Plumbing the depths

Abstract

An oil rig is a massive and delicate investment. The communications links between platforms and the control center, to ensure safe and continued operation, deserve careful consideration. One offshore oil and natural gas development is to be found in the Arabian Sea, about 200 km west of Bombay. In such a development, the communications between platforms and the control center need to be sophisticated, accurate over long distances, multi-level and robust. Systems requirements and development work are reported.