November 29, 2023: 

Harvest Technology Group’s, Technical Sales Manager UK/Europe, Steve Moir presented at Topsides UK earlier this month discussing the potential of livestreaming and remote operations in driving operational efficiencies and meeting Net-Zero targets in a mature basin.

The energy sector is currently experiencing a significant digital transformation with an increasing trend towards remote operations driven by advancements in information and communications technology.

For remote operations to be successful, data from video and audio sources, IoT sensors, navigational and positioning data need to be accessible.

Global trends towards digitalisation are driving demand for dispersed data access and availability, which is challenging in remote environments with existing network limitations and increasing congestion.

Other challenges include latency, lack of synchronised data, and security concerns. However, some of the key drivers for change in the industry include automation and autonomy, contractual requirements and compliance, environmental and safety factors as well as improved situational awareness and support.

So how can operators achieve these goals? Implementing remote support and remote operations is a great place to start.

Remote support is often the first step towards remote operations; being the most cost-effective and least disruptive to implement. Technology can support operators by livestreaming video and two-way audio from remote locations to a central base for remote technical assistance, survey, inspection, or telehealth.

Remote operations is the control or management of operations from a remote location using technology for real-time monitoring. This can include live data acquisition, coordination of ongoing operations, and remote monitoring and control of assets themselves.

Remote operations is growing in significance in the energy sector for several key reasons:

• Safety and risk mitigation: remote operations allow personnel to monitor and control equipment and processes from a safe distance, minimising exposure to dangerous conditions.
• Operational and cost efficiencies: by reducing the need for on-site personnel and travel, companies can lower operational expenses including labour, transport, and travel costs.
• Asset monitoring and management: remote monitoring and control enable real-time data analysis and decision making, resulting in optimised drilling and production processes, reduced downtime, and increased operational efficiency.
• Environmental sustainability and compliance: the energy industry faces strict environmental regulations. Remote operations allow companies to monitor emissions, detect leaks and ensure compliance in real time reducing the risk of damage and fines. The use of technology also allows for reduced movement of people and vessels and the use of smaller assets, aiding in net-zero targets.
• Subject matter expert support: There is often a heavy reliance on experts who cannot always be onsite. Remote support applications enable experts to provide guidance, troubleshoot issues and make decisions without needing to be physically present at the site.

So where does livestreaming fit into all this? ​Livestreaming technology is a dynamic tool used to enable remote support and remote operations.​

Data is a fundamental asset for successful remote operations and the transmission of data from one point to another or to many enables organisations to make informed decisions, optimise processes and monitor assets remotely.  

​In the Energy Sector between now and 2028, the expanding need for intensive data usage and analytics is expected to grow from USD 8.37 billion in 2023 to USD 14.28 billion by 2028, at an annual growth rate of 11.28%.​

That said, there remain challenges facing the transfer of large amounts of data from remote assets and systems including limited bandwidth capacity, congested networks, complex data sets and types, disparate feed sources, data synchronisation, quality versus latency, and redundancy issues.

To ensure reliability and survivability of connectivity and throughput, remote operations rely on livestreaming technology that is secure, bandwidth efficient, synchronised for complex data sets, able to manage disparate feed sources and can support multiple users simultaneously from anywhere.

Harvest’s trusted and industry proven network optimised livestreaming facilitates remote operations for several Tier-1 and Tier-2 global contractors. Our Nodestream™ technology is more than 100% more efficient than anything else on the market and has led to cost savings of over $250m AUD, a reduction of over 4 million HSE exposure hours and more than 90% decrease in carbon footprint in the energy sector alone.

For more information, you can access Steve’s presentation here.