Future-proofing oil and gas networks for digitalization, AI and quantum security
The oil and gas industry is rapidly embracing digital transformation to increase efficiency, reduce OPEX, improve safety and achieve environmental sustainability. From deepwater rigs and remote oilfields to refineries and pipelines, companies are investing in digital technologies such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), edge computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing.
Oil and gas companies can’t make these investments pay off with legacy networks. They need new networks that can extend secure, reliable, high-speed connectivity across diverse environments and industrial sites. DWDM and IP/MPLS technologies offer an ideal foundation for building a future-proof, scalable and robust oil and gas network infrastructure that can power digital use cases anywhere.
Why future-proofing is critical for oil and gas networks
To keep pace with demand for petroleum and natural gas in an era of constant price shifts, companies need to continue drilling, producing and venturing into more remote and hazardous areas. They need to do it all while operating in a safe, profitable and eco-sustainable way.
Oil and gas companies are turning to software-centric, data-driven operations to take on these challenges. This means deploying digital technologies in more places, along with data centers to support them. It also means ensuring that their critical communications networks can meet the connectivity needs of the technologies they deploy now and in the future.
By building future-proof fiber networks today, oil and gas companies will be able to:
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Keep pace with the growing data demands of remote oilfield and pipeline monitoring applications
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Use real-time data exchanges and communications to maintain operational continuity across onshore control centers and offshore facilities
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Use AI applications to augment worker capabilities, automate routine tasks and gain deeper insights into data
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Support a broad range of use cases to get maximum value from long-term investments in offshore platforms
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Deploy distributed data centers along oil and gas pipelines to process data at remote sites and drive faster, smarter decision-making
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Use fiber optic sensors to detect leaks and other problems along pipelines and alert operations teams in real time.
Why choose DWDM and IP/MPLS?
DWDM and IP/MPLS are core building blocks for future-proof networks. DWDM, or Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing, can provide high-bandwidth connectivity for offshore rigs, pipelines and control centers. It can also ensure efficient data transport across deepwater exploration sites and scale in step with capacity demands at refineries and onshore process facilities.
IP/MPLS, or IP Multiprotocol Label Switching, can provide flexible networking for drilling platforms, pipelines and control centers. It can also support converged networking for numerous services across refineries and remote extraction fields, and deliver the resiliency and redundancy required for communications at offshore platforms, pumping stations and process plants.
IP/MPLS also provides deterministic quality of service (QoS) and encryption capabilities that can ensure timely and secure delivery of critical automation traffic. These capabilities have made IP/MPLS a technology of choice for modernizing critical networks in other industrial contexts, including mines, power grids and public transportation systems.
Supporting digital transformation and AI initiatives with DWDM and IP/MPLS
Fiber networks based on DWDM and IP/MPLS will provide the reliable, high-performance connectivity that oil and gas companies need for their big digital transformation initiatives.
For example, DWDM and IP/MPLS can power IIoT and edge computing applications that collect and analyze data at remote oilfield sites, offshore drilling rigs and control centers. They can also support edge computing at offshore rigs and onshore process plants.
DWDM and IP/MPLS networks can meet the stringent requirements of AI and big data analytics applications by enabling high-speed, high-capacity data transport at process facilities and extending intelligent traffic management across exploration sites. They can extend these applications further by connecting distributed data centers to support hybrid and private cloud-based infrastructure at refineries and offshore platforms, and virtualized networks across oil and gas process facilities.
AI workloads will present new challenges for oil and gas companies because they are highly compute-intensive, involve massive volumes of data and require fast processing. An ideal networking solution for AI workloads will provide essential elements such as flexible hardware platforms, a modern and open network operating system (NOS), adaptable automation tools and data center interconnectivity capabilities.
Securing mission-critical data and operations
Oil and gas companies are prime targets for bad actors. They need the ability to protect their operational data from cyberattacks that are increasing in frequency, complexity and size.
Fortunately, DWDM and IP/MPLS technologies enable oil and gas companies to build a strong cybersecurity foundation. Companies can take advantage of their data protection capabilities across pipeline operations, as well as onshore and offshore operations from well sites to control centers. Network segmentation support allows companies to boost their cyber defenses by dividing their networks into multiple segments so they can better control pipeline, IT and OT traffic flows.
Digitalizing the oil and gas value chain
Making oil and gas operations quantum-safe
Like businesses in every other industry, oil and gas companies must pay attention to emerging quantum threats. Bad actors may already be harvesting encrypted data communications from oil and gas networks. If they gain access to a powerful enough quantum computer and the right algorithm, they will be able to crack the encryption and launch targeted attacks that derail a digital transformation plan, disrupt operations or put lives at risk.
Oil and gas operators should start making their networks quantum-safe today. DWDM and IP/MPLS can help by supporting the deployment of quantum-safe encryption, key management and intrusion detection. These capabilities will help turn the network into a strong first line of defense that protects a company’s full operations—pipelines, onshore, offshore and control center—against current harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) threats and future quantum attacks.
Resiliency and disaster recovery
The embrace of digital technologies and data-driven automation will help make oil and gas operations more resilient and ease disaster recovery, particularly in remote areas. But the network that connects these operations needs to be resilient, too.
Once again, IP/MPLS and DWDM technologies are a perfect fit. They can be deployed in high-availability configurations to ensure that offshore drilling platforms, pumping stations and refineries stay connected. By providing reliable connectivity, they also speed recovery from fiber cuts and disaster scenarios.
Find out more
Nokia offers comprehensive, quantum-safe networking solutions that fast-track digital transformation and ensure the successful adoption of AI in the oil and gas sector. Visit the links below to find out more about how our solutions can help you achieve your digital ambitions.
