Pacific Controls launches Wireless M2M solutions and GPRS Remote Monitoring Service for the Oil & Gas Industry

Dubai, November 2, 2005: Pacific Control Systems (PCS), the leading Machine-to-Machine (M2M) service provider, has launched its Wireless Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions and GPRS Remote Monitoring and Control service at the Arab Instrumentation & Automation exhibition being held from November 7-9 at the Dubai International Exhibition Center.

The business process improvements seen with the use of sophisticated M2M solutions in the Oil and Gas industry are immense. Automating processes through wireless M2M applications drive significant cost reductions for oil and gas companies through increased operational efficiency. The M2M technology allows for the combination of the central coordinating applications (which enables standalone applications to talk to, monitor and control the intelligent machines collecting data using embedded microprocessors and sensors) along with communicating intelligent machines, thereby creating a broad network of machines called the machine-net which is similar to that of the Internet.

When these intelligent machines can communicate and change automatically based on preset program criteria, it results in tremendous operational benefits for the oil and gas companies. The recent changes witnessed by this industry have made M2M technology accessible to oil and gas companies of all sizes due to its increased availability and usability at low cost, and the potential business process improvements.

Commenting on the burgeoning M2M application usage in the oil and gas industry, Dilip Rahulan, Chairman and CEO of Pacific Control Systems said, "The M2M technology is designed to effectively integrate all intelligent machines in order to talk to each other and adjust on its own, which results in improved business processes for all industries, and especially the oil and gas industry wherein the cost involved in its operations is very high."

Alarms triggered from equipment are routed via Satellite or GPRS to the private dedicated APN (Access Point Name) network gateway (subscribed by Pacific Controls from Etisalat). The information from the APN gateway is routed through the Internet (IP) to a dedicated M2M portal in Pacific Controls Central Control Room, which enables monitoring and control of the assets.

The sensor networks use Wireless Mesh technology, whereby each node on the network can act as a router and send data about a particular asset it is attached to. Further, these nodes can also pass along sensor data from its neighbors until that data reaches the gateway. Since the data is transmitted via GPRS, it enables sensor data to travel over longer distances to get to the enterprise software in the Command Control Center. This GPRS connectivity is especially useful for remote monitoring of Oil and Gas Infrastructure, pointed out Rahulan. Apart from receiving real-time data collection, the SCADA supports for alarming, trending, and control functions.

Our wireless M2M technology addresses typical applications including natural gas compressor, standby generators, electronic flow measurement (EFM), oil production, cathodic protection, fuel tank level monitoring, water resource measurement, and similar energy and utility installations. The benefits of using wireless M2M solutions are optimized performance, increased flexibility, automated reports function, asset search function and advanced password security.

"With our high level expertise in wireless M2M applications, we are addressing the challenges faced by this industry in its operations by deriving them with quicker, better and the most cost-effective solutions." "We are looking at opportunities to meet key decision makers from the Oil and Gas industry to visit the event, where we can demonstrate our unique wireless M2M applications and show them how we can improve their overall business process operations."

For example, in the case of data generation from oil wells which used to be at specific intervals of time, can now be updated in real-time all the time through installation of data collection sensors that transmit data through built-in wireless transmitters to the Pacific Controls Command Control Center which is a state of the art facility capable of measuring oil tank levels, pressures, temperatures, equipment stats etc. This enables maintenance personnel to attend to the malfunctioning wells faster resulting in saving money, and also schedule product distribution with much greater efficiency through dynamic information on tank level accuracy. Apart from these, during critical alarms such as tank pressure, tank level etc., the alarm messages are sent to a list of email addresses, as text messages to cell phones and even as computerized text-to-voice messages to any phone.

For further information please contact:
Beena Abraham
Corporate Communications
Pacific Control Systems LLC
Tel: +971 4 886 9000
Fax: +971 4 886 9001
Email: beena@pacificcontrols.net

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