the VSAT and oil and gas communities. This event should be an exciting opportunity to stimulate communication between the two industries.”
Nicholas Daly, Regional Director, UK & Ireland, Eutelsat added “We are pleased to be supporting this event once again – it provides is an excellent opportunity to meet with our customers and at the same time gain current perspectives on industry initiatives and future trends, which in turn drives our product developments for our satellite communications business lines.”
Hermes Datacomms will contribute one of this year’s conference programme innovations, an outdoor demonstration of a truck-mounted, self-deploy, ‘flyaway’ VSAT, which will provide the link for the delivery of a conference presentation covering the topics of: auto-Deploy VSAT; meshed private TDMA networks; use of robust wireless video equipment for visual collaboration from field locations; voice and video prioritisation on saturated links; monitoring; and, out-of-band management. Referencing the significance of the demonstration, Gary Steer, Technical Director, said “People expect more and more from their VSAT systems, not only in demanding offshore locations but also onshore environments where it is difficult or impossible to rely on common forms of communication, such as North Africa, Central Asia and the developing markets of Iraq and Afghanistan. The forum gives us a chance to showcase the full range of solutions we offer, in a rapid deployment package, and we are looking forward to presenting an exciting real world demonstration”.
Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development with GVF, and Chairman of both the Oil & Gas Communications Conference Series and the Broadband Maritime Conference Series, commented, “The vertical market conference event momentum of the GVF/UK-EMP partnership continues to go from strength to strength, as illustrated by the many indications of support we have received for the introduction of the mini-panel dialogues on certain specific oil & gas communications topics on the Aberdeen agenda.”
Amongst these mini-panel dialogues will be discussion on:
21st Century Oil & Gas ICT Networking: Development & Deployment Dynamics which will pose such questions as:
Technology & Topology in Networking Communications and the Digital Application – Which is the chicken? Which is the Egg?
Commercial Applications in the Satellite Environment – What do developers need to know beyond their fibre frame of reference?
North Sea Oil & Gas Field Maturity – What does this mean for satellite-based application functionality and cost-effectiveness?
The North Sea Experience – What lessons for new oil & gas exploration and production frontiers?
Next Generation Applications in Oil & Gas – What does it mean for satellite technology?
Advancing E&P Horizons: Evolving the Satellite Networking Requirement to the Arctic Frontier will examine such issues as:
Satellite Operators & the High Polar Latitudes – What are the current limitations and future prospects?
Elliptical & Inclined – Will there be a realistic, new market-driven business model for growth beyond GEO?
LEOs – Where will the existing constellations fit into the Arctic communications landscape?
How will earth station/terminal/antenna manufacturers and vendors position themselves for this new and important, but niche, market?
Will the limited market size reduce opportunities for competitive equipment pricing through the absence of economies of scale?
How will existing stabilized and tracking antenna technologies be adapted and deployed for the new Arctic communications market?
The Aberdeen programme will also feature the following elements:
Leveraging Digital Oilfield Advantages in the Lower Latitudes of the North Sea
Current & Future Generations of Communications Infrastructure: Realizing Access to the Digital Oilfield in Higher Latitudes
Narrowband SCADA & Asset Tracking Data in a Broadband Satellite Oil & Gas Environment
GVF Satellite Installation New Training Dynamics for Oil & Gas Communications in the North Sea
First Mile… Last Mile… for Oil & Gas: Networking Solutions & Technology Hybrids
Real-Time Data Monitoring, Data Management Remote Collaboration & Operations Support Centres
The Design & Ergonomics of the Collaborative Visualization Environment
Europe’s Oil & Gas Patch in the Greater Oil & Gas World: Global VSAT & Local Wireless Connectivity
Maintaining the Business Mission Critical Link: Oil & Gas Communications When Disaster Strikes
Redundancy Maximization: Extending Out-of-band Control & Monitoring.
GVF Secretary General, David Hartshorn, added “Two important, and closely related, questions will be tackled in the Aberdeen programme. Firstly, how is the latest generation of cutting-edge communications solutions and digital oilfield/gasfield applications – with their genesis in the hostile offshore environment of the North Sea, and now with their current and continuing development taking place in the context of offshore exploration and production in South East Asia, West Africa, etc – now being re-applied to the context of the depleting reserves of the North Sea? Secondly, how might the ICT-related lessons of this North Sea-to-currently-emergent energy regions history now be applied to the totally new prospects offered by an increasingly ice-free Arctic Ocean?”
Mission critical operational success in the oil & gas exploration and production environment has been dependent on access to the most efficient information and communications technologies, and to the wealth of sophisticated applications these technologies bring to the disposal of the teams of geologists, geophysicists, drilling engineers, seismic data analysts, etc., who not only locate new oil & gas reserves but assist in developing more effective and efficient techniques for yielding them from beneath the ocean floor. Satellite, satellite-wireless hybrid, and wireless platforms, have made, and continue to make, a vital contribution to this ICT access, providing essential connectivity to vital applications in a range of challenging geographic environments.
Added Paul Stahl, Managing Partner of UK-EMP, “The role of satellite in oil & gas is well developed, but still has potential to evolve and expand. Therefore, the Aberdeen conference will explore this future evolution and expansion, not only with reference to the later stages of North Sea exploration and production, but with reference to the emergence of the fresh energy-yielding potential of the high northern latitudes.”
For further information regarding the GVF 3rd Annual Oil & Gas Communications Europe Conference: ‘Digital Applications & Communications Dynamics from the North Sea to the Arctic Ocean’ please contact Martin Jarrold at martin.jarrold@gvf.org or Paul Stahl at paul.stahl@uk-emp.co.uk or visit the conference web page at www.uk-emp.co.uk/3rd.O&G.Europe.2010/. Conference sponsorship options to support the Aberdeen programme are still available, and details of the various benefits packages are available by email from Paul Stahl.
Following the 3rd Annual Oil & Gas Communications Europe Conference the GVF/UK-EMP Broadband Maritime Series will continue with GVF Broadband Maritime Europe 2010: ‘Innovation in Communications Solutions for the Sea Lanes’ in London on 1st & 2nd June (http://www.uk-emp.co.uk/BMEu.Ldn.2010/). Whilst maintaining a focus on the key elements of maritime satellite communications that are common to all ocean regions and seaways, the conference will introduce regionally-unique topics and themes, such as the opening to year-round navigation of arctic seaways affected by climate change and melting polar sea ice. The programme will also feature embedded topics relating to networking communications and ICT applications solutions surrounding the deployment of naval logistical resources when engaged in collaboration with International Organisations, and Non-Governmental Organisations, for emergency response, and development, situations, etc. More detail on the themes of ‘Communications Systems in Naval Dynamics 2010′ will be advised in future press releases.
