Real-time
Video Streams Provide the Best Remote Monitoring for
Offshore Oil and Gas Platform
Background
The environment at
an offshore oil and gas platform can be extremely
harsh, and to protect workers and equipment, help
avoid unexpected events, and ensure smooth operation,
video cameras are used for remote monitoring.
The legacy CCTV systems of yesterday are not very
convenient since the video signal must be transmitted
using microwaves or fiber optic cabling, adding
extra costs for special equipment and cabling.
The modern solution is to use IP video technology,
since video images can be digitized and compressed
into TCP/IP packets and then transmitted over
a TCP/IP network. Either wired or wireless networks
can be used, eliminating the need for building
a standalone CCTV system.
System Requirements
IP
video surveillance applications at offshore oil and
gas platforms present users with a few challenges.
Due
to the harsh environmental conditions, video cameras
and IP video devices must be rugged enough to
ensure the reliability of the IP video surveillance
system. Some parts of the system may even require
certifications for marine environments and explosion
protection.
Oil and gas production
is automated, which means that all processes and
equipment, including the remote video surveillance
system, must be monitored and controlled by a
central SCADA system. Since most SCADA system
engineers and integrators are not familiar with
IP video technology, access to a user-friendly
tool for integrating IP video into SCADA systems
is a big plus.
For both process
monitoring systems and IDAS systems, real-time
IP video is a must since administrators need to
know what's happening when it happens. This means
that the frame rate and latency of the IP video
system must satisfy stringent requirements.
System Description
A
video surveillance system for an offshore oil and
gas platform is either a process monitoring system
or IDAS (Intrusion Detection & Access control
system) system.
Process
Monitoring System: Video cameras provide
administrators at remote control centers with
real-time video streams to show them what's happening
at the various field sites. This kind of monitoring
is mainly for checking the status of equipment
and keeping an eye on workers.
IDAS System: Video cameras are used for security purposes,
which means that events must be viewable and recorded
once an event alarm is triggered. To realize this,
the video needs to interact with events from other
surveillance devices, such as I/O sensors and
card readers.
Moxa's
VPort 354 4-channel industrial video encoder is
specially designed for video surveillance systems
in harsh environments. The VPort 354's rugged
design features an IP30 metal form factor, 24
VDC/VAC redundant power inputs, DIN-rail mounting,
a -40 to 75°C operating temperature (T models
only), a fiber optic Ethernet port (multi-mode
or single mode), high EMI, surge protection, and
UL508 certification, guaranteeing the highest
reliability for mission-critical and harsh environment
applications.
The
VPort 354 can generate 120/100 FPS (frames per
second) at 4CIF resolution (NTSC: 704 x 480;
PAL:704 x 576), which means that each channel
can run up to 30 FPS simultaneously. The video
latency from encoding to decoding is under 200
ms, which guarantees the best video quality
and makes the device ideal for a real-time IP
video system.
Moxa's new VPort Video Gadget is a user-friendly
software tool that makes it much easier to integrate
the video system with a SCADA system. No programming
is required, and only a few simple steps are
needed to set up the system. System integrators
with little or no programming know-how can easily
embed video streams in a SCADA system to trigger
the video when certain events occur.
Benefits from Moxa
Capable
of generating 120/100 FPS (frames per second)
at 4CIF resolution (NTSC: 704 x 480; PAL:704 x
576), which means that each channel can run up
to 30 FPS simultaneously
Video latency
from encoding to decoding under 200 ms
Modbus/TCP protocol
supported for easy communication with SCADA systems
VPort Video Gadget,
a user-friendly software tool, eliminates the
need to write complex code for integrating video
with a SCADA system
Rugged design
with IP30 protected metal form factor, 24 VDC/VAC
redundant power inputs, DIN-rail mounting, and
-40 to 75°C operating temperature (T models only),
and fiber optic Ethernet port (multi-mode, single
mode)
High EMI, surge
protection, and UL508 certification make the VPort
354 suitable for harsh environments
