EP Petroecuador is the national oil and gas company of Ecuador, specializing in the refinement, storage, transport and sales of oil and gas derivatives both domestically and internationally. Oil and gas form a significant part of the Ecuadorian economy, with state projects supported by revenues from the industry. EP Petroecuador’s activities cover the entire Ecuadorian territory and combines teams from operations, security, and administration.
The need for an intrinsically safe, open standards solution
Health and safety are a priority for EP Petroecuador, as oil and gas operations are hazardous and can pose significant risk to employees. This is why EP Petroecuador needed an Intrinsically Safe and robust radio solution that would deliver reliable coverage across the nation, with capabilities to create talkgroups, incorporate IP solutions, and use GPS location services.
Beside these essential functionalities, EP Petroecuador required a supplier committed to open standards so the new solution could be seamlessly migrated to from their existing analog network with no down-time, and integrate with other technology systems being used in the company.
Migrating from analog communications to DMR Tier 2
To meet EP Petroecuadors requirements, Tait designed and deployed a phased migration from the existing analog network to a digital Tait DMR Tier 2 network that integrated with the existing Cisco IP Telephone system.
To achieve this, there were also some physical challenges that needed to be overcome, as Ecuador’s varied topography presented several sites that needed to reach fixed-base radios that were over 230km (143 miles) away. Tait engineers developed software that gives base stations the time needed to receive a response from the fixed radios.
An integrated solution to enhance communications and improve worker safety
The carefully designed and deployed migration was seamless, allowing EP Petroecuador to continue operating without compromising safety during the process. The result is that EP Petroecuador staff can now communicate more clearly with high-quality, reliable digital voice channels on a DMR network.
The new DMR network has given EP Petroecuador the ability to create talkgroups for the different divisions of the company. This separation significantly decreases radio noise from unrelated communications, and guarantees availability of communications for different divisions and groups within EP Petroecuador.
Another benefit the switch from voice-only analog communications to a digital DMR network has given EP Petroecuador is the ability to add data and text messaging over the radio network. This means that teams can now use the Man Down and Lone Worker features and send information such as job status, site arrival and departure details, and repair requests straight from their radios.
Key benefits of the Tait solution
- Money and time has been saved by using an open standards solution that integrates with other technology systems
- Staff have peace of mind that communications will get through
- Efficiency has increased through the the availability of real-time communications between administration and operations
- Efficiency has increased due to network management and monitoring from Tait services
- Man Down and Lone Worker alarms cut emergency response times and improve worker safety
- Change management was optimized through user training
- EP Petroecuador received a cost-effective solution.
“Being able to rely on a nationwide talkgroup with excellent coverage plus the transparent integration between the DMR system and our IP Telephony are the greatest benefits that the Tait DMR tier II network has given EP Petroecuador”
Javier Cabrera V., Supervisor de Redes y Comunicaciones
Teams working for EP Petroecuador trust the new communications solution and are confident working with the new equipment. This is due to reliable, high-performing hardware and technology from Tait, as well as user training provided by Tait and local Tait dealer Lambda-Tec Cía. Ltda. To read the full client story, click here.
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