SCADA systems are composed of a set of industrial software applications used to support the management of virtually all production processes.

In the oil and gas sector they are widely used in exploration, production, refining, transportation and marketing to ensure the fulfillment of the business’s primary function: producing hydrocarbons at the highest quality standards in a cost-effective way.

Having a quality SCADA solution ensures safe and reliable operation, securing the productivity of the company’s most critical assets.

Deploying Equinox in oil and gas companies

The oil and gas sector has become increasingly dependent on automated systems, and the benefits these investments provide are well worth their cost. However, the absence of real-time production process data consolidated on a central platform can compromise net profits.

When process data is not readily accessible in a timely manner, valuable information that could improve production efficiency is lost. Equinox overcomes this difficulty by adapting to the specific needs of the business and providing a tool that enables accurate decision-making.

How could you benefit from the use of Equinox?

Equinox is a system capable of controlling processes spread over large areas that require frequent, regular or immediate intervention.

Oil and gas production infrastructure is no exception. Wells, gathering systems, and hydrocarbon transportation, refining and storage facilities are spread over large geographic areas and require remote controls to switch motors and pumps on and off, open or close valves, and so on. They also need to regularly collect telemetry data, evaluating pressures, temperatures and flow rates in order to respond effectively to conditions across the rest of the facility.

However, many oil and gas companies have their equipment completely isolated from the central office, even when it has communication capabilities. In some cases they use proprietary software with vendor-imposed limitations that only allows one piece of equipment to be connected at a time, preventing an overall view of the production process. This software often only works with equipment of the same brand and type and cannot be expanded.

Remote control of this equipment is not possible in many cases, so when an abnormal situation occurs the company must send maintenance personnel to the site to manually check the problem, often traveling long distances across hard-to-reach areas.

Equinox is a mature product that has been successfully deployed in dozens of oil and gas production processes. Our product can be configured to monitor wellheads, tank batteries, pipelines and pumping stations through analog and digital input and output modules, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) and other devices with communication capabilities using several protocols such as MODBUS and DNP3.

Once the operator becomes aware of a pressure deviation, a tank level issue or a well shutdown, they can use Equinox to immediately correct the problem by sending a command through the communication link, without needing to send a crew to the site.

Besides, the operator doesn’t need to be at the central office to be alerted of abnormal situations: Equinox will alert them through text messages and emails, from any mobile device such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. All that’s needed is an Internet connection and a browser.

The use of our product brings many advantages, including:

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  Well and battery monitoring

  Monitor pressure, level and flow rate at wellheads, tank batteries and pumping stations in real time.
  
  

  Outcome

  Fewer field visits and early detection of production deviations.
• 

  Leak and anomaly detection

  Identify pressure drops or flow variations in pipelines that may indicate a leak or an equipment fault.
  
  

  Outcome

  Faster response to incidents and lower environmental risk.
• 

  Remote well control

  Start, stop or adjust pumps and valves at wells and batteries without needing to send personnel to the site.
  
  

  Outcome

  Less travel time and cost across large, hard-to-reach oil fields.
• 

  Production history

  Record and store the pressure, flow and level history of every well or battery for production analysis.
  
  

  Outcome

  Better planning of well interventions and maintenance.
• 

  Lower operating cost

  Reduce crews dedicated to routine field rounds thanks to remote monitoring and control.
  
  

  Outcome

  Lower operating expenses and better use of field personnel.

Eight reasons to choose us

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