Cisco Cisco Aironet 1522 Lightweight Outdoor Mesh Access Point Guía De Información

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Customer Case Study

Unlike typical access points used for “hotspot” wireless connections at coffee shops, airports, and other
locations, Aironet 1500 mesh access points can operate without a direct connection to a wired network. They
have been designed to deliver mission-critical wireless access with a rugged platform that is designed for high
performance, ease of deployment, reliability, security, scalability, mobility, and unified policy management
across indoor and outdoor networks.

When presented with the opportunity to run a pilot of the new application, Petrobel not only jumped at the
chance, but also decided to test it in the most demanding environment available to it – the Adriatic X exploration
rig operating 75 kilometers offshore. The rig was drilling deeper than any other operator in the area had gone
before and would be a stern test of the equipment and the value of real-time voice, video and data
communications.

Business Results

The pilot established a local area network throughout the Adriatic X rig operating at 48 Mbps, using just three
Aironet 1500 Access Points within Zone 1 and 2 Certified enclosures. It took Petrobel just two days to set up the
wireless mesh network on Adriatic X – one day for a site survey, and one day for the installation of the equipment
and commissioning.  

The result has transformed the sharing of real-time information and decision making on the rig. The company
man and technicians can take a call and share video images in real time – even on the drilling area – 
with colleagues at headquarters and beyond.

In early 2007, within just weeks of the Aironet equipment being installed, the Adriatic X had reached a depth of
4800 meters – 200 meters further than any other operator had previously achieved – and well on the way to its
target of 5500 meters. During that time the drill hit a high-pressure, high-temperature zone, and the value of 
real-time communications from the drilling area with headquarters was dramatically proven.

Massimo Finamore, the shore-based drilling superintendent in charge of Adriatic X operations, says: “For two
weeks we were at a very critical drilling section. The pressure at this zone was very high – 13,600 psi with a
temperature of 120°C – and was one of the reasons why other operators had previously been forced to
abandon their exploration wells in the area. Every day I had about ten calls with our company man. We were able
to share all available data and together reach the right decisions, fast.” 

Industry figures estimate that typically 15 to 25 percent of drilling time is lost due to some kind of trouble
encountered during the drilling process. Insulla conservatively estimates that improved and faster decision
making could avoid ten hours or more of delays each month on one rig alone – that is a potential saving of some
US$125,000. With six rigs operating offshore, the potential saving to Petrobel could reach US$9 million each year. 

“This technology does not replace the company man or diminish his importance,” Insulla explains. “What it does
is enable the wider team to share some of the burden with him: four eyes are better than two, and eight are
better than four. This technology gives us the opportunity to more effectively assist the production team to reach
the right decision. I expect to see it in place on all rigs within the next five years.”